Pastoral Sharing W Lim(TC)
W Lim(TC) (4)
I want to first thank our Lord Jesus for His infinite wisdom not only in all that He does in people’s lives but all that He does in the ministries that are entrusted to us as pastors and lay leaders. This is certainly true in our TCCC children fellowship ministry.
In 1990, our church children ministry department started the Pioneer Club Ministry. It is a ministry with duel objectives. First of all, it is to make available a regular program for the children to build Christ-like relationships amongst their peers. Secondly, it is to use the curriculum and programming to invite non-church families with children to attend (outreach).
Bringing the Love of Christ to Kids Beyond Our Church Walls
Written by Rev. Wesley LimIn 1991, Pastor Dominic Tse encouraged me to contact S.E.A.C., a social agency in the Regent Park area, to explore the possibility of the Agincourt Church initiating a summer program for kids in this inner-city community. The agency supervisor was excited about the idea. Very quickly, our church implemented a day camp program, thereby starting a good relationship with the agency.
That experience was an eye opener for me. I had never done anything of this sort before! This experience taught me valuable lessons on how to bring the gospel of Christ to unchurched kids. Between 1991 and 1995, our outreach day camps gave the children in Regent Park a chance to participate in an excellent summer program.
Parents, teachers and child workers need to re-evaluate the present procedure for disciplining children and adolescents. The discipline procedures used yesterday may not be appropriate for today’s contemporary living. Times have changed; children and teens react very differently to authority figures and models of discipline. A new effective strategy for discipline is needed so that good character, ethics, integrity, influence, values and even that good character, ethics, integrity, influence, values and even spiritual hunger are developed in the personalities of the young people.
The Bible and Discipline
The crucial question at this point is what is discipline? Some people see it as punishment. Some understand it as a bunch of rules and regulations; some consider being a means for a parent to relieve his anxiety; others referred to it as an act of love. Even after defining what discipline is, one has to deal with the nature of discipline. Does it really help to correct, instruct and train to obey? Is discipline a matter of control? Many people because of past experience have images of discipline that are not pleasant. These negative misconceptions of discipline need to be corrected by looking at the truth found in God’s Word.
About Rev. Dr. John Kao
In 1975 at fifteen, I first met Rev. John Kao in a youth Christian conference where he was my workshop speaker on Christian Living. I was impressed by his dynamic style of speaking (with humor). At twenty-three, I was impacted by what he preached in one Sunday on serving God fulltime (using his own testimony). At twenty-nine, Rev. Kao took me to lunch and I was introduced through his wisdom and guidance to study and serve God fulltime.
During my whole academic period Rev. Kao made it a point to ask me from time to time how I was doing in my studies and whether I was going to graduate on schedule!
