Marketplace Spirituality
There have been a lot of talk about marketplace ministry.
After the recent NECF Pastors and Leaders Consultation, Kar Yong post about secular-sacred divide in marketplace ministries. The discussion heats up when blogpastor blogs about former pastor and counsellor, Sun Ho of City Harvest Church who have moved into the marketplace of entertainment in a big way. Her recent music video, China Wine- The Geisha, rocks our blogpastor. Sun Ho is really pushing the secular-sacred divide envelope here.
What do you think?
Labels: Christianity, Culture, Spirituality
posted by Alex Tang at 1:18 AM
16 Comments:
Perhaps we can add prostitution, drunkedness, recreational drug use, rape, homicide, etc. to the list of vocations in which we can integrate into our spirituality???
If this video represents integration, then it clearly violates some fundamental Christian principles.
I worry about the impact she is leaving the younger generation.
Wow...watch half way, can't stand already. Dun even know what the lyrics about. Din know the former pastor was so HOT!! hmm...m concerned too about the legacy of her and the current pastor pass to the younger generation. Din seem to integrate well after all, business and full time pastor here !!!
hi jb,
while prostitution is a job description the others are not.
which part of the video violates fundamental Christian principles?
Sun Ho's video is mild compared to some of the other MTV and [V] videos. The younger generation grew up in a diet of such videos. To them, it is neither shocking or revulsive.
hi lee chee keat,
interesting comment. She does seem to integrate well, don't she?
To have an influence in the marletplace, how far will you go to identify with them, gain their respect, and thus win a hearing.
I wonder how far many of us would "lower" ourselves to identify with the poor and marginalised, "gain their respect, and thus win a hearing"?
good question, Kar Yong.
Or 'higher' ourselves to rub shoulder with the rich and the famous?
Your questions make me wonder if you have a different view. But then again, I could have just been unclear in my comment.
I read blogpastor's post, watched the video, and pretty much agreed with him. The video itself doesn't shock me either (I grew up in the MTV generation). What I'm questioning is the role of a Christian leader doing what she is depicting as acceptable and perhaps even good. I believe Scripture calls for a much more chaste morality than what I saw on the video. As for the other activities (prostitution, drugs, rape, etc), these are very much part of the party scene depicted in the video. And in this way, I felt that her "integration" (or support of the culture) violates Scripture. After relooking at the video, I realized that it's less gangsta and more party, and so I believe I went a little overboard with homicide.
I hope this clarifies whatever was not well explained earlier.
BTW, I'm glad to have learned about this. On an intellectual level, it's an interesting conversation.
jb,
Thank you for your clarification.
Yes, I agree. It is an interesting conversation involving three blogs.
She might as well dance with G-string or totally naked ? Her pastor husband very proud of her ? She is just like that girl - anabel chong ( not sure the exact spelling) who has 'done' singapore 'proud' years ago by having a world record for sleeping XX no. of men in XX hrs.
I'm not so much troubled by the video per se, as much as by:
- her claim that she's pushing the envelope as an artiste. (the video is pretty standard "pimp & ho" fare.)
- her statement that she was never a pastor. (this I know to be outright untrue. and it's this point that mystifies me most of all. I think she would have been better off saying, "yes, I was a pastor, but right now I'm focusing on being a recording artiste.")
in some respects, she reminds me of MC Hammer...
>>>> - her statement that she was never a pastor. (this I know to be outright untrue. and it's this point that mystifies me most of all. I think she would have been better off saying, "yes, I was a pastor, but right now I'm focusing on being a recording artiste.") <<<<
I agreed with passionista. There is always write up on sun ho is Pop Diva, no. 1 here n there, very popular in asia. Hello, please...if someone is engaged to do a good write up on sun ho which is not true, pls don't ever quote singaporean support her. I am a singaporean and feel shameful that media wrote sun is a pop diva. I don't want this type of standard to represent singapore. Moreover, she is a confusing person. Always cannot remember what she said before. She started out to save the soul to spread the love. Slowly progress to telling stories to catch attention - having many many boyfriends, miscarriage, best friend betray her, depression, not a pastor, sexually assaulted by neighbour at 6yrs old, etc.....Singapore itself is a good branding. Pls don't tarnish singapore image !
sun ho is not appealing at all as an artist. Still, not willing to retire. Pls Mdm sun ho - give chance to other better artists. Don't keep on holding on to your not-so-popular celebrity status & try to catch attention by doing all sort of stuffs.
There are always report saying Sun Ho no. 1 here, no. 1 there. But in reality, i heard stories about church goers are 'force' to buy her CDs. Sometimes, some people will receive free CDs. I wonder who bought the CDs and give out freely ? I am not sure how true is that but newspaper & website seems to write that. In Singapore, only stepanie sun is famous. No one knows why there are reports on sun ho being no. 1 here and there. Maybe someone were employed to so a writeup exclusively ?
hi passionista,
I agree completely with your comments. Whether she is pushing the envelope remains to be seen. Asian artists don't seen to do well in the States. Apparently we are still classified under 'colored'.
I am surprised to learn that she said she was never a pastor.
Aside from MC Hammer, she also reminds me of Charlotte Church.
hello seng,
welcome. She is Singaporean but I do not think most people will think of her as a typical Singaporean. :)
hi sharon and anon,
I guess we have to understand what is meant as no.1 pop diva. Nowadays marketing, especially USAmerican style marketing claims everyone is number one. So I am not surprised by her supposed popularity.
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