As we approach the final weeks and months of 2025, we find ourselves in a world that continues to be darkened by pain, suffering and uncertainty. It is a world burdened by wars and buffeted on all sides by a myriad of existential threats.
The Healing Nation Celebratory Concert
The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) commemorated 140 years of faith and service with “The Healing Nation Celebratory Concert”. Led by Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), the social concerns arm of MCS, the concert capped a year of activities under “The Healing Nation” movement—an ongoing Methodist-led national initiative of faith in action.
How do I handle my non-Christian family’s religious rituals?
I’m a new believer and come from a family of non-believers. My parents are ok with me attending church services but are strictly against me getting baptised. They feel that if I get baptised, I’ll be unable to “account” to them and the family, especially in events like funerals or death anniversaries, because I am unable to partake in rituals. If I get baptised without telling them and carry out the religious rituals, will I be violating God’s commandment not to bow to idols? On the other hand, how do I honour my parents?
God’s grace in my life
For me, being a Methodist is really about living in the constant awareness of God’s grace. I’ve come to see and experience it in different ways—God’s prevenient grace that sought me out before I even knew him, his justifying grace that saved me and his sanctifying grace that continues to shape me into the person he wants me to be.
My daughter is getting pulled into feng shui practices
My daughter is a Christian but lately, she has been lured into feng shui practices. This year it has gotten more serious with her attending webinars by feng shui masters. Her obsession has led her to neglect her family’s needs and making big expenses in support of these beliefs, even changing her name.
让出空间：在圣诞节及其他时候展现款待之心
在闪烁的灯光与喜庆的聚会下，圣诞节期，令人自然联想到圣经中那深刻的主题——款待（hospitality）。圣诞的真谛，其实是上帝为人类设下了一场最隆重的款待，而祂献上的，正是自己的儿子。 最动人的画面出现在耶稣降生的故事中。路加福音 2:7 记载，当马利亚和约瑟抵达伯利恒时，客店里已经没有可供他们住宿的房间。传统上，人们常将这件事解读为冷漠的客栈老板拒绝了他们。然而，“客店”一词在希腊文原文中是 kataluma，更常指“家中的客房”。这意味着马利亚和若瑟（约瑟）所投靠的亲属家中，客房已经住满，他们只能在家畜栖息的地方暂住。 就在这简陋而非传统的空间里，上帝来到了我们的世界。 这恰恰颠覆了我们现代那种常常让人充满压力的待客理念。我们常将待客与完美的环境、美味的餐点或整洁的家联系在一起；但圣经所提倡的款待（见罗马书 12:13：“要热心接待客旅”），更重在我们敞开心扉、慷慨的分享资源。 路加福音 14:12-14（和合本修订版）说：“你摆设午饭或晚餐，不要请你的朋友、弟兄、亲属和富足的邻舍，免得他们回请你，你就得了报答。你摆设宴席，倒要请那贫穷的、残废的、瘸腿的、失明的，你就有福了！” 这段经文呼吁我们，不仅要接待亲友，更要向陌生人、孤独者以及无法回报我们的人敞开怀抱。 这个圣诞节（甚至这个佳节过后），让我们效法第一个圣诞的精神——一种即便无处容身也要寻隙绽放的爱。愿我们的家庭和教会，都成为反映上帝终极款待之地，将基督慷慨接纳的爱延伸给每一个人。 林建隆会督于2024年当选为新加坡卫理公会会督。他曾作为卫理宣教会（MMS）的宣教士在柬埔寨服侍，并于2012年至2018年担任卫理宣教会的执行总干事。 Chinese translation by Koo Yuan Hsin
Holy silence and the state of the soul
One of the most important virtues in Christian spirituality that the Church has treasured and cultivated since its inception is silence. Regrettably, this virtue has been almost totally cast aside by the contemporary Church, especially those belonging to the Protestant/Evangelical traditions.
Serving in every season of life
My wife, Eunice, and I are founding members of Living Waters Methodist Church (LWMC). It is a privilege to see how God is using LWMC and its distinct intergenerational ministry to bless and touch lives around us. We have four children, and God has blessed us with three grandchildren.
