3 Ministers, One Summer

"I too, am seen as the elder brother and older friend and nothing more. Probably thats why I have so many friends who are girls but they're all not attracted to me as a partner"..that was my response to Ian's comment about the issues with being a professional counsellor and known as one..the perception of members of the opposite sex changes..

I've been blessed to have been taught by great teachers and blessed to have sat at the feet of godly ministers of God's Word who've taught me all i know about the Bible and being a Christian..its really God's grace..i'm going to talk about three of them in this post for they've been some of the most formative in my Christian walk and life here in Singapore..

First, there's Dr E N Poulsen, the Pastor Emeritus of Grace Baptist Church and Professor Emeritus of Singapore Bible College, the minister who taught my father in Bible College for 4 years many, many years ago..An American missionary from the Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles, he's been in Singapore for the last 53 years! He recently returned to California for what he says will be the last time, because he intends to die and be buried in the mission field of Singapore where God called him in 1955...Now this is a very interesting man who was a naval pilot during the Second World War, actually flying in combat at Guadacanal and Guam..my father and myself recently visited him over the Chinese New Year period in Singapore where he regalled us with stories of eating raw fish yusheng with his chinese co-workers..he gave me good advice that i should finish my studies and work for at least 2 years or 5 before going into ministry..and that in an Asian context, evangelism often involves offering tuition to students in the neighbourhood and telling them about Jesus during short breaks between lessons..of course we should make this clear from the start, but the kinds of pure evangelistic outreach events we do in Australia just don't work well..which got me thinking about Focus..if we have English coaching sessions and breaks where we share 2 Ways to Live with international students, would that work better? we should include that in our advertising so we're not misleading anyone, but is this unscriptural?

Minister no. 2 is the Reverend Fred Abeysekara, an old school and old time Pentecostal man who recently returned from missionary work in Banglore, India..he spoke in Charis Full Gospel Church on Sunday from Matthew 10:1-15..i have not heard a verse by verse exegesis by a Pentecostal minister for a very, very long time..with the exception of my father who even then, sometimes gets carried away.."and proclaim as you go, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay. acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his food." v. 7-10...he went on to talk about ministry, mission work, service of God and the difficulty faced in the Christian life..of course, i don't agree with everything he preached from a Biblical Theological perspective...but i think often i retreat behind intellectualism and theologising about the Bible which shouldnt be..the thrust of his sermon was right..especially when Rev. Fred said, "i've had people spit on me and hit me for the sake of the gospel..some of them Christians in whose churches i preached, right after the service..the Christian walk and life is Hard and Difficult..but we do it for the sake of Jesus..look to Him"..a far cry indeed from the New Liberal Pentecostals who preach health, wealth and prosperity..now you see why i dislike them and their theology so much? if they're right, that means everything Reverend Fred and my family have endured for the gospel for the last 20 to 30 years has been in vain, because we have far more suffered than been blessed..Of course, few other pentecostal churches in Singapore these days invites Rev Fred to preach..poor man, he preaches too much about the Wrath of God, the sinfulness of man and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the cure..not politically correct in this age of "luv" (not Love as you may notice..as Dr Poulsen says, the Liberals spell it as 'Luv' rather than 'Love' as the Bible spells it)

and no. 3 is Ian Poullier (thats right, my friend, its about you :) a true Christian friend and Counsellor who struggles with singlehood and marriage..he recently underwent an operation for cervical spondelosis because C4-6 of his vertebrae were pressing on his spinal cord, causing numbness, difficulty in his gait and some vertigo..i did not realise my friend, if not i would have been praying for you..i'm sorry for being such a careless friend..he underwent a major surgery which was 7 hours in all and yet, was up and about and discharged within 4 days of the operation..he talked at length about God's Grace, mercy and favour..and i agree and empathise completely..my grandma underwent an operation for cervical spondelosis in 1990 which left her paralysed from the waist down..God is merciful indeed..anyway, he was back in the office last week and counselling students at St Francis Methodist School, even while wearing a neck brace..i always find it refreshing talking to Ian, who never fails to put things in perspective (with that counsellor finesse of his)..from singlehood and marriage to ministry and caring for kids and adolescents..without condemnation and judging and any air of self-righteousness..yet always being realistic and up front..anyways, so that his head doesnt get too bloated (i know you read this space Ian) i'll move on to what he told me about getting some basic training in counselling if i wanted to get involved in ministry..its helpful for ministers to learn how to communicate with distressed people and counsel them with some proper knowledge..and to have some basic bedside manners which don't scare troubled congregation members off..thats something to keep in view for the future..

well, thats enough for tonite..God has been gracious to me in letting me have the fellowship and teaching of these ministers..this is for you.."God rest ye merry gentlemen" indeed..