Mission EineWelt (One World Mission) is the centre for partnership, development, and mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria. It conducts “mission” activities both within and outside Germany. I put “mission” in parentheses because it’s not just about proclaiming the gospel. It’s about apprehending God’s goals for the world, the current state of the …
28 of us sat for about four hours in the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), nodding off on unfriendly seats, waiting for our flight to depart at 2:25 am on Monday morning. The captain of one of the two Airbus 380 planes told us the crew comprised 18 nationalities. I added that piece of trivia …
What does faith have to do with public policy and politics? My “insider experience” of Christian faith spans four denominations, nine congregations, 45 years. For the first 30 years, I kept my faith personal, or within the churches of which I was a member. After the Hindraf and Bersih rallies in 2007 which contested public …
Have you ever read a book and said to yourself “I wish I could meet those characters in that book. I wish they can come to life and chat with me.” I’ve just read one such book. It’s “Heavenly Vision, the story of the Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore 1952 – 1991” by Warren …
Faith that moves mountains: the ordination of women Read More »
Following Christ is not as straight forward as I thought. It can be pretty messy. There’s actually a book called Messy Christianity by Mike Yaconelli, a very good read. The cross was stained with blood and plasma, and resurrection doesn’t mean reversal (despite what some preachers have said). We are to count the cost of …
John Nelson and his wife Betty Lou came from America to Malaya in 1955. They came as missionaries. They came during the Malayan Emergency. How I came to know and meet them in person is close to a miracle. I was asked by Nelson Leong to do some research on LCM. Rev John Nelson’s name …
“Yesu Lei!” A story of 2 early Lutheran missionaries in Malaya Read More »
For the longest time since I was invited to ponder on the last days of Jesus, I found myself reluctant to go deep into the garden of Gethsemane. It was too much for me. Gethsemane was a place of intense struggle. It was where Jesus sweated blood. Hematohidrosis is a medical condition arising from extreme …
If you could discuss gender with a person who professes an “alternative gender,” would your views on gender change? I put myself to the test. But not by discussing with a real-life person. (I am in circles which includes alternative gender persons.) Because that would take too long, would be too scattered, and too hard …
Straight: The Surprisingly Short History of Heterosexuality Read More »
To-date, I’ve avoided discussing transgender[1] persons. Why? Because I prefer not to write on subjects about which I don’t have firm opinions. But today, I feel compelled to write about transgender persons. Below, I’ll explain why. I wish to speak calmly through a long essay, rather than through short bursts which quickly deteriorate into battles …
What do you think of transgender persons? Six theses. Read More »
Yesterday I preached the Sunday sermon. One member kindly told me it was too subtle. On reflection, I agree. Here, I’ll try to be more explicit. I titled my sermon “Real life leaders.” I spun the title from the text, from news headlines, and from my soul. Choosing a title is difficult. I rejected many …
