Project Serve

You don’t have to know a lot of things for your life to make a lasting difference in the world. But you do have to know the few great things that matter, perhaps just one, and then be willing to live for them and die for them. The people that make a durable difference in the world are not the people who have mastered many things, but who have been mastered by one great thing. If you want your life to count, if you want the ripple effect of the pebbles you drop to become waves that reach the ends of the earth and roll on into eternity, you don’t need to have a high IQ. You don’t have to have good looks or riches or come from a fine family or a fine school. Instead you have to know a few great, majestic, unchanging, obvious, simple, glorious things - or one great all-embracing thing - and be set on fire by them. 

            “The cult of sentimentalism in the arts has to be arrested by constantly bringing the heart back to a God-centered worship. Much must be guarded against the hype and kick by including other aspects of worship, which are so missing today, like lament and repentance. As a musician, I am thankful for the consistency among lecturers who reminds us about the intrinsic power of music, and the synergizing of sound theology into songs.”

                                     -My feedback regarding the Symposium in an evaluation form

I am indeed very fortunate to be part of this Worship Symposium organized by Methodist School of Music where a wide range of speakers were invited. Of which two speakers caught my attention.

Greg Scheer, Music Associate at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and one of the two plenary speakers was one main highlight in the conference. Coming from a reformed tradition, Greg highlighted two schools of thought when it comes to worship in churches.

The first is the aesthetical nature of the arts. By this, he means that the arts in and of itself contain intrinsic power that is able to work into the minds and souls of people. I am induced to say that this reminds me about the ideology of the Romantics in which “Art for Art’s sake” was being brought forth. I am convinced that Christians must take issue with this slogan because the true purpose of the arts is to glorify God. I quote Dr. Roland Chia in his workshop Sounding the Depths: Art and the Glory of God, “Like all other human enterprises, art does not seek to glorify itself”. The danger of holding the purely aesthetical view of the arts, in my opinion, is that the arts replace God, with the former becoming idolatrous. 

The second school of thought of which I am more inclined towards is the Utilitarian view. The arts have a functional role that becomes a means to achieve an end. For example, Music is used as a tool to bring or draw people into worship, especially with the ones that appeal to the congregation. Therefore, it is mandatory that theology comes through music because the songs that we sing, speak much about what we believe as Christians. The arts thus become a partner with the words and it is also important that we make the right aesthetical decisions, lest we bring triviality to the message. For example “To God be the glory” or “Mighty fortress is our God” sung to a bossa-nova beat. 

Greg interestingly points out a third point of view, which is often missed by most. He does not state his stand regarding this belief but merely throws it out to us “for free” in his words. It is this Metaphoric view about the arts where its role becomes even more important when human rationalism ends. He was quick to point out that he does not advocate the “effy effy flowery” type of feeling based idea. Rather, it is to bring out certain metaphors used for theological purposes for example; the Trinity, love, death, and image of a good shepherd. These are ideas that are not precise and actual words might not be as strong to describe as the arts can.

Colin Kirton, artistic director of foostool players, a Christian theatre company, was also another passionate speaker who is often engaged in teaching issues pertaining to the arts and Christianity. This gentleman is clearly one of those avid readers whose selection carpet across a span from Tolstoy to Michael Card. I will strongly encourage anyone reading this to visit this link below:

http://www.necf.org.my/newsmaster.cfm?&menuid=12&action=view&retrieveid=773

Where Colin engages with some questions pertaining to how Christianity and the arts.

One of the common threads that I have seen even before coming to the Symposium in our churches today is a lack of songs regarding the nature of lament. I am glad to see that also highlighted by other speakers including Colin, Pastor Rupert and Rev Dr. Niam Kai Huey.

I am not sure how to sum up this article, except to end off with two verses from the Bible:

“This people honor me with their lips,

But their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain;

Their teachings are but rules taught by men.” – Mark 7:6-7

The Lord have mercy on us.

从今晚开始，我将会参加一个为期三天的崇拜研讨会。事实上，我真的很累，因此我不知道这一种日长夜多的课程我真的能够吸收多少。其实说真的，我是很想去多认识这一些人为什么会把一生奉献在圣乐的圈子里。到底读出一个MTS (Worship/Liturgy/Church Music)有什么在事功上的用途。

求主让我有一个期盼的心来迎接我将要出席的研讨会。在音乐里也能扎根在圣经上。

Report of Mission Trip and Playmax

Dear Brother/Sister in Christ

I still remembered starting the semester in NUS with the hymn “I need thee every hour” because of the uncertainty of a sophomore’s life. The realization of the importance regarding this dependence becomes clearer after the semester ended and having a summer break worth of 3 months. The perilousness of wasting these months was something that could have turned out so easily if not for the gracious hand of God leading me in the activities I have been in.

As some of you know, I am involved in Singapore Youth For Christ’s (SYFC) Performing Arts ministry as a volunteer. SYFC is a non-profit Para church organization that participates in the body of Christ in responsible evangelism of youth, presenting them with the person, work and teachings of Christ and discipling them into the church. It is therefore very exciting for me to be part of a mission trip to Petaling Jaya, Malaysia with the objective of discipling young Christians and leading song sessions during a camp (NX), conducted 2^nd to 4^th of June.

Through the camp, the Singapore team was tasked to remind and enforce Biblical truths taught by keynote speaker, Mr Albert Lee, of whom is the Director for International Ministries of Radio Bible Class (RBC). Songs were also chosen meticulously with the aim to impart sound doctrines found in the lyrics, to the campers. As group leaders, we were kept on our toes to think of applications of biblical truths into individual members’ lives. With the short span of time with them, it was truly a feat of challenge. As I look back now, I am indeed thankful to the Lord that many discussions were carried out with conclusions that spurred us to treasure the supremacy of Jesus Christ. The joy of collaborating with Malaysia Youth For Christ (MYFC) volunteers made me see that making disciples knows no borders, just like evangelism.

The camp once again exposed me to one of the most obvious skills that I still lack in ministry, which is to disciple youths such that they find the Jesus is relevant in their lives. I find myself paralyzed many times in doing people work of which the skills are so vital in the universal church.

Shortly after we returned to Singapore, there was a 2 days mega evangelistic carnival event conducted at Saint Andrew’s Cathedral known as Playmax. I was stationed at Stagemax of which the gospel was clearly shared in every show. I am thrilled to hear the report from the National Director of SYFC that an estimated number of 5000 people heard the gospel. I am also heartened to know that many Christians are encouraged by the work that we do and are motivated to preach the word in their own lives.

Currently, there are plans for me to serve with SYFC after my reservist, for a period of 6 weeks as a project servant, which is a part-time term for the job. Please pray with me that the Lord will continue to affirm this approach should He be pleased with it. I do intend to be cross-trained in media evangelistic skills during this period amongst other things. Thank God also with me that there are Christian brothers in SYFC that are consistently discipling me, and teaching me the skills in the process.

Due to me being a key volunteer in SYFC, I am not able to do part-time jobs outside. If the Lord touches, I would like to appeal for you to prayerfully consider supporting me financially in my period of 6 weeks’ project serve, if Lord willing that should happen.

In Christ Alone,

Derrick