I've had the chance to speak to Kairos, a Malaysian think-tank organisation some time ago, about the need to bring all these 'high level' Christian worldview to the common people (the grassroots). It is possible to communicate them simply without being simplistic.
Otherwise there is gap between ivory tower theologians on one side, and zealous anti-intellectuals in the frontline on the other. My passion has always been for the young students in school and college, NOT to write a magnum opus that will change the world forever.
But when I've shared my 'calling' with frens, 8 out of 10 responses i got were cautious at best, and patronising at worst.
In essence, they would have an unspoken picture of a bookworm who's detached from real people, have a cold heart and big head, looking at them. Heheh... They wud then say something, "Well, I'm a more practical person. Or I'm more of a people person. I preach the gospel, not philosophy of man." Or other pious-sounding remarks.
Whether their mental picture is correct or not (there are moments of truth! haha!) I leave it to people who have known me to judge. But the point I wanna make here is:
Yes, there is truth that passion must be fueled by doctrine, truth must be tempered with grace.
But perhaps we can see each others' diff callings as coming from the same Spirit who enables everyone. Some are inclined to more people-friendly ministries... in fact, in the ALPHA course, being a friend is the first thing we hafta earn before we got the 'right' to provide 'answers'. Heheh...
At the same time, there are people who are called to spend their whole life to write a Greek grammar book or a dictionary so that seminary students everywhere can benefit from it. So, it's more scholarly ministry..? And one ministry is not necessarily 'better'
than the other, just diff aspects of building God's kingdom.
I remember it was Machen who said: "We can preach with the zeal of a Reformer but only win the soul of a straggler here and there if we allow the general cultural and intellectual climate of our generation to exclude out the biblical gospel by sheer relentless logic."
So I cherish both the brethren who spend their life in high-level scholarship as well as those who spend their life in 'low level' streets of Chow Kit for the glory of God and good of man. The former is like bomber planes providing air cover and the latter are the foot soldiers in the trenches. None can say "I dun need you!"
Otherwise there is gap between ivory tower theologians on one side, and zealous anti-intellectuals in the frontline on the other. My passion has always been for the young students in school and college, NOT to write a magnum opus that will change the world forever.
But when I've shared my 'calling' with frens, 8 out of 10 responses i got were cautious at best, and patronising at worst.
In essence, they would have an unspoken picture of a bookworm who's detached from real people, have a cold heart and big head, looking at them. Heheh... They wud then say something, "Well, I'm a more practical person. Or I'm more of a people person. I preach the gospel, not philosophy of man." Or other pious-sounding remarks.
Whether their mental picture is correct or not (there are moments of truth! haha!) I leave it to people who have known me to judge. But the point I wanna make here is:
Yes, there is truth that passion must be fueled by doctrine, truth must be tempered with grace.
But perhaps we can see each others' diff callings as coming from the same Spirit who enables everyone. Some are inclined to more people-friendly ministries... in fact, in the ALPHA course, being a friend is the first thing we hafta earn before we got the 'right' to provide 'answers'. Heheh...
At the same time, there are people who are called to spend their whole life to write a Greek grammar book or a dictionary so that seminary students everywhere can benefit from it. So, it's more scholarly ministry..? And one ministry is not necessarily 'better'
than the other, just diff aspects of building God's kingdom.
I remember it was Machen who said: "We can preach with the zeal of a Reformer but only win the soul of a straggler here and there if we allow the general cultural and intellectual climate of our generation to exclude out the biblical gospel by sheer relentless logic."
So I cherish both the brethren who spend their life in high-level scholarship as well as those who spend their life in 'low level' streets of Chow Kit for the glory of God and good of man. The former is like bomber planes providing air cover and the latter are the foot soldiers in the trenches. None can say "I dun need you!"
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