Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Cultivating a Prevailing Worship Team

Last Sunday Lorraine and I taught a workshop at AFC Production Conference.

The workshop is called "Cultivating a prevailing worship team." It aimed at educating participants the importance and methods to minister to artists and musicians (worship team). There were about twenty participants from eight churches.

A worship team needs to be nurtured in the following areas:

1. character shaping
2. spiritual formation
3. theological understanding of worship
4. biblical literacy on prayers
5. relationship building
6. team building
7. professionalism
8. healthy rhythm

While the participants were impressed by the depth, breadth and importance of the subject, some were skeptical on whether all these could be accomplished in real life. For some it sounded like fantasy and to others it appeared unachievable because it seemed to require much resources.

Here is one written feedback we have received:
Can you add some success stories or struggles in cultivating a worship team? It's all too idealistic with all the high standards & expectations (E.g. professionalism), but I want to hear how it actually worked out in church life.

I sighed (at the skepticism) as I read the feedback.

It reminds me that one should not take for granted what we have build up in Koinonia's worship team in the past eight months. What we have today are both blessings from God and hard work and discipline on our part.

If I had a chance to respond to the feedback, here are the three advices I would give:
Vision
Babysteps
Discipline over a long period of time...

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Hearing the Voice of Jesus

Spiritual Discernment: On Hearing the Voice of Jesus
Lecture by Darrell Johnson at Regent College on November 22, 2004

約翰福音 10:14-15
我是好牧人.我認識我的羊、我的羊也認識我。
正如父認識我、我也認識父一樣.並且我為羊捨命。

10:3-5
看門的就給他開門.羊也聽他的聲音.他按著名叫自己的羊、把羊領出來。
既放出自己的羊來、就在前頭走、羊也跟著他、因為認得他的聲音。
羊不跟著生人、因為不認得他的聲音.必要逃跑。

How does the Good Shepherd speak to us? What means does He use?
  1. Written word. Scripture
  2. The preached word. Proclamation
  3. Unique gifts of the Spirit: prophecy, wisdom
  4. Books, human authors
  5. Trusted friends, mentors, counsellors
  6. Dreams, visions
  7. Circumstances
  8. Holy discontent. Restlessness
  9. Conscience, developed through training by Scripture
  10. Inner voices, some may come from the Shepherd
Any one of the above is not a sufficient, sure indication of the voice of God (except number 1).

How can I discern His voice from all the others I hear in my mind and spirit? Are there some objective safeguards to ensure that the voice I am hearing is the voice of Jesus?

1. Inner voice always speak in concert with scripture
2. Inner voice always speak in concert with the character of Jesus
3. Inner voice always tell us to do the Jesus-like thing (in truth and love)
4. Inner voice always draw us closer to Himself
5. Inner voice does not argue. It is quietly authoritative. Its command is self-authenticating.
6. Inner voice is usually the quietest

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

重整


友人搬屋留下一些書給我們,
再加上我們多年來所累積的書,
越覺不夠位置安放,
結果上星期終於買了兩個書架,
白天工作後,晚上便忙著將書排放好。
以往沒有將書籍分類,
如今是一個好機會去重整這些書架上的書,
我們便下定決心要為這些書各從其類。

要重整混亂地擺放著的書,
倘若你不太認識它們,
要重整它們是好不容易的,
總算沒有辜負那三年在書店工作的經驗,
那些中文書和音樂書各從其類地安置好,
而英文書的處理便由夫君辦妥,
分工合作,大概兩晚時間完成了。
身體雖然疲累,但卻很有滿足感,
因為說了多時要重整書架的任務,
終於達成,齊齊整整,看見成果!

生命來到某一刻,
你會發覺也要重整一番。
或許工作太多、
事奉太多、
要處理人與事情太多,
自覺也有點忙亂了!
是時候停下來重整一番,
但需要有決心地停下來,
好好去認知令你忙亂的人與事,
要花一些時間學習重整,
重整完,再上路!

求上帝幫助我知道心裡的混亂!
求上帝幫助我看見難阻我與你相處的事物!
求上帝幫助我重整我的生命!
讓我生命可輕省地觸摸到你!
讓我生命可聽到你的聲音!
讓我生命可有位置讓你來充滿我!

Friday, August 3, 2007

Eyes

Excerpt from Michel Quoist’s Prayers (1963)


Man’s eyes have great power, for they convey the soul. When God dwells in a man, his eyes can carry God to men.

I am now about to close my eyelids, Lord,
For my eyes this evening have finished their work,
And my vagrant glances will return home,
Having strolled for a day in the market place.

Thank you, Lord, for my eyes, windows open on the wide world;
Thank you for their look that carries my soul as the broad sunbeam carries the light and warmth of you sun.
I pray to you, during the night, that tomorrow, when I open my eyes to the clear morning,
They shall be ready to serve both my soul and my God.

May my eyes be clear and straightforward, Lord, and give others a hunger for purity;
May my look never be one of disappointment, disillusionment, despair,
But may it know how to admire, contemplate, adore.

May my eyes learn to close in order to find you more easily;
But may they never turn away from the world because they are afraid.
May my eyes be penetrating enough to recognize your Presence in the world,
And may they never shut on the afflictions of men.

May my eyes be firm and steady,
But may they also know how to soften in pity and be capable of tears.

May my gaze not soil the one it touches,
May it not disturb, but may it bring peace.
May it not sadden, but rather may it transmit joy.
May it not attract in order to hold captive,
But rather may it persuade others to rise above themselves to you.

May my eyes disquiet the sinner because in them he will see your light,
But may their reproach lead to encouragement.

Grant that may eyes may be startling because they are an encounter, and encounter with God.
Grant that they be a call, a loud clear call that brings all the world to its doorstep,
Not because of me, Lord,
But because you are to pass by.

That my eyes may be all this, Lord,
Once more, this evening,
I give you my soul,
I give you my body,
I give you my eyes,
That when they look at men, my brothers,
It may be you who look at them
And you who beckon.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Prayer Before a Twenty-dollar Bill

Excerpt from Michel Quoist’s Prayers (1963)
As read out during Oikos on July 27.


We can hardly respect money enough for the blood and toil it represents.
Money is frightening. It can serve or destroy man.

Lord, see this bill! It frightens me.
You know its secrets, you know its history.
How heavy it is!
It scares me, for it cannot speak.
It will never tell all it hides in its creases.
It will never reveal all the struggles and efforts it represents, all the disillusionment and slighted dignity.
It is stained with sweat and blood,
It is laden with all the weight of the human toil which makes its worth.

It is heavy, heavy, Lord.
It fills me with awe, it frightens me.
For it had death on its conscience…
All the poor fellows who killed themselves for it,
To possess it for a few hours,
To have through it a little pleasure, a little joy, a little life.

Through how many hands has it passed, Lord?
And what has it done in the course of its long, silent journeys?

It has offered white roses to the radiant fiancée.
It has paid for the baptismal party, and fed the rosy-cheeked baby.
It has provided bread for the family table.
Because of it there was laughing among the young and joy among the elders.
It has paid for the saving visit of the doctor,
It has bought the book that taught the youngster,
It has clothed the young girl.

But it has sent the letter breaking the engagement,
It has paid for the death of the baby in its mother’s womb,
It has bought the liquor that made the drunkard,
It has produced the movie unfit for children,
And has recorded the indecent song,
It has broken the morals of the adolescent and made of the adult a thief.
It has bought for a few hours the body of a woman.
It has paid for the weapons of the crime and for the wood of the coffin.

O Lord, I offer you this bill with its joyous mysteries, its sorrowful mysteries.
I thank you for all the life and joy it has given.
I ask your forgiveness for the harm it has done.
But above all, Lord, I offer it to you as a symbol of all the labors of men, indestructible money, which tomorrow will be changed into your eternal life.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

At the Door

Excerpt from Michel Quoist’s Prayers (1963)
As read out during Oikos on July 27.


The boy stumbled on the landing and the door slammed behind him.
He had been punished.
Suddenly aware of his disgrace, he rushed in anger at the unfeeling door.
He slapped it, pounded it, stamping and shrieking.
But on the wooden surface not a fiber moved.
The boy caught sight of the keyhole – ironic eye of that sullen door –
But on peering into it he saw that it was blocked.
Then, in despair, he sat down and cried.

I watched him, smiling, and realized, Lord, that often I exhaust myself before locked doors.
I want to make my points, convince, prove,
And I talk and brandish arguments,
I strike hard to reach the imagination or the emotions,
But I am politely or violently dismissed – I wasted my strength, vain fool that I am.

Grant, Lord, that I may learn to wait reverently,
Loving and praying in silence,
Standing at the door till it is opened.

Monday, July 30, 2007

拍子簿

第一眼看見這本拍子簿,
已很想擁有它,但我卻放棄了。
正當我想回心轉意再進入店子買它下來的時候,
卻找不著它,我很後悔沒把它留住,很後悔...很後悔...

每次經過這店子,我總會想起它,
我卻連想進入那店子的勇氣也沒有,
我恐怕找不著它的感覺,我恐怕後悔的感覺...

有一天我不經意地再走進那店子,
我竟然看見它再次出現,
我捉緊它,我認定我不要再錯過這個機會,
我決定要買它下來,我要好好運用它,我要好好珍惜它!

一本拍子簿叫我看重每一個機會,
每次上帝給我的機會在我身邊擦過,
我感覺到嗎?我看見它嗎?我有找緊它嗎?我有珍惜它嗎?
人生會有多少個第二次機會?
機會過去或許不復返,
因為錯過的機會隨之而流到下一位願意珍惜它的手中去。

好像那個祭司和那個利未人,
他們放棄幫助那個落在強盜手中的人,
唯獨那位好撒瑪利亞人把握機會,停下來幫助他。

又好像以斯帖得了王后的位份,
就是為了現今拯救她民族的機會,
要不然,她的民族仍會從別處得拯救。

上帝呀!
求你讓我看見你給我的機會,
既然知道是上帝給予的機會,
求上帝助我用心去感受、
求上帝助我用心去行。
好叫我不會說後悔。

一個能夠與他相處的機會...
一個能夠向他表達關懷的機會...
一個能夠向他說對不起的機會...
一個能夠讓他認識上帝的機會...
一個能夠讓他建立信心的機會...
一個能夠讓我更認識上帝的機會...
一個能夠讓上帝改變我的機會...
一個能夠讓自己成長的機會...
一個能夠用恩賜事奉上帝的機會...
一個能夠禱告的機會...
一個能夠閱讀上帝話語的機會...

Thursday, July 26, 2007

上帝的話

週二晚牧者與敬拜小組默想創世記第一章。

創造主創造萬物,
上帝只要說一句話,
要有就有、命立就立...
上帝的話是滿有權柄,
上帝的話是滿有創意,
上帝的話是滿有智慧。

上帝說要將光和暗分開,
有晚上、有早晨...

上帝說要將水上下分開,
有天、有地...充滿空間

上帝說要使地上發生植物,
有青草、有菜蔬、有樹木...充滿土地

上帝說要將天上的光體分類,
有節令、有日子、有年歲...充滿宇宙

上帝說要使水中有生命的物,
有魚兒、有水中生物...充滿大海

上帝說要使天空有生命的物,
有大鳥、有小鳥...充滿天空

上帝說要使大地有活物,
有牲畜、有昆蟲、有野獸...充滿大地

上帝說要照自己的形像造人,
有男、有女...生養眾多充滿地面

願上帝的話也充滿我們的心!

Saturday, July 14, 2007

令人心靈振奮的查經!

今晚參與了Oikos Small Group的查經,
很久未嘗過查經帶給我的雀躍和心靈振盪的感覺!
真是一種久旱逢甘露的甜蜜!

有牧者的教導,孜孜善誘,illustration...
還有弟兄姊妹們的積極討論,提問,回應...

是難得和難忘的一晚!
這是一個新的開始!
願所有歌鄰人在神的話語上,繼續學習和長進!

醒覺到自己也擁有些聖經工具書,
未有好好利用,
是時候"清點存貨"
將它們從封存的書架中"釋放"出來!

同樣地,我也要從困鎖牢籠中,
像一頭飢渴了[祂的話語]多時的猛獸,
衝向神的話語中!
領受:教訓、督責、使人歸正、教導人學義!

腦海中,不期然浮現出以下經文:

<詩篇>
1:1 不從惡人的計謀,不站罪人的道路,不坐褻慢人的座位。
1:2 惟喜愛耶和華的律法,晝夜思想,這人便為有福!
(註:"思想"在原文中的基本意思是"動物的低聲咆哮聲",
例如,當你嘗試把狗兒口中的食物,波波,或樹枝等拿走時,
牠會發出陣陣wooooo....聲:
It belongs to me! Don't even think about it!)

參考:賽31:4 [禱告:真的要做那頭不驚惶,不縮伏的獅子!]
賽38:14 [禱告:主啊!當我哀鳴時,求你幫助!]

<提後>
3:16 聖經都是 神所默示的(註:或作“凡 神所默示的聖經”),
於教訓、督責、使人歸正、教導人學義都是有益的,
3:17 叫屬 神的人得以完全,預備行各樣的善事。

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

創意無限

上星期四與六位歌鄰的弟兄姊妹往Regent College,
參加由Bruce Kuhn單獨演譯了Cotton Patch Gospel。
他創意地運用話劇、音樂劇、演說的元素,
演譯了耶穌基督的生平。
他一人扮演多個角色:
旁白、耶穌、希律、馬太、等...
台詞戲劇性和生動地演譯,
有時候又用唱歌和身體語言表達,
若不是經過心思、時間、創意和對經文的熟識,
他不能在個多小時演譯出一個又緊湊又輕鬆的演出。

那天晚上叫我不得不讚歎創造主的創造,
滿有創意的上帝創意地創造地上的每一物,
祂又創意地創造我們每一個與別不同的人,
祂又願意將創意放在我們身上,
叫我們好好運用祂給予我們的創意。

當上星期正思想創意這個題目的時候,
竟然昨天晚上牧者與我們敬拜小組思想和討論這個課題。
創意是無限制的,
上帝很高興看見我們的創意。
但令創意受到限制卻有很多原因:
創意者不練習運用創意...
創意者不再發揮創意...
創意者害怕沒有聽眾或觀眾...
創意者害怕其創意不被接納...
創意者為要迎合聽眾或觀眾的口味而去用創意...

我們是需要以信心用創意去創造、生產和練習,
在上帝的榮美和真理中自由地發揮創意!
願上帝祝福歌鄰,
使創意運用在上帝的聖工裡,
叫上帝的名得著榮耀!