Family Discipleship

by | Jul 28, 2024 | William Soh, • Timely Word •

Family Discipleship

God has entrusted us to be the stewards of our children, currently aged 14 and 11 years. We see that the responsibility of our children’s spiritual discipleship during their formative years falls primarily upon us. Our vision for family discipleship is reflected in Psalm 78: 5b–8 (ESV) “… He commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.”​​

Family discipleship equips our children with tools to navigate life with a firm foundation that is rooted in faith and love. We pray that their lives will reflect God as the foundation for their worldviews, aspirations, and lifestyles. The verses above also reminds us that “teach(ing)” our children has an inter-generational impact. Our actions (or inactions) will have far-reaching consequences, affecting not only them but their children too.​​

For several years, we have intentionally set aside Sundays for family time, focusing on discipleship. During this time, we would sing worship songs, memorise bible verses, and read a few bible passages or a devotional text. Recently, we would share and discuss the key points of a sermon. However, as our children grow older, they become increasingly busy with numerous academic and extracurricular activities. Not surprisingly, these often take priority and we have struggled to maintain our weekly family time. There were times when we went over a month without one session.

At the start of 2023, we committed to be more consistent in our family time. We also aimed to have individual discipleship time with our two children separately. While we are still working on making these practices regular, we recognise that this journey is akin to running a marathon. Therefore, we have learned to press on and not be too hard on ourselves when we fail. We have also learned to be more flexible, seizing any opportunities that come our way for these important times together. The “teach(ing)” in Psalm 78:5 is about imparting God’s words. Drawing from Deuteronomy 6:6-9, this teaching extends beyond mere instruction. It is about life impacting life, just like iron sharpening iron. ​​

Hence, family discipleship is more than just structured activities; it is about cultivating a daily atmosphere where faith is lived out authentically. It involves parents modelling a Christ-centered life, not just teaching it. Beyond teaching biblical knowledge, it is about instilling values, fostering spiritual growth, and nurturing a deep, personal relationship with God. ​

We cannot give from what we do not have. We ourselves have to be nurtured in Christ while we as imperfect parents continue to disciple our children. And as co-disciplers, we also need to work on our marital relationship and build each other up. Like it or not, we are constantly being observed by our children and they do speak up when they see inconsistencies. What we have found helpful then is to practice authenticity with our children, openly sharing our struggles and mistakes while making an effort to improve. ​

In a world bombarded with relentless secular influences, what also helps is investing time to build strong relationships, so that our children will be willing to maintain open communication with us, regardless of their struggles and pain. Our children are growing up really fast. We do not know what lies ahead or how long we can be present in their lives, we simply hope that we can continue to relish every moment, enjoy our time together, and in the process build up one another.​

By brother William and sister Eunice​​

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The Importance of Community

by | Jul 22, 2022 | William Soh, • Timely Word •

I am currently working in a social service agency supporting ex-offenders. You may have heard about the Yellow Ribbon Project. One of its aims is to unlock the second prison, which is about addressing stigmatisations experienced by ex-offenders. Such stigmas, along with many other challenges faced by ex-offenders, become a barrier that hinder successful reintegration and longer-term change. To facilitate their reintegration into society and change, many require close support from their informal network, be it their family members, friends or members of the public. For an ex-offender to transform their lives, the support of the community is indisputable.

Similarly, as Christians we need a community of like-minded people to journey with us in our pilgrimage on this earth. Other than the many global challenges impacting our daily lives (e.g. pandemic, war,  escalating inflation), our Christian values and beliefs are increasingly tested and challenged. For example, I now have to exercise much more due diligence in monitoring the movies and shows that my children watch, because there has been a more concerted effort to influence children on issues not easily understood at their developmental stage. This will be a conversation for another day, but my point is that for us Christians who are committed in our pursuit of our faith, the road ahead is definitely going to be tougher.

Pastor Rick preached on the topic Post-Covid Church on 3 July 2022. In one of the segments, he spoke about the definition of Church, which I have copied here:

“The people of God gathered together for the Great Transformation and the Great Commission.

 It is a Faith, Loving, and Shining Community. “

It reminded me that Christians need to gather together to continue to transform and deepen our faith, while being relentless in making disciples and not just winning believers (Matthew 28:19 ESV). To battle the trials and temptations facing us Christians in this era, we need to heed the call to be part of this Faith, Loving, and Shining Community. If we have time, do ponder on Ephesians 4:11-16 ESV – one of my takeaways is that Paul has called us to be united to build the church community in love.

I am glad that my family and I have set our roots here in Yio Chu Kang Chapel to be part of this community. Having been to several churches prior to YCKC, I recognise the need for us to play our part by being actively involved in church activities and with its people. Yet, I struggle. Having to juggle my many responsibilities and commitments leave me with little capacity to connect with others. To be part of a community also means setting aside my expectations and preferences. I see members of our church community more as family rather than friends, because for the former we do not choose, but we just have to accept and learn to get along, because this is part of the process of iron sharpening iron.

Ultimately, the goal is not about us coming together to have a great time. We grow spiritually in the community, we shine as a community, and we weather the persecution that may intensify in the not too far future. And as a community, let us rejoice because Christ is the bedrock.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” – Philippians 4:4 ESV

By brother William Soh

Run with Endurance

by | Aug 13, 2021 | William Soh, • Timely Word •

An exposition of James chapter one in our current sermon series caught my attention, specifically James 1:2-3 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (ESV).”

My Study Bible defines steadfastness as a life of faithful endurance amid troubles and afflictions. I find this definition relevant and meaningful. Even when there are billowing storms descending upon me, I want to remain steadfast in my faith.

I have yet to encounter major difficulties in my life. However, something subtle and unsuspecting could also derail one’s faith. As I looked back at my adulthood, there were segments of it running on autopilot. Some people may call it “drifting through life”, going wherever the current flows. It is surprisingly easy to end up in such a situation, particularly when I was trying to cope with work, family, and other responsibilities. Consequently, I was left with an overall sense of tiredness and limited mental capacity to focus well on many things. At times, this led to a disconnect between my desire to practice my faith and the reality of how I lived my daily life.

Our spiritual journey is often described as a race. In 2 Timothy 4:7 (ESV), Paul said “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”. For most people, the journey is more like a marathon rather than a 100-meter sprint. Unlike a sprinter, a marathon runner must have the stamina and ability to pace oneself to reach the finish line. How do I sustain and grow in my Christian faith while running in a long exhausting marathon?

When I was a young adult, my church mentor shared a book entitled “Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance”, written by the late Bob Buford. At 41 years old, Bob had done exceedingly well in his family business, achieving both financial and personal goals that he had set for himself. However, he felt God calling him to do something different for the second half of his life. (Reference: https://halftimeinstitute.org/bob-buford-tribute/)

“Halftime” reminds me of the interval after the first half of a soccer match. The interval is necessary for the team to rest, do a quick stock take and re-strategise for the second half of the match. Similarly, I think it is important for me as a Christian to take stock of my life, realign it to God’s purposes for me and rechart the course ahead. This should be an ongoing exercise, although this has become more pertinent for me as I hit 46 this year. Thankfully, this pandemic has afforded me the time to evaluate my impact on this Earth and deal with my disappointments, while rethinking what is God’s game plan for the second half of my life.

Regardless of a game plan, what truly matters is how I perform in the game itself – how do I fare in my everyday life. In the last two to three years, I faced multiple challenges at work and experienced discouragement and self-doubt. God has tutored me in these circumstances about character building and learning how to be impactful through Him rather than relying on my wisdom alone.

Being steadfast is about having faithful endurance; there is no easier route. There were occasions when I felt socially cut-off and alone. Such experiences reinforced the need for a community. The good news is, we already have many witnesses before us who have completed the race and finished well! (Hebrews 12:1)

By brother William Soh

How Should We Respond?

by | Aug 9, 2020 | William Soh, • Timely Word •

I have a friend who does not read the news. His reason is simple. There is too much “bad news” in this world. Out of sight, out of mind. On the contrary, I am a voracious consumer of news. I subscribe to numerous newsfeeds via Facebook. Moreover, working as a helping professional requires me to be informed of socio-political developments in Singapore and around the world, and I am also exposed to issues that may be perceived as unfair and unjust. Over time, I have noticed that my intense reading and my work have impacted me emotionally. There were times my emotions ranged from irritation to frustration and anger. I have to guard against these emotions from seeping into my personal and social life. Similarly, I must protect my mind from spiralling into disillusionment and bitterness. One question that I have been contemplating is how should I live and respond in a world that is dark and troubling?

As part of my devotion time, I have been reading the book of Matthew. In chapter 13, Jesus was teaching about the kingdom of heaven using several parables. The parable of the weeds (Matthew 13: 24-30) highlighted that until the harvest comes there will continue to be evil in the present age. The world we are in is evil and dark because Man is sinful. The ongoing “civilization” of the world, and technological advancements will  not eradicate sins but only manifest them in different and perhaps more depraved forms. Technology has also enabled the proliferation of misleading and fake news, leading Man to be doubters of Truth. However, there will be a day of reckoning, where the weeds will be separated from the wheat during harvest time and the weeds shall be thrown into the fire (Matt 13:30, 41-42). Till then before Christ comes again, what does it mean for the church, and I as a citizen of the kingdom of God? What should my aspirations be and how should I live differently when one has a kingdom perspective?

Today, we celebrate Singapore’s 55th birthday. There are heartfelt hopes and wishes for the nation and its people, particularly when Singapore and other parts of the world are currently experiencing tough times due to the Covid-19 pandemic and suffering from its painful consequences. During the circuit breaker, we have also observed the depth of social inequalities in this nation. While we may wish for prosperous, safe, and peaceful times ahead, it is my prayer that at the end of the day, may His will be done. What is His will? For me, it is the Great Commission (Matt 28: 16-20) and meeting the needs of the “orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27).

What should I do exactly? The response to a dimming world is not about going into hiding and minding my own business, but to be His salt and light. It was interesting that at the time of this writing, Pastor Rick preached on the two great commandments from Matthew 22:37-40 – to love God and our neighbours (others).

There are a few things that I need to pay attention to. The ability to love requires me to return to the source – God. I need to build up my prayer life, to constantly realign myself with His perspectives and be reassured that my hope in living comes from Him. Meanwhile, I need to seek His wisdom and discernment to navigate this compromising and ethically challenging world. Although there will be ongoing tribulation and persecution, God is sovereign, and He is in control. On a practical note, I have learnt that it is helpful to strive towards a simpler and less cluttered lifestyle, with lower financial expenses. This is one way of dealing with the cares of this world.

Demonstrating love need not be an overly complicated matter. Start small and begin from where we are. For instance, during this pandemic, there are relatives, friends and acquaintances whom we can reach out to. We can also serve at Bless Community Services or other platforms to support and befriend people in need such as people who are homeless or those struggling with legal issues. I personally also believe in doing whatever I can to actively advocate for social justice, especially for the weak and vulnerable, and to act and leverage on opportunities that present themselves in my daily life.

By Brother William Soh (YCKC Bulletin 9 August 2020)