I caught up with brother Benjamin Kwan over lunch recently.
Maybe it’s my training as a journalist in my previous career, but I love digging up stories from the past and how things came to be. A simple question (“why do you guys call Alvin Chan ‘Chan’ instead of Alvin”) led to a winding chat about Ben’s time growing up in the church, the familial connections among the brethren and how, in spite of some challenges, our church grew over the years.
We didn’t shy away from difficult topics. Among the things we discussed was how there were some who fell away from the church. By Ben’s estimate, more than half of the generation who had started attending church with him as children had drifted away from the faith.
A few things struck me. For one thing, while I always thought of myself as a new Christian, it dawned on me that I was baptised seven years ago. While it might have been excusable for a new Christian to not be familiar with some parables and verses – and I have leaned on that perhaps more often than I should – I really should have no excuse now.
Second, I also wondered if those who drifted away from the church did so because they did not seek spiritual maturity, which (surprise!) is also the church’s theme for this year. Was it easier to be persuaded by things of the world because of a lack of familiarity and understanding of God’s word?
There is no question that God expects us to grow spiritually. In 2 Peter 3:17-18 it is written:
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. |
The Hebrews writer makes it clear we must continue to mature and grow in our knowledge of God’s word, for those “who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness” (Hebrews 5:13).
In 2 Peter 1:9 the apostle Peter warned, when discussing fruitful growth in the faith, that “whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.”
And so, while I don’t believe in new year resolutions (we shouldn’t need to wait to the start of a calendar year to pick up a good habit), I began to wonder if there are things that we could all do to spur our spiritual growth.
First, we can try to deepen our understanding of the Bible. While I try to read a chapter of the Bible every day, I rarely combine that with reading commentaries online and digging deeper into issues. There is really no excuse now given that we have a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips. Despite her busy schedule, I am proud to see that my wife Jasmine has recently started taking notes in a Word document on her laptop whenever she reads the Bible, with tables organised by book and chapter. This might be a helpful way to engage with the Bible, particularly for those who are tech savvy.
Second, we can also help organise or attend more church activities. We recently celebrated its 60th anniversary at a grand event at SAFRA Choa Chu Kang. We saw moving videos, photo montages and tributes to those who built up the church. We saw a sumptuous buffet spread as we lounged in a grand ballroom. But what we didn’t see is the team of organisers who worked tirelessly to ensure a smooth event. Church events like Singing Fellowship and Men’s/Ladies’ Fellowship are ultimately driven by, and aimed at, strengthening our faith. As we mature in the faith, why not challenge ourselves to organise an activity with God at the centre of it?
Third, if all the activities already have organisers, why not challenge yourself to do something different? If you haven’t already, why not volunteer to teach a class? Or, if you’re always apprehensive about writing, why not submit an article for the Men’s/Ladies’ Corner?
In this new year, as we exhort each other to grow in our spiritual maturity, why not step out of your comfort zone, and do something different for God?
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