The Father's Heart of God!- Joseph Chean (Trackers 2013)

Below are the notes taken from the 4 days of deep heartfelt sharing by Joseph Chean, YWAM Base Director at the recent Trackers 2013 at PLMC. Was so inspired from his powerful testimonies of God's faithfullness in his life that it challenged me to reflect if i'm actually taking such huge steps of faith, living on the edge, trusting in God's faithfullness and providence daily. 

We were born on an empty sheet of paper. And our beliefs system & experiences are written on the first 5 years of our life.

Eph 1:17-18

" 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, "

"Know"- experience & encounter 

Lies of the enemy- "God is good but he is not good to me"

"Our soul is like a camera, it reproduces what ever that makes a deep impact in our lives.  What we are today is a fruit that comes from a seed that was sown in us."

God end goal is to allow us to be in a place of wholeness  & a place that we can trust Him."

The Belief tree:

a) Roots - Beliefs

b) Soil - Environment & worldview

c) Branches- Processes

d) Fruits- Actions/behaviour

Common areas of Misconception with God

- Authority

- Trust 

- Value

- Affection 

- Presence 

- Acceptance

Allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to our lives.

The son is the image of Father

Heb 1:3

John 14:9

Psalms 139- The greatness & goodness of God

How Big is our God?

Isaiah 40:12

New International Version (NIV)

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,    or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,    or weighed the mountains on the scales    and the hills in a balance?

The hollow of His hands

Isa 49:16 "I have engraved you in the palms of my hands"

The cross is the greatest act of love

"May our lives be as beautiful as it was in the mind of God when He woven us together in our mother's womb"

Do you know Him as He is?

"Dear Father, How do you see me? What do you feel about me? What do you want to say to me?"

Relationship is God's idea. God made us to relate. 

Maslow

1) Physiological needs (basic needs such as air, water, food, sleep. )

2) Safety needs ( establishing stability & consistency in a chaotic world.  Need a security of a home & family)

3) Love & belongingness (Humans have a need to be part of a club or group)

4) Esteem needs (There are two types of esteem needs. Results from competence or mastery of a task.  Second, there's that attention & recognition that comes from others) 

5) Self actualisation 

it becomes everything that one is capable of becoming 

How this meets are met or unmet? What has it done to you?

Family relationships 

(dining moments)

Are you raised in an environment -

- when you are encouraged to share?

- encourage to try?

-  to receive love publicly?

Family forms in us:

Our identity - who am I? (Self image)

- Gen 1:26

Our sense of belonging - who do u belong to ?(Ownership)

- Isaiah 43:1

Our Security- what is the basis of being loved & accepted? (Stability)

Jer 31:3

Our Destiny - why am I here? (Life purpose) 

Ps 139:16,  Jer 29:11

Family relationship

Deut 6:5

 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

Matt 22:37-38

37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

Family relationships is the foundation of how we learn to relate, it shapes our world view and our values

Unwritten family rules:

-We don't talk 

-We don't trust ( a repeat lie can become truth to one)

-We don't feel

-We are always in control

-We deny

When we locked these dysfunctional roles, we block healing and cannot experience wholeness. 

Talk about unwritten family rules?

How these rules have impacted your walk with God?

Types of relationships

- interdependent 

- co- dependent 

- co- existence (functional only?)

- independent

How do we view God?

A child's view of God is filtered through his view of his parents

Conflicts between my thoughts and feelings about Go

- With my mind u see what I think , with my heart u see what I feel

- There needs to be link between what we know in the head and the heart. God wants the truth in our hearts in our hearts

His Authority:

Misconception: His a demanding & controlling God 

Actions: rebellion towards authority, feel a sense of injustice, anger & fearful towards authorities

God's truth: Prov 3:11-12, Hebs 12:7-11, Roms 8:28, Eph 2:10, Psalms 138:8

His Faithfulness:

Misconception: An undependable & deceiving God

Action: unable to trust, unbelief 

God's truth: isa 41:10, psalms 145:13, josh 23:14

John 12:24-26

Deut 32:11

His Values:

Misconception: an inconsistent and self centred God

Actions: Do not agree with God's word

God's truth : psalms 32:8, 25:4, Isaiah 55:8-11

His Affections:

Misconception: God is cold

Action: cannot relate to God's love , cannot receive nor give touch

God'a truth: Isaiah 66:12-13, Zeph 3:17, psalms 139:17-18, John 10:3, isaiah 49:15-16, deut 7:7-9

His Presence:

Misconception: a distant God & a God who is too busy for me

Action: fearful or self dependence. Cannot agree to John 15:5

God's truth: mart 6:4,6,18, Isaiah 41:10, Josh 1:9, Matt 28:18-20

His Acceptance:

Misconception: God's love is conditional

Action: always needing to prove, stay ahead or something radical just to catch attention

God's truth: Isa 49:1, isa 43:1, John 14:23, psalms 68:5

His Communication:

Misconception: a silent God & a reprimanding God

Action: struggle with conversing with God & loved ones, either being silent or accusing

God'a truth: isa 50:4, isa 30:21, John 10:1-18

Which of this 6 misconceptions about God have turned into actions/lifestyle?

Where did that come from? What/when/how was the original seed (circumstances) that was sown in you?

Identity your fruit

Ask The Lord to show you the roots & the seeds

Recall what happened , feel the emotions & identity what lies you have believed.

Once you identify the lies, ask The Lord what is His truth 

Replace the lie with the truth/ ask God how you can live out the truth: when can u start to do, stop doing or continue to do.

After 4 days of a deep heartfelt powerful sharing by Joseph Chean on the Fathers heart of God, the trackers came before the cross in bended knees in surrender to our Lord!

Les Miserables!

Just watch an amazing movie of the famous musical Les Miserables today & was moved by the powerful message behind it! Its one movie that really depicts how one act of grace & mercy to one person can impact the life of many others later on. And this story just reminds me of that ultimate grace from our Heavenly Father, who sent His one and begotten Son, Jesus Christ to sacrificially die for the Sins of the World! That's the ultimate act of grace & mercy that will transformed us too if we just received it freely in open arms like the main character in the story.

Reflections of 2012 & New Year Resolutions for 2013

Spent my New Year of 2013 overseas for the first time in the midst of our Mission Trip in Cambodia. Where the 6 of us from our mission team WWW.TBG.CO aka  Wenshien, Wanlin, Wesley. Tiffany, Ben (Myself), Ganchai had our final debrief in this coffee room in the Methodist School of Cambodia, and spent the last 5mins of 2012 having our own quiet watchnight service. And spent the rest of the night of 2013 having our reflections of 2012 & resolutions of 2013. Below is a quick glance of the key events of 2012 & resolutions for 2013!

Flash Back to 1 Jan 2012...

New Year Resolution from 2012 (*Reflections in Italics/Bold)

 1. To go into FAITH adventures with the Lord where I have never been before! (Many! :D, especially my recent Cambodia Mission Trip which I will share more in my next note!)

2. To spend more time with my sec 4 youths (G.E.L), plan a small grp retreat with them! (Definitely had! & finally had our first ysg retreat together)

3. To read the entire bible cover to cover! (Completed the NLT Chronological bible reading plan, supplemented by D1 where we read 80% of the bible, so almost read it twice in one year)

4. To complete the 9 months DISCIPLE 1 course! (YES! :D)

5. To go Hillsong Conference 2012 (YES! :D)

6. To get IPPT Gold!  (YES! :D Got it twice on 28 Jan & 1 Sep)

7. To reach out to at least 10 friends (Didn't really take count)

8. To focus on mentoring & discipling (Peer leaders in GEL & some YMers) (Definitely had the opportunity for it the past year :) 

9. To be exposed to more social outreaches. (To the least,lost & last) (Had a few opportunities for it participating and organising the local community projects in YM)

10. To continue to live each day with the JOY OF THE LORD! :)

Looking back 2012 has been another amazing year where God has shaped & grown me so much both theologically & in ministry. Ever since YM Camp 2011, i've been learning what it means to live that Spirit Filled empowered life, and 2012 has been a follow up of it, also understanding the heart of what Discipleship really is. Having gone through an intensive yet fruitful 9-10 months of Disciple 1, covering 80% of the bible has deepened my walk & foundations of Scripture. Another milestone of 2012 was going for Hillsong Conference for the first time in Sydney in July where it has been my best holiday yet in the 23 years of my life! Besides the holiday with this amazing team of 10 other youth leaders, had an enjoyable insightful conference where God just changed and opened up my theological understanding of Him after that. And somehow people have mention to me that i've a renewed spirit after coming back from Sydney, I guess it might have been my renewed theological understanding of God which affected how I interact with people,response to situations and serve in ministry too.

Below is a quick glance of a busy yet fulfilling year with a recollection of 28 key events of 13 Retreats, 9 conferences, 4 Camps & 1 Mission Trip in 5 different countries! Where each of them had impacted me in someway or another and have grown & learnt so much from each of them. :)

4- 5 Jan- God's Clay Small Group Retreat, Nacli, Singapore

11-14 Jan - International Sports Leadership Training Camp (ISLT) Level 1, Navigators HQ, Singapore

22 Jan- UNDIGNIFIED, CAC Youth Conference 2012, Grace Methodist Church, Singapore

17 March- Kingdom Invasion Conference, EXPO, Singapore

26-28 Apr- YM Staff Retreat in Melaka, Malaysia

3-5 May- YMove Retreat in Phuket, Thailand

12-15 May- TRAC Youth Workers & Leaders Retreat, Batam, Indonesia

19 May- SGL Retreat, Botanical Gardens, Singapore

26-28 May- YM Sec 1-3 Camp, Praisehaven, Singapore

2-5 June- Wesley Church Camp 2012, Melaka, Malaysia

7 June- Ignite Conference 2012, Emmanuel Assembly of God, Singapore  

23-24 June- YM Leaders Retreat, JB, Malaysia

30 Jun- 10 July- HILLSONGS Conference, Sydney, Australia

14 July, Fusion, TRAC Youth Conference, PLMC, Singapore

19 July -  Living Word Conference, at St.James Church, Singapore

2-3 Aug - SBC Pastors'/ leaders' Conference 2012 , SBC, Singapore

17 Aug- Kingdom Culture Conference, PLMC, Singapore

18-20 Aug- Men’s Spiritual Retreat 2012, Blue Mountain Kelong, Batam, Indonesia

11-12 Aug- YM Committee Retreat, JB, Malaysia

5-7 Sep- Young Methodist Leaders Conference 2012 (YMLC), Batam, Indonesia

19-20 Oct- Disciple 1 Retreat 2012, Seventy-Seven retreat centre, GMC, Singapore

27-28 Nov- GEL Ysg Retreat, Home Team NS, Singapore

30 nov -3 Dec- YM Combined Subministry Retreat, Nacli, Singapore

12-16 Dec- YM Camp 2012, Singapore Sports School, Singapore

19 Dec- God's Clay 10 Years Anniversary Celebration, Laura's place, Singapore

22-23 Dec God's Clay SG Retreat, Praisehaven, Singapore

26 Dec - 1 Jan 2013 Mission Trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Looking ahead in 2013, can foresee new transitions and yet another packed schedule at least for the first half of 2013 where I will be stretched quite a bit. Will be involve in TRACKERS, this 3 months Discipleship programme which leads to a mission trip with a batch of youths from different Methodist churches from Jan to March. At the same time, will be beginning another year of Disciple 1, this time as a Facilitator. Will also be doing the Alpha programme with my own small group from Feb onwards! And if my application goes through, will be studying in TTC come July. Where it will be a totally new season of my life going back to studies again, and learning to drop all my current ministries to focus on my time in Seminary for the next 3 years. 

New Year Resolution for 2013 

1. To get into Trinity Theological College (TTC), and begin a new season of my life in Seminary for the next 3 years come July.
2. To find a successor to lead my youths small group (GEL) before I leave for my studies.
3. To embark on the TRACKERS programme (Jan to March)
4. To embark on Disciple 1 again this time as a Facilitator.
5. To embark on the Alpha programme with my own small group and inviting a friend for it.
6. To go Israel and experience Biblical History coming a live!
7. To attend the Global Discipleship Congress (GDC) in Manila
8. Get IPPT Gold again for my next window.
9. Go for an adventure trip in Bali!
10. To sign up for another half marathon this year! probably sundown?
11. To improve on my handwriting! :)
12. To continue to live each day with the JOY OF THE LORD! =)

Cambodia Mission Trip 2012 Reflections

Finally got the time to actually write down my reflections since coming back from a Mission Trip in Cambodia. This trip has been quite an experiential trip for me, and the first time I actually did ministry at a local village for a few days. And if you read my pre-trip reflection note, I had some apprehension going at first, but now after going for it, God have taught me so much that I would like to share with you all! :)

Pre-Trip Reflections (Flash back 25 Dec 2012)

Pre-Reflections on Cambodia Mission Trip 2012 (Part 1/2)  

Team "WWW.TBG.CO", aka Wanlin, Wesley, Wenshien, Tiffany, Ben & Gan Chai."

Thankful for my family, friends & my lovely youths who surprised me at the airport before we flew of to Cambodia.

A 7 days Exploration Mission Trip to Cambodia!  

26 Dec- 27 Dec 2012- Stayed at Methodist School of Cambodia, Phnom Penh (Preparations)

28 Dec -30 Dec 2012- Stayed at Kampot Village (Ministry)

30 Dec- 1 Jan 2013 Back at Methodist School of Cambodia (Post Reflections & a visit to a local orphanage)

My reflections below are based on 4 questions that we were sharing on our final debrief on 31 Dec 2012 night.

1) What was you key moments?

2) What was your struggles & challenges? 

3) What was your biggest take away?

4) Will you encouraged ymers to come to this same place in "Kamput" Village & will you come back to this place again? Have your views of mssions change?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1) What was you key moments?

a) Interacting with the different missionaries in the past 7 days & learning so much from each & everyone of them. Each had their own personal stories & insights from their wealth of experiences. And despite some of the missionsionaries doing ministry there for 13-14 years here, they still served faithfully here even though it can be very discouraging at times. 

b) Interaction with the "Kampot" local pastor, hearing his heart for the ministry and supporting him as much as we can.  Also spending 7 days with our driver/translator/tour guide, Chanda, who became an amazing friend to us.  

Pastor "Pros" gave a christmas message

Our wonderful friend, Chanda who was our Driver/Translator/Tour Guide and an amazing friend who was with us throughout the 7 days straight! Was so touched by his testimony, his dreams and his SMILE everyday! :)

c) The Home visits at Kamput Village. One of my personal highlights. Seeing & experiencing first hand what the pastor do every week to bless the church members. Visiting the homes, squeezing in a small platform just singing 1-2 songs & praying for the families. And they were so sincere in their simplicity of their prayer request.

d) Harvesting rice in Kampot. It was worth every effort using a sickle for the first time, bundling the rice stalks & understanding what it takes just to get rice on our plate everyday. It also allowed me to understand the stories in the bible when they refer to farming in the fields too.

Harvesting Rice for the first time!

Harvesting rice!

e) Interaction with the children. I'm not someone who is very good with kids. But this trip has changed me so much, seeing the kids there just melted my heart. Despite the language & cultural differences, we did our best to interact with them. Be it playing with them or just smiling or having small talks with the very little Khmer language we know.

I especially enjoyed the morning when we visited one of the children orphanage. Just put a ball in our midst and it just brought us all together so easily with the children & even some of the youths joining in for an awesome game mixed between Singaporeans & Cambodians. And it was so easy to warm up with them later & it reminded me on my heart for sports missions yet again.

Interaction with the kids

Soccer with the kids!

f) Interaction with my Team. This has definitely been one of the most amazing group of capable individuals with diverse personalities all coming together for this exploration mission trip. God have taught me so much from each and everyone of them. Had fun laughing, joking, having deep spiritual conversations & serving together.

Our Coffee Room, where we had our worship, devotions, preparations and debriefs!

Tiffany, Have been a fantastic team leader leading the spiritual direction & coordinating the admin matters. Wanlin, our Food IC and also someone who have been here so many times, and was able to share her experience with us. Ganchai, despite him falling sick, he was someone who just liven the mood with his happy joyful nature! Wenshien, the intellectual one who shared deep reflective thoughts throughout and somehow have always been the centre of our jokes with his interesting remarks. Wesley, despite being the youngest, his one of the most humble one on the team, who has such a big heart for the people there, and was amazed by his determination to learnt the guitar.

One of the interesting fact also about this trip was none of us were good at playing the guitar, so it was quite an experience for all of us, as we each took turns to lead worship and played the guitar at the same time. :)

2) What was your struggles & challenges? 

a) The language barrier. There were moments where I felt so helpless, trying so hard to communicate with the kids with the very little Khmer language I know & even wanted to communicate with the local pastor who knew very little English. So had to always depend on the one translator all the time.

b) Battlescars. Got pretty bad cuts, sores & rashes on my arms after the rice harvesting, getting stung on my left hand which led to a bad swell & getting bitten by red ants on my right foot also during the harvesting which also swelled up later.

c) An "inexperience" one in the team.  As I've only gone for one other cross cultural mission trip prior to this 5 years ago, and it was a campus type of mission. Felt some level of inadequacy at this trip. But God humbled me so much, to take a role more of a follower than a leader. And I've learnt so much from each & every member in my team.  

3) What was your biggest take away?

Understanding the heart of the people there. Having the opportunity to interact with the missionaries & locals on the ground really open up my heart for these people to have some taste of the needs on the ground. Especially seeing the poverty and the low education that a lot of the people in the villages are affected by. And was reflecting on hindsight that it's really the little that we can do each time just to encourage the local pastor & support him in anyway we can.

Photo with the pastor and youth leaders

4) Will you encouraged ymers to come to this same place in "Kamput" Village & will you come back to this place again? Has it reshaped your views of mission too?

Yes. Having experience first hand the culture & environment we live in the past 7 days, I believe our youths need to get such an exposure to cross cultural missions, yet they need to be aware of the situation on the ground and not to do more harm than good at the village. Having said that, having gone through a few batches of mission trainings before this, my thinking of missions today has been reshaped quite a bit. And this trip has reinforced it, as it allowed us to be more aware what kind of impact we can do in such short term mission trip, seeing that at the end of the trip, one need to see long term of how one can really be of support & allowing the ministry to be self sustainable in the future instead. 

Some other photos:

Preparation of logistics for the Children Christmas Story Puppet show!

(Before) The Tuk Tuk which Chanda decided to give the children a ride in!

(AFTER) This was quite an interesting highlight, we were all talking at the porch at the church, when chanda decided to take the Tuk Tuk for a ride with a bunch of kids, suddenly the tuk tuk fell into the ditch from a far where we were, We PANIC! Ran all the way there, and saw the Pastor laughing when he saw them, apparently no one was hurt, and Chanda who was in the ditch was just laughing and smiling along! In the end a bunch of us and some villagers came to help push the Tuk Tuk out of the ditch!

The village kids just love hanging around us

The Christmas Story Puppet show we put up for the children sunday school

Team WWW.TBG.CO & Chanda Harvesting rice! :)

Sleeping on the floor

This was the dinner where I asked the local pastor about his call into the pastoral ministry. And he shared his testimony of how he started of his ministry as a young pastor at the age of 22.

Collage of photos in Cambodia

1

Pre-reflections on Cambodia Mission Trip 2012

From tomorrow morning onward,  26 Dec 2012 to 1 Jan 2013 I will be going for my first ever "Village" kind of Mission Trip under YM Ymove. If you know me well, i'm someone who always talk about the importance of being "Kingdom-minded" and "Mission Minded". And the whole of 2011-2012, been trying to study and embrace what it means to "SHINE FORTH, Light Up the World" from our YM Camp theme in 2011, and YM Theme for the whole of 2012. And to continue the vision and not be a "hypocrite". So I did as much as I can to coordinate as many local community projects for YM and also to participate in some to get a taste on the ground of it. Even read up books and articles about Social Justice and trying to understanding the heart behind reaching out to the least, the last and the lost. Despite doing all these, I can say I know somewhat the theological understanding of missions in my "mind", but to really have a "heart" for these people out there is an area i'm still have much to learn and grow from. I've been praying for God to break my heart for what breaks His. And for him to give me the kind of compassion that Jesus had for these people. Not all the time, I say is easy to love these people. But I know these are children out there which our Heavenly Father Loves and cares for as well. 

Having said that, going overseas and participating in Cross cultural missions has never been an area i'm actually comfortable with. I know God's heart is for the people in this countries as well, but as i've never been there before, I do not know the people there enough to actually care for them. And if i'm really honest, I'm actually apathetic about the people there at this present moment. The last time I went for a Mission Trip was under SCCC to Selangor, we spent 2 weeks there doing campus ministry. Yes we did share the gospel to some students there & prepared an Evangelistic Easter play for the students there, but how much impact did we actually make to the campus students there in the long term? Not t to get me wrong that Short term missions is useless, I still took back much from the time interacting with the campus ministry students there, serving along side a team of fellow like-minded campus students and just seeing God's hand as we serve there, but we can only do so much to the people there in such short term missions trips. 

This time i'm going to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the first time,and this is a country where I've heard countless of testimonies at how individuals who went for such short term mission trips have suddenly caught a burden for these country and wanted to go back there again. I've yet to catch the heart for these people yet, but I chose to go for this trip mainly to learn and for the exposure for such village missions. 

I've never imagine myself as a cross cultural missionary on the ground, but I know God has called me to be in a local church as a "Sender". But how can one sent others to cross cultural mission grounds without going down for one. So I thought I should get out of my comfort zone and to get exposed to this kind of "village" missions, to interact and learnt from the missionaries there first hand. And another reason I see in such short term trips is, I always believe one of the best form of Discipleship can always take place in an actual Mission Team when we serve together either locally or overseas in an extended period of time! 

You have heard my pre mission trip thoughts, now would like you guys out there to keep our team "WWW.TBG.CO" in prayer. If your wondering how we got that name, that's from our initials of Wen shien, Wanlin, Wesley, Tiffany, Ben & Gan chai.  

Our Team Prayer Request : 

(Spend the whole night on Christmas day packing for my first ever YM Ymove mission trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 26 Dec 2012 to 1 Jan 2013!)

Goodbye Singapore! And seeyall next year in 2013! :)

YM Camp 2012- "Roots to Fruit" Reflections

This has been my 8th YM camp since my life transforming ym camp in 2005. And yet again, I looked back these wonderful 8 years with such joy to see God doing what He needs to do in the lives of all these youths year after year!

This year was serving at a different capacity compared to a more administrative/planning level as a camp commandant the year before. And got back to familiar grounds again as a camp group mentor of Blueberry camp group & a Blue tree "farmer" (aka tribe leader) of the Blue Tree Tribe which comprises of 70 youths in 5 camp groups! 

Thoughts from a Blue Farmer

In the countless times as a camp leader,  I've never prepared so much prior to camp with my own camp group leaders compared to this year. We even had time to plan cheers and set directions for our tribe dynamics. Even seeing other tribes doing so much with their leaders through the full day camp trainings & meetings prepared the leaders to serve more effectively when camp come! And I'm thankful for this year camp comm to focus their efforts on the camp leaders! This is where the start of discipleship can happen! Our leaders  modelling out the faith! :)

Had great fun with my blue tree tribe comprising of the 5 blue fruits camp groups, Blueberry,Blackcurrant,Elderberry,Gooseberry & Boysenberry. As we practice our tribe cheers with the leaders prior to camp & later bonding with the entire tribe & groups in the war games & group times! :) ...."BLUE TREE... WhooHaa!"

God's Message to us!

Beside the "rah-rah" part of camp in the games & tribe dynamics! God had a strong message to each of us through the sermons by our Pastor In Charge, Rev Melvin Huang who spoke at our YM Camp for first time before he goes on his sabbatical next year. His also our first in house camp keynote speaker since the past 10 ym camps too! He spoke on the Kingdom of God, the body of Christ & the work of the Holy Spirit.

If I can summed up my biggest take away message wld be this statement he made. "We will never believe all that he has promise until we have given all we have".

Are you able to be in full surrender of your dreams and ambition right now today?

Matthew 6:33, "Seek first His kingdom & His righteousness & all this things shall be added on to you"

Other Reflections

This year was also involved in speaking at one of the camp workshops together with Hans, Xunliang, Amanda & Elizabeth. On a forum on "Living that Christian life", and it was amazing seeing how God work through us & ministering to so many of the campers who attended that workshop that day. As the Holy Spirit just came and did what he needed to do to so many of the youths after our sharing & testimonies.

The building of the YM Tree was one impromptu plan by the 5 tribe leaders after the epic fierce war game, where we decided to share all our individual tribe money earned & bid for items in the auction to have a common fund instead to buy all the resources available such as leaves, masking tapes, cardboard boxes etc, to build one YM tree instead of the original plan of building 5 different tribe trees. This decision reminded me of Acts 2:37-47 of the fellowship of believers in the early church where they shared all their resources & there was no division! :) Acts 2:44-45 "All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. "

Fast forwarding all the way to the last night of camp, saw God move so powerfully in the lives of so many youths yet again. Praying for the youths and hearing all the wonderful testimonies from my camp group blueberry & my very own sec 4 group, GEL has been one of the highlights. This beloved group of 15-16 year olds has step up & matured so much over the years. And it makes my heart melt just thinking about it, and it reminds me yet again why I decided to give this 2 years to focus to serve full time in youth ministry before I entered seminary next year. Like what Ronda & josh said, they are so heartened to see so many new sec 4 leaders stepping up to serve as camp leaders this year. And I'm glad I made the decision to sent half my group to be leader!

Conclusion

Wells another amazing ym camp has ended, but like what Rev Melvin said, what really matters is we take our M.E.D.s (My Everyday Decisions) after camp & make that commitment  to be His Kingdom People & to keep both feet into the kingdom of God each and everyday! :)

Post YM Camp photos with this lovely people! :) My wonderful blue berry leaders, Ian & Claire, The blueberry camp Grp, my beloved sec 4 youths, GEL, “Sam, Ben & Ben, with Josh missing” & we finally did our first ever Team Wesley goes to hillsong pyramid in Singapore!”

What's Missions to you?

Below is a pictorial diagram which I did in our recent YMOVE activity, of what I hope to see Missions in YM one day! This is a simplified mindmap of my recent theological framework!

My dream one day is to see us being Kingdom Minded people who would want to serve in a church “without-walls” where we see outward of God’s Kingdom plans & we each desire to create movements everywhere so that everyone will know someone who truly follows Jesus! :) (Part 1/2)
And eventually this dream is to see God’s Glory throughout all areas in this Kingdom Cultural Mandate redeeming the church, business, government, family, arts & entertainment, media, science & technology & education! (Part 2/2)

God Encounters

Paraphrasing what our former YM Chairman would response when asked why we normally experience God so real at camps?

When all the conditions are set in place when one gather with likeminded believers in one same place, away from distractions, with constant worship, bible studies, fellowship, prayer and all this just create an environment where it leads our hearts and minds to be so open to meet God! And with such a desperate HUNGER to meet God! GOD WILL SHOW UP!

Jeremiah 29:13-14 

"13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD..."

Hebrews 11:6

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Decided to share this note of 3 amazing God encounters of His Holy Spirit coming upon us in a community of believers!

This 3 points based on my youth small group acronym of G.E.L came to me when we were praying & listening to God on day 0 of our GEL ysg retreat from 27-28 Nov last week. 

 1) Gathering together 

  

Below is a picture of an ideal beginning of what I see in an ideal small group, and this is based from the recordings of the early church in Acts!

Acts 2:42-47

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. 

This fellowship of believers gathered together in groups and were Devoted to God & to one another. They were willing to takerisk, learn to be vulnerable. They practice Honesty & build trust in relationship

But before these fellowship of believers came to this ideal state of what a small group should become! It all started with a deep encounter of God in the upper room in Acts 2! But flash back abit more in Acts 1:8, Jesus promised this to his disciples!

Acts 1:8 (NIV) 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 

2) Encountering God

We need to first HUNGER for God! And when a community of believers come together in this desperate HUNGER! Expecting God to show up! God will! If we come to him in a state of absolute Surrender and repentance to Him! 

And this is how the story of the Day of Pentecost came!

Acts 2:1-4 (NIV) 

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them...

Acts 2:16-17

16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “‘In the last days, God says,     I will pour out my Spirit on all people.Your sons and daughters will prophesy,     your young men will see visions,    your old men will dream dreams. 

18 Even on my servants, both men and women,     I will pour out my Spirit in those days,     and they will prophesy. 

19 I will show wonders in the heavens above     and signs on the earth below,     blood and fire and billows of smoke. 

20 The sun will be turned to darkness     and the moon to blood     before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 

21 And everyone who calls     on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 

Acts 3:19

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"

This is the revival of Jesus! 

After sharing on point 2, Encountering God... God showed up! In the midst of worship, sense the presence of God so powerfully and it led to one by one my youths responding to the Lord. Some went on bended knees on the floor in the room in a posture of Surrender to our Lord! Some was so touch by the Lord that tears flowed from them, and one suddenly even spoke in tongues. Everyone started praying for one another, and as I just looked up and see them praying for one another, my heart melt to see how much each of them have grown up since 4 years being in this group. They have finally matured to the kind of youths I hope too one day when I took them at Sec 1. And this love they showed for one another is what a small group should be!

Below are 2 images of 2 other God Encouters at the GAP retreat on Day 0 of Submin retreat & at the post sharing from Ps Raymond at YM Combined Submin retreat...

Recording of the spontaneous free-worship session at our recent GAP retreat  

After Encountering God! We shouldn't just leave the experience to ourself. We need to allow GOD's LOVE to OVERFLOW in our LIVES to ONE ANOTHER!

3) Love one Another

John 13:34-35

New International Version (NIV)

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I believe the love for one another within a community of believers is the greatest form of evangelism when a pre-believer visit such a small group and see such a vibrant community! This will prove to the world that we are a disciple of christ when we have love for one another!

If I can summarise this! When we 1) Gather together to that desperate hunger to seeek God. He will find us and it will lead to us having an 2) Encounter of God,  and that will transformed us from the inside out to 3) Love one Another! 

(Got this 3 questions from Ai Mei's sharing on a Vibrant community) 

Are you that friend who facilitates the encounter of Jesus ?

A community that learns to trust 

Is our small group that Faith filled awe filled relationship with others today?

Hebrews 10:24-25

New International Version (NIV)

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

At the end of the day! Let's form spiritual friendship, aka "friendship discipleship" where we always ENCOURAGED, EXHORT & EDIFY one another whenever one meet up! This is what will keep one PASSION for Christ! And it is my dream to see such KINGDOM Minded communities coming together to support one another and to look outward to others beyond the 4 walls of their church!