Two years ago, in June 2007, my church held its 1st Ohana Camp at the Palace of the Golden Horses, Kuala Lumpur. It was the most ambitious one that has been embarked to date with a total of more than 800 participants. I blogged quite a bit about that camp and readers that are new to ROOTSS can read those posts here.
Anyways, we were supposed to get Ps Benny Ho (senior pastor of Faith Community Church in Perth, Australia) to be our keynote speaker but alas, he had a prior engagement already. In the end, we had to settle for PLMC's own senior pastor.
Well, planning for the 2nd Ohana Camp started just after the 1st one. With the adequate notice given, we have managed to get Ps Edmund Chan (senior pastor of Covenant Evangelical Free Church "CEFC") to be its keynote speaker. The theme for this Camp is "Changing Hearts Changing Lives" (hence the title of today's post) and the church has targeted 1,000 this time around to make the trip up to Marriot Putrajaya from 7 to 10 June 2009.
According to Jeff Teo, who is a member of CEFC, Ps Edmund currently preaches a mixture of law and grace. Nonetheless, let us not be discouraged but claim by faith in line with the theme of the camp, ie. changing hearts and changing lives.
The signs are already very encouraging because God is working mightily among the clergy. Jeff tells me that Ps Benny Ho caught the grace message about a year ago. I recently discovered that Blogpastor has caught it too.
And if you read this article found in sg.christianpost.com, even Rev Rick Seaward (founder of Victory Family Centre) was said to have "expressed appreciation for the ministry of New Creation Church Senior Pastor Joseph Prince" when he said "[We] need his church and message to jolt the Church that’s legalistic.”
So, let us pray in unity that between now and the time the Camp commences in Jun 09, God will cause Ps Edmund Chan's heart to be changed. Wouldn't it be wonderful that as a result of catching the grace message, he will then share the gospel in its truest and purest form, and as a result, the lives of the camp participants will be changed, and PLMC also becomes part of the grace camp?
After all, nothing is impossible with God. Amen?
5 comments:
Amen! What he needs is not a changed heart but an 'exchanged' one ;p
Watchman Nee said in his book "The Life That Wins' that 'Victory is not that I have changed, but rather that I have been exchanged.. Today ppl make a serious mistake in thinking that victory is progressive and defeat is retrogressive - that if a person is able to control his temper or maintain an intimate fellowship with God, then he is victorious. Not so. Let us ever keep in mind that victory has basically no relation to one's own self."
It is obtained. not attained.
Will share more on my blog soon! ;)
Amen! Even Saul the persecutor can become Paul the apostle. Who knows, maybe a donkey will speak to Pastor Edmund before the camp ;-)
Amen!! This is really exciting.
It's good news.
Hi,
I'm from CEFC. You guys are really very blessed to have Pastor Edmund as the key speaker. I won't say whether he's a preacher of laws or grace or but rather a preacher of God's Word. He is a man after God's heart and very grounded in the scriptures and I'm sure you will be blessed you hear him preach.
I, personally have been transformed and inspired and its not because of what Pastor Edmund did but rather what God has done in his life which tells me that the power of God is revealed in the transformation of a man's life.
God Bless.
Roy
Just stumbled upon this blog.
The dichotomy about law and grace... seemed very apparent..
"God will cause Ps Edmund Chan's heart to be changed. Wouldn't it be wonderful that as a result of catching the grace message" ??
implying that Ps Edmund not fully appreciating the message of grace as opposed to Ps JP?
Come on, I have heard sermons from JP (NCC), KH (CHC), LK (FCBC) and IMHO EC's exegesis and handling of GOD's word is by far better than those mentioned.
You should attend CEFC's IDMC to see how sound, measured and balanced they are when handling GOD's precious word, not just EC but his fellow pastoral colleagues.
Also, I think you should find out more about Jeff's context of law & grace. It is not a mixture but you need to see things in the proper context of the bible.
Sorry to sound cross, but had enough of hearing about this grace & PT thingy from NCC contacts that I know of but seeing no real change to their lives and their handling of GOD's word is not great either, very 2nd hand (i.e. Ps JP said ....)
Example: On the subject of healing, a youth or young adult leader I knew once tried to justify the OT / NT - new covenant position - GOD heals argument and told me apart/disregarding Isa 53, the healing comes from NT because of what Jesus has done for us... I believe Jesus heals but I was horrified at how she tried to steer me towards that position in that subjective manner... and this is a smart lady (academically). I don't think one would have answered any literature questions in that manner but WHY the word of GOD!
BTW, I believe I have a great, merciful and full of grace GOD but we need to know who we are and the different facets of GOD as revealed in the bible. Legalism or even licentiousness are a result of probably a lack of proper teaching and this can happen when a church is driven by growth or a lack of with an emphasis of "REST in GOD" without inculcating a right spirit of worship and stewardship to GOD or which I believe obedience is the highest form of it.
So much for now before I become too unedifying
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