Blessed New Year 2018!
I am entering my 16th year serving in PLUC and I thank Him for His grace and strength each day. Turning 50 this year is a milestone, and I am reminded that everything I am and have done is only by His grace. Without Him, I can truly do nothing.
When the Apostle Paul wrote from his prison cell in Rome, knowing that his own death was approaching, he sent out warnings, especially to Timothy, of difficult days to come (2 Timothy 3). We are living in the last days and as Bible-believing Christians, we are to pay attention to what has happened and is still happening around us. Men are casting off all moral restraints, as society further disintegrates.
Personally, I do not like confrontation. For many years in PLUC, I laid low while faithfully responding to His call to “Relate” or journey with strugglers and their families, the first of PLUC’s three-fold mission. However, I have realised I cannot do the same anymore, especially given how rapidly trends are changing and darkness is overwhelming our society today. There is a sense of urgency to what is happening in our society today, be it locally or globally.
Australia is currently the 25th country to join the list of nations that have endorsed same-sex marriage. We may not be on our guard, thinking we are spared or safe. But are we? Closer to home, around 28,000 Singaporeans and Permanent Residents gathered at Hong Lim Park on 1 July 2017 for the 7th Pink Dot event. Pink Dot SG is an annual, non-profit, free-for-all event which started in 2009 with 2,500 people in support of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community in Singapore.
A year ago, in January 2017, National Geographic magazine published a special focus issue on “the gender revolution”. Today’s generation no longer embraces two genders (male & female) but more than 50 types of gender (71 in the UK). It’s all about gender fluidity in the world we are living in today. If this is not a crisis point, then what else is? I want to challenge pastors and leaders today to educate their church with regards to these changing trends in the world, especially relating to sexuality.
Our younger generations today want engaging dialogue pertaining to issues like this. We cannot sweep things under the carpet anymore. It is time to raise our gender IQ and start to engage with and educate this generation. We cannot afford to allow the world to teach them, but must facilitate change with the truth of God’s Word. Today’s generation seeks authentic and godly leaders to follow after. They need guidelines on how to not be distracted by worldly agendas but rather, to apply God’s truth as they navigate situations that challenge their convictions. They are watching how we, the adults, are approaching all these crises. This is why I have been deeply convicted by the Holy Spirit not to lay low anymore but in keeping with the second of PLUC’s threefold mission, to “Advocate” among the churches to help lift up the church’s gender IQ.
At PLUC, we are more than willing to share whatever we know in order to “Educate”, another of our 3-fold missions. In this, we are committed to producing targeted booklets and resources in redeeming and restoring sexually broken lives. We recently translated a handbook “Embracing Truth & Grace: A Manual to Understand and Journey with the Same-sex Attracted” (from the Chinese “Love and Learning”) that will come in handy when you journey with a struggler. This English manual will be published and circulated this year at an estimated cost of RM20K. If you would like to partner with us to fund this groundbreaking project, please don’t hesitate to contact us for more details.
Last but not least, please pray with us for more men to join PLUC’s team. We need young, energetic and passionate young men who will respond to God’s call to journey with those who are broken. We trust the Lord to bring in the right workers for His harvest field and we trust your prayers will join ours to make a difference. Once again, may the Lord bless all of you who have been quietly and faithfully serving, giving and remembering us in prayer. We appreciate your friendship and partnership.
2018，新年蒙恩！
我在PLUC的服事，迈入第16个年头。因着祂每日供应的恩典与力量，我感恩。今年我迈入50岁的人生里程碑，50年的脚踪提醒我，今日我成为何等人以及一切我所做的，皆出于祂的恩典。离了祂，我什么都不能做。
当使徒保罗囚禁在罗马监狱时，他知道自己大限已至，所以他写信提出警惕（特别是对提摩太提出），告知苦难的日子要来了（提摩太后书3章）。我们正处于末世，而信靠圣经的基督徒，我们应该警醒于身边四周已然及正在发生的事情。随着社会伦理的瓦解，人们正在摆脱所有的道德约束。
我个人不喜欢面对冲突。在PLUC多年的服事当中，我忠心地回应祂的呼召，低调地与挣扎者及其家人一起同行康复的路程。这是PLUC的三层任务里的首要任务。但是我发现，我再也不能只是这样做了，主要的原因是：现今社会趋势正迅速地变化，以及我们的社会被黑暗势力笼罩与打压着。为着今天社会所发生的事情，无论是本土性或全球性的，我都有一股逼在眉睫的压迫感。
澳洲目前是第25个赞成同性婚姻的国家。针对此议题，我们也许不会感到忧虑，以为我们是可以幸免或身处安全地带。但我们真的能因幸免而无动于衷吗？看看那靠近我们家园的据点：2017年7月1日，约28,000名新加坡人和永久居民聚集在香林公园出席第七届的“粉红点活动”。“粉红点活动”是新加坡一项年度、非盈利的免费活动。该活动始于2009年，当时约有2500人涉足新加坡支持与声援同性恋、双性恋和跨性别（LGBT）群体。
去年一月，“国家地理杂志”发表了一篇关于“性别革命”的专题报道。今天的世代，性别不在只是二元分法（男性和女性），而是超过50多种的性别类型（英国则是71种）。这统统说明了一个现象：我们今天生活在“性别流动性”的世界里。如果这还不算是危机，那还有什么是危机呢？今天，我要挑战牧师和领袖，他们必需要教育他们的教会：关于现今世界的变化趋势，尤指性别方面。
今天，我们年轻的一代希望参与上述性别议题的对话。我们再也不能回避此类的性别议题了。现在该是时候提高我们的性别智商，开始接触和教育新生代了。我们不能让世界来教导年轻人，我们必需以上帝的话语和真理来促成改变的发生。今天的年轻人正寻求那真诚与敬虔的领导人来跟随。他们需要被指导如何不被世俗的议程分散他们的注意力，并且应用上帝的真理来走过那些挑战他们信念的境遇。他们正在观察着我们这些大人是如何面对所有这些的危机。这就是为何我在圣灵深深地感动之下，不再低调地服事的原因了。我开始进行PLUC的三层任务里的第二个任务：在教会中致力扮演“倡导”的角色，以及帮助教会提升其性别智商。
站在PLUC的立场，我们非常愿意分享我们所知的任何资讯，以为达到“教育”的目的；“教育”，是PLUC三层任务中的另一任务。教育”的前提之下，我们致力于制作、分发一些针对性的小册子与资源，以挽救和恢复那些在性关系底下被破碎的生命。我们最近翻译了一本手册--《拥抱真理和恩典：同理，并与同性恋同行》（原稿取自中文版《爱与学习：认识陪伴同性恋手册》），作为您陪伴着挣扎者时的指南手册。这英文指南手册将于今年出版发行，估计其出版经费为马币2万令吉。如果您想与我们合作，有心资助这个开创性的项目，那请您不要犹豫与我们联系，以获得更多的详情。
最后但同样重要的，我要说：请与我们一起祷告，让更多的男性加入PLUC团队。我们需要年轻、充满活力、热情和拥有意愿回应上帝呼召而前来陪伴挣扎者的年轻弟兄。我们相信，主会为祂的福音禾场带来适合的服事者，我们也相信你们的祷告扶持会带来“改变”。
再一次的，我要说：愿上帝祝福大家，感谢你们安静与忠心的服事，并感谢你们的付出与祷告。我们珍惜彼此的友谊与同行。