The Challenge of Biomedical Issues to the Contemporary Church

Brave New World: The Challenge of Biomedical Issues to the Contemporary Church

Title of Seminar	Brave New World
Subtitle	The Challenge of Biomedical Issues to the Contemporary Church
Synopsis	Advances in medical treatment modalities, biotechnological innovations, and genetic-molecular manipulations have brought about a set of unique challenging issues not faced by the Church before. A pastoral-theological approach is needed to examine, reflect and develop responses to these difficult moral and ethical issues such as test tube and designer babies, facts and fallacies of stem cell therapies, cloning, reproductive technologies, abortion, mercy-killing, allocation of scarce healthcare resources, living will, gene therapy, prenatal diagnosis, and aesthetic surgery. Christians should be engaging personally with these issues and also help others to do so. A rational engagement is essential to all Christians who are committed to living ethically in these changing times.
Speaker’s bio	Dr Alex Tang is a senior consultant paediatrician in the Johor Specialist Hospital in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. He received his medical training from the National University of Malaysia, post-graduate training in Singapore and the United Kingdom and his theological training from the Malaysia Bible Seminary and the United States. Alex has published numerous articles on bioethics, written two books on the Christian response to biomedical ethical issues and taught courses on biomedical ethics in seminaries in Singapore and Malaysia.
Date and Time	17 Mar 2012, 1-4pm
Location	TCA College

Please click here to download a pdf version of this.

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Tales from the Monastery cover

I am excited about my new book. This wonderful cover is designed by Lim Hai Seng and the team at Armour Publishers, Singapore.

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Spiritual Formation Institute Seminar on Spiritual Friendship

SFI Seminar 2012/1

Spiritual Friendship

We live in an increasingly lonely world. Technology that is meant to connect us ends up causing us to have less face-to-face time with each other. Yet the bible clearly states that it is not good for humankind to be alone (Genesis 2:18). Medical science bears this out. How then are we to find the relationships we need for healthy living?

This is also a question for followers of Jesus Christ. We are meant to follow Christ in the company of friends. Jesus calls us to follow Him in community. Yet the church can be as lonely as the world around us. How are we to find the community we need to follow Christ?

Date      :               2.00pm- 9.30pm, Saturday 25 February 2012

        

Place      :    Berea, Holy Light Church, 11-C, Jalan Gertak Merah, 80100 Johor Bahru

Program   :                 This seminar will seek to answer some of these concerns:

                  What is spiritual friendship and why do we need it?

                  What constitutes healthy spiritual friendship?

                  What is a practical and doable way for experiencing spiritual friendship?

                       The seminar will cover the following topics:

1. The Need for Spiritual Friendship

2. The Components of Spiritual Friendship

3. The Practice of Spiritual Friendship

We need friends as much as we need food and water. Come and see why. Come and see how.

Speaker:

Soo Inn is a director of Graceworks, a ministry committed to promoting spiritual friendship in church and society (www.graceworks.com.sg). He runs this ministry in partnership with his wife, Bernice. He also serves as honorary pastor of Evangel Christian Church, Singapore. Bernice and Soo Inn have four sons.

Soo Inn has a BDS from the University of Singapore, a ThM from Regent College and a DMin from Fuller. His primary passions include connecting the Word of God to the struggles of daily life, and the promotion of the discipline of spiritual friendship.

He has been a supporter of Arsenal Football Club since 1971 and his favourite movie is Star Wars 4.

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Registration Form          
(Seminar cost RM20.00 includes refreshment, dinner and seminar notes).

Spiritual Formation Institute Seminar 2012/1      

Spiritual Friendship

Name: …………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………….. Church…………………………………………

Tel    : …………………………………………………………………………………. Email:………………………………………………………………………………………..

Please register with Sister Grace Soon of HLCE (Tel:07-2243285)


more on Spiritual Formation Institute

Conversations with my Granddaughter (1)

Welcome, little one. This is your grampa. You may find the world very disorientating at this moment – filled with bright lights, loud noises and strange sensations. Not to worry, little one. After all my years here, your grampa still finds the world disorientating! But slowly you will learn to adapt and push all these disorientating distractions into the background.

Aside from me, you will notice that there are many giants around you. These are called people. As you grow, you will become one of these big people. But that will be many years from now. Your only concern now is drinking, sleeping and pooing. Not to worry, this is your present vocation. World domination can wait.

I am sure you are very familiar with the warmth, smell and heartbeat of one of these big people. You feel comfortable and safe with her. She serves you breakfast, lunch, dinner and all the snacks in between from her breasts. That’s your Mummy and she loves you very much. There is another big person who likes to carry you, cuddle you, kiss you and sometimes feed you with a bottle. You do not smell breast milk on him but however you like his smell. That is your Daddy. He loves you very much too. He also loves your Mummy very much.

Little one, you will learn how important love is and how wonderful it is to be loved by many people. There is much joy and hope in love. There are also other big people. As you are sleepy now, grampa will tell you about them another day. Say hello to your guardian angel for me. Sleep tight, little one (and don't let the bed bug bite). We will talk more later.

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Teach me to stop and listen

Teach me to stop and listen,

Teach me to center down.

Teach me the use of silence,

Teach me where peace is found.

Teach me to hear Your calling,

Teach me to search Your Word.

Teach me to hear in silence,

Things I have never heard.

Teach me to be collected,

Teach me to be in tune,

Teach me to be directed,

Silence will end so soon.

Then when it's time for moving,

Grant it that I might bring,

To every day and moment,

Peace from a silent spring.

Ken Medema 

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A Fundamental Step

As fundamental a step as we can take ... is learning to meditate

on Scripture—learning first to hear God's word, and let it

inform and take root in us. This may be extremely difficult, for

the churches have no courses on meditation, despite the fact that

it is an art that must be learned from those who have mastered

and despite the fact that the supreme task of the church is to

listen to the Word of God.

Elizabeth O'Connor

Online Reading Group reading Between Heaven and Mirth

What my online reading group is reading now.

Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. Introduction and Ch. 1
Jan.2 to 8. Ch. 2
Jan. 9 to 15. " A Study in Joy: Psalm 65" and Ch.3
Jan. 16 to 22. Chapters 4 and 5
Jan. 23 to 29 "A Study in Joy: The Visitation" and Ch. 6
Jan. 30 to Feb. 5. Ch. 7
Feb.6 to Feb. 12. Ch. 8
Feb. 13 to 19. " A Study in Joy: 1 Thessalonians" and catch up or read ahead
week:-)
Feb. 20 to 26. Ch.9 and Conclusion

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A Prayer for My Grand Daughter

A prayer for my granddaughter

LORD, we do thank you for this wonderful little girl,

given to us at the start of this new year.

May her mother be a fountain of love and joy,

from whom she draws nourishment and wisdom.

May her father be a pillar of strength and integrity,

from whom she draws dignity and humanity.

May her parents’ love for each other and for her provide a matrix,

in which she will grow in wisdom and stature,

and in favour with God and men.

May she always have passion in her heart and light in her eyes;

passion to give a purpose to her living,

and the light of aliveness to enjoy and appreciate life.

Protect her, O LORD, from the wiles of the evil ones,

and strengthen her to face her temptations.

May her cup overfloweth and help her to sail on the river of no regrets,

avoiding the rapids of resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness.

Give her good and faithful friends to keep her company,

and mentors and spiritual directors to guide her path.

Help her to develop the gifts and talents you have given her,

so that she will develop to her full potential as a person.

Guide her to develop a humility that comes from knowing you,

and to learn from her successes and failures.

Give her the persistence to strive for whatever is right and true,

and the courage to follow her passion wherever it may lead her.

LORD, let this precious little one come to know you,

as her Lord and Saviour, offering her life to the Father in service,

living her life in Christ, and becoming like Christ in the process.

May she bears the fruit of the Holy Spirit and,

let your light shine brightly in her so that she will draw others to you.

We humbly ask this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen

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Review of Lim's Life and Ministry of John Sung

Lim Ka-Tong, 2012, The Life and Ministry of John Sung, Singapore: Armour Publishing

This is a timely and much needed book in English on the biography of evangelist John Sung who played such an important part in the revivals in China and South East Asia in the 1930s and 1940s. Unfortunately, John Sung is not well known or even remembered among the contemporary churches in Asia except for a few. Among these are those who actually met Sung and whose lives were changed as a result of that meeting. Even now six decades later, these people can remember Sung clearly and with joy their remembrance of their encounter with God as a result of this meeting.

The last significant biography of John Sung was by Leslie Lyall which was written 50 years ago! Lim Ka-Tong’s biography is a distinctive improvement with more new information from Sung’s diaries and letters. Lim, presently a pastor in Texas, is a graduate of Singapore Bible College, Dallas Theological Seminary and Asbury Theological Seminary. In this book which covers Sung’s early formative years, the short 12 years of ministry and his dying years. Significantly it covers the five phases of his life; water (reimmersion, 1927-1930), door (opening, 1931-1933), dove (time to soar, 1934-1936), blood (wartime spiritual warfare, 1937-1939) and tomb (pastoral years, 1940-1944).

Lim’s book explores the impact of Sung’s ministry in the context of prewar and wartime China and South-East Asia, the Chinese worldviews and Sung’s own personal spiritual development. He does this by answering five questions:

(1)   What shaped John Sung? How did John Sung become John Sung?

(2)   In what ways did contextual elements contribute to the prominence of John Sung’s ministry and his lasting influence?

(3)   How did John Sung’s ministry contribute to the growth and indigenization of Chinese Christianity?

(4)   How did John Sung make such a great impact in so brief a time?

(5)   Why has John Sung been slighted by historical scholarship, despite his pivotal influence on Chinese Christianity?

In this book, Lim has succeeded in helping us to understand this complex and driven servant of God. He shows us the constant struggles Sung had in his spiritual life and his ‘unconditional’ surrender of everything to God. It is a hard lived life of seeking God and seeking his will in making choices. These choices including a life of comfort in the United States or poverty in China, ministerial ‘success’ or itinerary wanderings, theological conservatism (fundamentalist) or liberalism, being a ‘Chinese’ Chinese or a Western educated Chinese, and living a kataphatic or apophatic Christian spirituality. It is a result of these struggles that Sung was able to have such an impact in his ministry.

This is a highly readable and interesting book and a must for all Christians especially for those who want to appreciate the Asian and Chinese Christian heritage.

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Exert Oneself to be a Hero

The lyrics of this song is my new year resolution.




"Exert Oneself to be a Hero" or "A Man should Strive"
(this is the lyrical version of the Wong Fei Hung theme, sung by George Lam for the film "Once Upon a Time in China", starring Jet Li)

 Translations:

defiantly laughing at ten thousand waves (= trials and tribulations) /
with righteous ardour burning hotter than the sun
gall (=courage) forged of iron / bones (=character) of steel
broad-minded and far-sighted
I vow to exert myself to strive to be a hero
to be a great hero, one must exert oneself everyday
the zeal of a man burns hotter than the sun

I gather the power of the skies and the seas / to separate heaven and earth
that I might charge towards my ideals
look at the blue waves high and mighty,
and also at the blue skies broad and wide raising my spirit
as a man of determination

striding boldly with one's chest out, everyone should be a great man
(like beams holding up the nation)
use me to ignite a hundred spirits, shining with a thousand rays
to be a great hero / one's zeal must burn with ardour / brighter than the red sun

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Book Gifts from Seminari Theologi Malaysia

It was a pleasant surprise this morning to receive this envelope containing two books by my good friends, Dr Anthony Loke and Dr Tan Jin Huat. This is sent by STM to their friends and partners and I think it is a wonderful Christmas gift.

Thanks, STM!

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Wind Beneath My Wings

Wind beneath my Wings

The sanctifying life in the Spirit

Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-23

Dr Alex Tang

Text

  1TH 5:16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

    1TH 5:19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.

    1TH 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

Sermon statement

The sanctifying work of the Spirit finds its expression in rejoicing, prayer and thanksgiving. We must not quench the Spirit.

read more

Wind.beneath.my.wings

View more presentations from Alex Tang.

Soul Care: The Art and Science of Spiritual Direction Course

I will be teaching a course on spiritual direction in August 2012 at the Malaysia Bible Seminary at their beautiful Kuang campus.

Course Title

Soul Care: The Art and Science of Spiritual Direction

Course Objectives:

The desired outcomes are that by the end of the course, students are able to

      develop a biblical and theological basis of Christian spiritual formation and transformation

      understand the psychospiritual dynamics of spiritual development

      differentiate between the dynamics of spiritual friendship, mentoring, counseling and spiritual direction

      listen and cultivate discernment concerning the movements of the Holy Spirit

      acquire some basic skills in spiritual direction

Course Content

      Defining spiritual direction and its role in spiritual formation and transformation

      Biblical and theological foundations of spiritual formation

(concepts from shalom, Trinity, imago dei and missio dei)

      The psychospiritual dynamics of spiritual development

      The continuum of soul care: spiritual friendship, discipling, mentoring, coaching, counseling and spiritual direction.

      The spiritual life of a spiritual director

      The art of listening

      Discernment

      Guidelines in spiritual direction

Credits

3 credits

Requirements

      Pre-course reading

      Participation during course

      One group class presentation

      One reflection paper

      One research paper

      One practicum report paper

If you are interested to attend, please contact MBS at

   Working Days   : Mondays to Fridays

   Off Days           : Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays

   Working Hours : 8 am to 5 pm

MALAYSIA BIBLE SEMINARY

Lot 728, Jalan Kundang,

48050 Kuang, Selangor Darul Ehsan,

Malaysia

Mobile Phone: 6012-223 4527

Tel:   03-60371727           

Fax:  03-60371728

Honest2God

Honest to God

Living the Way Everlasting

Psalm 139: 23-24

Sermon statement

The Lord knows all about us, is always with us and has lovingly guided our lives. We need to be honest to him if we are to develop spiritual intimacy and spiritual growth.

read more

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Intelligent Research and Tea of Science

My blog posts on research issues provoked by the movies Captain America here and Rise of the Planet of the Apes here are picked up and published by Tea of Science - Scientist and Laboratory Network.

 Intelligent Research

  Dr. Alex Tang

  Medical Research Network page.

 What are the lines in altering the genetic code of human. Dr. Alex shares his view.

 

 

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Maintaining an Authentic Spirituality

Francis Schaeffer described true or authentic spirituality as “ we are to love  God, we are to be alive to him, we are to be in communion with him, in this present moment of history. And we are to love men, to be alive to men as men, and to be in communication on a personal level with men, in this present moment of history”(italics his). Evelyn Underhill summarised it as communion with God and co-operation with God.
 

Hence authentic spirituality begins with God. It begins with a divine call, rebirth and conversion (John 3:3-8; Acts 2:38-39) and continues with sanctification. It requires divine grace and our willing co-operation. It involves our inner and outward lives. It involves the integration of ours lives as we are being restored by the Holy Spirit. The goal is to become more like Christ (Eph 4:13-16).

 read more


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Booknotes on Keller's Counterfeit Gods

 

Keller, Timothy. 2009. Counterfeit gods: When the empty promises of love, money and power let you down. London: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.

 

Things that dishonor God are also called “counterfeit Gods” or idolatry. Pastor Tim Keeler of Redeemer  offer offers a brief list of idol categories:

Theological idols - Doctrinal errors that produce such distorted views of God that we end up worshipping a false god.

Sexual idols – addictions such as pornography and fetishisms that promise but don’t deliver a sense of intimacy and acceptance; ideals of physical beauty in yourself and/or your partner; romantic idealism

Magic/ritual idols – Witchcraft and the occult. All idolatry is in the end a form of magic that seeks to rebel against the order of transcendent reality rather than submitting to it in love and wisdom.

Political/economic idols – Ideologies of the left, right, and libertarian that absolutize some aspect of political order and make it the solution. Deifying or demonizing free markets, for example.

Racial/national idols – Racism, militarism, nationalism, or ethnic pride that turns bitter or oppressive.

Relational idols – Dysfunctional family systems of codependency: “fatal attractions”; living your life through your children.

Religious idols – Moralism and legalism; idolatry of success and gifts; religion as a pretext for abuse of power.

Philosophical idols – Systems of thought that make some created thing the problem wit life (instead of sin) and some human product or enterprise the solution to our problems (instead of God’s grace).

Cultural idols – Radical individualism, as in the West, that makes an idol out of individual happiness at the expense of the community; shame cultures that make an idol out of family and clan at the expense of individual rights.

Deep idols – Motivational drives and temperaments made into absolutes: a. Power idolatry: “Life has meaning/ I only have worth if - I have power and influence over others.” b. Approval idolatry: “Life has meaning/ I only have worth if - I am loved and respected by ____________.” c. Comfort idolatry: “Life has meaning/ I only have worth if - I have this kind of pleasure experience, a particular quality of life.” d. Control idolatry: “Life has meaning/ I only have worth – if I am able to gain mastery over my life in the area of ____________.” (p.204, n.119)

“The only way to free ourselves from the destructive influence of counterfeit gods is to turn back to the true one. The living God, who revealed himself both at Mount Sinai and on the Cross, is the only Lord who, if you find him, can truly fulfill you, and, if you fail him, can truly forgive you” (xxiv).