Friday, 25 September 2015
Friday, 29 May 2015
ARE YOU READY?
Before we leave our homes or offices, we look at the sky and then decide whether to carry an umbrella or not.
Before leaving for a trip, we get ready - check the car-petrol, water, tyres; we made arrangements for our pets and set the security alarm for our homes.
Before we sit for an exam, we get ready by studying.
Many things are happening around us and around the world.
Things that we never expected.
Things that terrified and horrified us.
Things that we never imagined before.
Although the End Times is a time of unprecedented world trouble, it is also the advancement of God’s Kingdom. Paul gave a wonderful perspective of how we should spiritually prepare for that time, whenever it comes:
“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night or of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing” (1 Thess 5:4-11, NASB).
JAS
Before leaving for a trip, we get ready - check the car-petrol, water, tyres; we made arrangements for our pets and set the security alarm for our homes.
Before we sit for an exam, we get ready by studying.
Many things are happening around us and around the world.
Things that we never expected.
Things that terrified and horrified us.
Things that we never imagined before.
- Human turbulence! (family disintegration, inhumane killings, human trafficking)
- Skies turbulence! (chaotic weather, disappearing plane)
- Financial turbulence! (corruption, money laundering)
- Earth turbulence! (wars, floods, typhoons, hurricanes, tsunami, heat waves, earthquakes)
Although the End Times is a time of unprecedented world trouble, it is also the advancement of God’s Kingdom. Paul gave a wonderful perspective of how we should spiritually prepare for that time, whenever it comes:
“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night or of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing” (1 Thess 5:4-11, NASB).
JAS
Tuesday, 19 May 2015
琴与金香炉：敬拜与祷告的复兴
琴与金香炉：敬拜与祷告的复兴
引言
「敬拜」神是一个很大又很深奥的标题，也是基督徒生命最重要的呼召。主耶稣说：「时候将到，如今就是了，那真正拜父的，要用心灵和诚实拜他，因为父要这样的人拜他。」（约4：23），心灵的敬拜就是「…信徒的灵与上帝的灵相协调、相团契，…，一定要有迁悔和认罪的部分，这才是真正的敬拜。」[1] 诚实的要素『不只要虔诚、诚恳、更要信实、合乎「真理」，…「以基督耶稣的心为心」。以「这样的心」来敬拜才合乎「真理」。』[2] 敬拜神也是充满创意的，只要合乎圣经的教导，以什么方式敬拜就是次要的了。笔者在此只谈论以琴与炉复兴的方式来敬拜神。
一、 琴与炉敬拜的认识
基督徒的生命即是敬拜神的生命，每天的生活就是敬拜；「在生活中荣耀上帝就是对上帝的真实敬拜；而真正的敬拜就是在生活中荣耀上帝。」[3] 在旧约时代，最鲜明的敬拜者是大卫王，他从年幼到临死的那一刻都在敬拜神，他是「合神心意的人」（撒上13：14），他渴慕神的心是基督徒应学习的榜样，而大卫建立的帐幕就是「琴与炉」敬拜的典型。
1. 从大卫帐幕看琴与炉敬拜
大卫帐幕里的「琴」仪表着用各样的乐器发出音乐赞美敬拜神。有别于摩西时
代——极严肃又循规蹈矩献祭物的敬拜，大卫着重以音乐、诗歌、发出言语和以身体语言来颂赞献“祭”予神；虽有制度和条理却不失活泼自由和全心全意全力的敬拜。在代上23-25章，记录了大卫不止分派利未人管理和办耶和华殿的一切事物，他们的职务也包括昼夜不停24小时，每小时12人值班的敬拜团在会幕里服事；他们有专人指教，有练习，善于歌唱及弹奏各样乐器颂赞神。大卫本身亲力亲为制作乐器（23：5b），分派服事者（15：4 ，5；25：1）并以身作则尽心尽力赞美神（15：29）。
「炉」是向神献“祭”。诗篇五卷书里，包含了哀求诗、感恩诗、赞美诗、律法诗、君王诗，上行之诗等等…，这些诗歌都是大卫或服事的利未敬拜主领被圣灵感动写出来的，也是他们在困境中向神发出内心最真诚的呼求和祷告。每一篇诗不论是祈求、感恩、赞美、宣告、迁悔、歌颂或敬拜，都如烧在铜祭坛上的燔祭献与耶和华为馨香的火祭，上升到神面前。[4]
２. 从启示录看琴与炉敬拜
启示录是使徒约翰记录神给他看到未来和天堂的异象。天堂神圣的敬拜应该是属于神的子民所要追求学习的榜样；因为在永恒里，神的子民是不分昼夜的敬拜祂。当我们在地上以天国的方式来敬拜神，就必能蒙神悦纳，所以我们要看天国里敬拜神的模式。在启5：8「…，四活物和二十四位长老就俯伏在羔羊面前，各拿着琴和盛满了香的金炉；这香就是众圣徒的祈祷。他们就唱新歌，…」；接下来的情景是，四活物和长老们带领千千万万天使，与天地间宇宙万物合一唱新歌颂赞敬拜神，这是何等神圣、威严和壮观的敬拜大会呀！天上的敬拜联合地上圣徒的代祷，是开启神的旨意行在地上如同行在天上的钥匙。启示录多处记录了天使和众圣徒唱新歌颂赞神的圣洁和公义；启8：3-5 ，再次提到香的烟和众圣徒的祈祷升到神面前，然后「金香炉的火（神的公义和审判）」 [5] 就临到地上。可见，当敬拜和祷告并行时，神就彰显公义，施行审判，成就祂的旨意。
2. 现代琴与炉敬拜
主后第6世纪直到第18世纪，期间都有兴起昼夜不停的敬拜祷告运动，并且带动复兴和灵魂大丰收。[6] 到了20世纪，1958年赵镛基牧师在汉城带领会友们用许多的通宵代祷，从50多位演变成每天有数千人在祷告山不住地禁食祷告；如此复兴就临到南韩。[7] 当一群热爱主又对灵魂有负担的信徒，同心合意恳切地在施恩宝座前敬拜代祷时，神必不会坐视不理。 转眼来看现代，汤海士牧师（Pastor Tom Hess）在1987年建立了万国祷告院（Jerusalem House Of Prayer For All Nation）特别为耶路撒冷及中东24小时代祷守望[8] 及毕迈克（Mike Bickle）堪萨斯市国际祷告之家（Kansas City International House of Prayer）在1999年9月19日 进入24小时昼夜不停轮班敬拜代祷，可说是琴与炉敬拜运动的先锋，他们的呼召是重修大卫倒塌的帐幕，堵住破口（摩9：11；徒15：16）。[9] 如今，跨入21世纪，全球华裔教会的复兴，也吹起了琴与炉模式敬拜祷告浪潮的号角，如：桃园爱修祈祷园、台北的大卫会幕祷告中心、高雄高祷屋、天幕敬拜团、香港孵化箱事工、韩国、中国及印尼等地，马来西亚也有刚起步的「全地琴与炉学校」。[10] 在模式上虽有一些出入，其中不可缺的就是音乐的配搭。
二、琴与炉敬拜的推动
无可否认，在这个世纪的开端，我们可看到世界局势动荡不安，无论是气候、天灾人祸、环境、经济及国家政局都在水深火热当中；许多暴乱、抢夺、凶行及道德沦陷导致人心惶惶…。这些事发生，都指向应验末日预言（太24章），也表示主再临的日子接近了，身为基督的肢体，我们应该如何去回应呢？
1. 重修大卫倒塌帐幕的必要
自然而然，基督徒第一个反应就是祷告，祈求神施拯救…，因为的确世上很多局面是超过人的能力所能控制和解决的！可是，要改变世界，使时势翻转，攻破黑暗势力，让神荣耀的国度降临，就必须拥有开启天门的钥匙。
就在撒旦兴波作浪的恶劣处境中，琴与金香炉的「敬拜祷告」，更迫切要复兴起来。这羔羊的敬拜祷告，能帮助信徒在大患难中至死忠心，持守基督信仰到底，因为「圣徒的忍耐和信心就是在此」（启示录 13：10）， …。「敬拜祷告」叫我们更重视与主的关系，及将来天国的盼望，也拓宽我们属灵的视野，能分辨撒旦的工作。[11]
主很看重信徒同心合意的敬拜祷告（太18：18-20），这样的敬拜聚会吸引了主的同在，彰显祂的荣耀，甚至赐给信徒捆绑和释放的权柄来行神迹和神的旨意。[12] 从教会历史来看，复兴的火焰常常是由当地一群爱主的信徒聚集一起，专注于敬拜祷告点燃而起的。
2. 面对挑战
琴与炉敬拜与平常教会进行的祷告会有所不同。它不只是唱几首赞美或敬拜的诗歌，然后为各项事情祷告就算完成任务。笔者本人在两年前有幸能参与马来西亚第一届的琴与炉敬拜训练学校，在叶晨星博士和几位前辈的教导下，更深入了解敬拜神和代祷职事的真理和体验。对于个人的挑战，首要条件就是委身；因为要重修大卫倒塌的帐幕，就必须献出时间、金钱和力量。第二就是愿意被破碎和被塑造；因为忧伤痛悔和谦卑顺服的心是神所看重的。
对于教会的挑战，首先牧者必须看到这异象和使命的重要性，才会以琴与炉敬拜模式主领教会的崇拜聚会和祷告会，并推动会友们踊跃参与。教会也需训练更多会弹奏音乐的敬拜主领，琴司乐手，助唱，还有有潜质的祷告主领和代祷者。琴与炉敬拜者必须知道自己的位置和本分；敬拜主领是领导整个团队来到至圣者面前，乐手和助唱须与他/她很好的配搭；祷告主领须敏锐于圣灵的带领以哪一个模式为主祷，代祷者就合一的往同样的方向代祷。如此天衣无缝的配搭才能完成代祷的职事。琴与炉祷告会多以小组形式进行，因为每一位都必须参与服事或代祷。
三、琴与炉敬拜带来的果效
在全地琴与炉敬拜学校，笔者学习了五种敬拜代祷的模式，每个模式都各有其精华所在，在此简略描述：使徒性代祷是为着列国或本地教会的复兴代祷；先知性代祷是为各类属灵争战，带着权柄捆绑和释放代祷；先知性敬拜是全体成员合一投入敬拜神，领受圣灵的服事，内在医治和建造；以神话语敬拜是如门训课程，深入圣经的一段经文，成为祷告的主题；而灵修式敬拜，是我们学习默想经文并沉浸在神的同在，等候聆听神。[13]
1. 灵命的塑造
以笔者个人的经历，从以上五种敬拜代祷中，笔者的灵命得以焕然一新，也目睹成员们一起成长的过程。虽说笔者信主已多年，但从未参与如此系统性训练，半年里的团队服事、深沉的敬拜和团队代祷，使我受益不浅；能与神建立更亲密的关系，与不同教会的弟兄姐妹彼此联系，心灵的建造使灵命更稳固，对于国度性的代祷也比以前清晰和有负担，属灵的视野被广张了…。
2. 教会的冲击
琴与炉敬拜虽不属于任何教派，却属于灵恩运动，因为很着重圣灵自由的运行、恩赐和恩膏，但不忽略全人生命的塑造和神话语的灵修，为了预备主的子民成为圣洁，谦卑顺服的器皿（彼前2：9）。它可成为团结众基督教派系的器皿；若本地传统教会，愿意敞开门户，与灵恩派携手复兴此运动；那基督肢体就能合一敬拜代祷，成为无墙的教会，做主的一支精兵，打属灵的战争，复兴必临到马来西亚。
结论
从笔者的经验观察，很多时候，教会的祷告会变得公式化，尤其是在大教会里，一切都按部就班，只有领袖主持代祷，平信徒对于公祷是很生疏的；导致许多平信徒认为参加祷告会是件乏味无趣的事因此而切步。但在琴与炉敬拜祷告会里，每位参与者都能感受神亲密的同在和经历神彰显祂的荣耀，圣灵的工作也是显着的，深深吸引您渴慕亲近和敬拜神，如新妇与新郎甜蜜的爱情…主耶稣正等待着祂的新妇预备好来临接祂的再来！（启19：5-8）。
参考书
《中文新标点和合本圣经》。马来西亚圣经公会。日期不详。
夏中坚。《敬拜人生-我活着是为敬拜》。四版。马来西亚：人人书楼，2008。
刘世增。《耶和华是呼召你祷告的神—祷告的生命、争战与堂会复兴》。香港：以利亚使团有限公司， 2004年1月。
拉玛.柏士曼（Boschman, LaMar）。《敬拜新浪潮》（Future Worship）。平山译。台北：财团法人基督教以琳书房，2004年1月。
毕迈克（Bickle, Mike）。《成为合神心意的人》（After God’s Own Heart）。戴保堂译。台北：财团法人基督教以琳书房，2005年5月。
赵镛基。《祷告：复兴之锁》。蔡耀明与廖爱华译。二版。台北：中国学园传道会，1987。
拉玛.柏士曼。《预言之歌》（The Prophetic Song）。徐亚兰译。台北：财团法人基督教以琳书房，1988年9月。
布鲁格连（Blomgren, David K.）。《复兴神的荣耀》（Restoring God’s Glory）。台北：财团法人基督教以琳书房，1986年11月。
帕布罗.培瑞兹（Pérez, Pablo）。《先知性敬拜者》(The Prophetic Worshiper)。吴曼玲译。台北：财团法人基督教以琳书房，2010年5月。
[1] 周联华，序于《敬拜人生-我活着是为敬拜》，夏中坚著，四版（马来西亚：人人书楼，2008），5。
[2] 同上。
[3] 夏中坚，《敬拜人生—我活着是为敬拜》四版（马来西亚：人人书楼，2008），55。
[4] 夏中坚，《敬拜人生—我活着是为敬拜》，166-67。
[5] 北京基督教会朝阳堂网站，「琴与炉---宝座前的敬拜,」宁波基督教百年堂（2009年4月1日)， http://www.church100.com/html/faith/contribution/200904/10-598.html (2013年 7月23日存取)。
[6] 作者不详,「A Biblical and Historical Overview of Harp & Bowl-Part 1, July 2012,」“ BEHOLD HIM”(n.d.), http://beholdhimpeoria.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Biblical-and-Historical-Overview-of-Harp-Bowl-Part-1.pdf (2013年 7月23日存取)。
[7] 赵镛基，《祷告：复兴之锁》，蔡耀明与廖爱华译，二版（台北：中国学园传道会，1987），8。
[8] Vladislav,「 About the Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations ministry,」“Jews, Christians and the Good News”, entry posted on Dec 21, 2006, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jews_and_Christians/message/363(accessed July 24, 2013).
[9] 作者不详，「A Biblical and Historical Overview of Harp & Bowl, Part 1 July 2012，」“BEHOLD HIM”(n.d.)， http://beholdhimpeoria.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Biblical-and-Historical-Overview-of-Harp-Bowl-Part-1.pdf (2013年 7月23日存取)。
[10] 作者不详，「琴与炉-在末后的时代，耶和华敬拜赞美的大能军队要被兴起！」全地音乐（2011年），http://www.alltheearth.org/wormenu/c-harpbowl.html （2013年7月26日存取）。
[11] 刘世增，「耶和华是呼召你祷告的神—祷告的生命、争战与堂会复兴」（香港：以利亚使团有限公司，2004），75。
[12] 刘世增，「耶和华是呼召你祷告的神—祷告的生命、争战与堂会复兴」，77。
[13] 以上五种模式的描述，都是从全地琴与炉敬拜学校的ppt课程的笔记简录而得的。
by Priscilla Law (PCC Chinese Department)
Friday, 10 April 2015
The Journey
How
tumultuous the journey may seem;
How
high the tides may be; How unnerving the storms may be;
I'm assured that God's love shall never depart from my within,
I'm assured that God's love shall never depart from my within,
If I
continuously to abide in Jesus!
After feeding the five thousand with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish,
Jesus sent the disciples on a tumultuous journey and Jesus went praying.
Jesus sent the disciples on a tumultuous journey and Jesus went praying.
The sea was
raging;
The waves were roughing in;
An unnerving moment;
The moment of moments.
My sweet, cool Jesus, came walking on the sea knowing the moment of moments.
What I and others saw was a phantom or some call ghost.
The waves were roughing in;
An unnerving moment;
The moment of moments.
My sweet, cool Jesus, came walking on the sea knowing the moment of moments.
What I and others saw was a phantom or some call ghost.
How can I not recall my
Jesus in such a time as this.
Can't I recognize my many years being with him?
A moment earlier I was part of feeding the multitudes.
Can't I recognize my many years being with him?
A moment earlier I was part of feeding the multitudes.
Dear Jesus,
If it's you let me walk on the water towards "I AM".
If it's you let me walk on the water towards "I AM".
With much apprehension
I got down and walked and walked.
I am walking on the sea. You got to believe this!
I am walking on the sea. You got to believe this!
Then came the moment of
moments!
My faith and hope collapsed.
My faith and hope collapsed.
Oh!
Good Jesus...
Save me....
A loud cry....
Good Jesus...
Save me....
A loud cry....
I felt the stretching,
comforting arm of love being renewed,
but with a rebuking strength, "Why you doubt?"
but with a rebuking strength, "Why you doubt?"
And Jesus walked me, with me to my continuing journey.
The raging moment came
to a silent whispering breeze.
I was a witness to
others of the amazing favour that saves.
When Jesus lead me
aboard my friends came to worship,
Adonai Ha-Adonim
Adonai Ha-Adonim
(The Lord of Lords) and
Melech Ha-Melachim
(The King of Kings)
(The King of Kings)
Yehoshua Ha-Mashiach.
Know the nature of
Jesus which is within.
Never doubt Jesus's love when facing the moment of moments.
Be saturated in God's love always.
(Reference : Matthew 14:21-33; Mark 6:44-52; John 6:16-21)
Jane Robert - 11 April 2015
Monday, 30 March 2015
Let's do our part
For the past one week, we have been reading the good works done by the late Lee Kuan Yew for Singapore. Many were grateful to him for making Singapore what it is Today.
Easter is around the corner, as children of The Almighty God, we should reflect what our Heavenly Father has done for us: John 3:16 says,"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (NIV). In John 10:10 it also tells us that "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (ESV).
As a body of Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:27 , we should reflect what Jesus has done for everyone ever since we were born!
Just as the late Lee Kuan Yew has left a legacy, Jesus Christ has given us the Holy Spirit to carry on the works that He has started 2000 years ago; "The Great Commission" Matthew 28:16-20 .
Let us do our part to tell everyone who will listen, “Jesus is alive!. He is real. GOD’s NOT DEAD!”
31 Mar 2015
Easter is around the corner, as children of The Almighty God, we should reflect what our Heavenly Father has done for us: John 3:16 says,"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (NIV). In John 10:10 it also tells us that "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (ESV).
As a body of Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:27 , we should reflect what Jesus has done for everyone ever since we were born!
Just as the late Lee Kuan Yew has left a legacy, Jesus Christ has given us the Holy Spirit to carry on the works that He has started 2000 years ago; "The Great Commission" Matthew 28:16-20 .
Let us do our part to tell everyone who will listen, “Jesus is alive!. He is real. GOD’s NOT DEAD!”
31 Mar 2015
Tuesday, 17 March 2015
Excuse me, are you a Project Manager?
‘Project management’ the terminology almost unheard of in church ministry. Any corporate-ty word will be chuck aside by the majority. However, experience will demonstrate that planning and managing a project competently will ease the burden on the available resources, at the same time as allow the church to do well in large events and embark on new programs.
By profession, project management require a highly competent all rounder of the field and scope for that delivery, with a recognized project management methodology. As a result, the project manager will know exactly the stuffs that the team is doing and the ability with standardized terminology, expectations and management of all levels. However, the buzzword “PM” is heard in all industries and everyone seems to be a project manager ‘without credentials’.
Similarly, in any given task, Christian Leaders are call to lead projects in their Church or in their workplace, only to find that they possess little skills to manage project time, cost, scope, quality, human resource, procurement, communication, risk and integration.
Projects may be short or long; it is temporary in that it has a defined beginning and end in time, and therefore defined scope and resources (PMI). It is quick and unique, transient endeavor, undertaken to achieve planned objectives, which could be defined in terms of outputs, outcomes or benefits (APMUK) like running special services, evangelistic meetings, fund raising et al. It may be a ‘simple lunch meetings’ or ‘seminars’, a-walk-in-the-park for many experience leaders to run these projects. On the other hand, the spectrum may be massive and demanding like evangelistic meetings, concerts, building expansion projects. Project Management is the discipline of organizing and managing resources in such a way that these resources deliver all the work required to complete a project within defined scope, time and cost constraints. (MIM)
Without formal project management coaching or knowledge, project management can be a mammoth task for many leaders. While, many inborn leaders are gifted with good organizational and time management skills that come in handy, nevertheless there is no guarantee that the project will turn out to be successful.
Setting up a new ministry, hosting conventions or opening an outreach are additions to the departments’ regular activities that blast with loads of responsibility (Resources Constrain). Due to constraints in available time for the delivery or lack of funding and resources, lets checkout the relevancy to implementing project management concepts into our endeavors.
A biblical project management concept could be found in Nehemiah 1-2 (Read more: A Biblical Reference to Project Management: http://www.walkwiththeword.org/Studies/01_OT/16_Neh/16_Nehemiah_01-02.html)
The first step to jump-start:
Project Deliverables (Scope Management)
More often than not, unclear with the entire deliverable is the factor contribute to project failure more than others. What is the project objective? If you are unsure, how can you plan right and deliver with results? Would you know the demarcation of the project? The fundamental of project management is identifying the output without ambiguosity.
Once you know exactly the deliverables, you then breakdown into sub-deliveries and defining the scope. Scope management will be the exclusive accountability of the Project Manager. Work out and grasp all the areas of impact that need to be tackle or potentially involved. Make out the steps to take to complete each identified section. Allocate time to work this part out with the team (stakeholders). Document the decisions and phases and sign-off once concur. Many experience and long time leader assume project management methodology to be overkill or overload in church’s work, but over a period (sometime short duration) memories disappear gradually, work not done, responsibility pushes around and misunderstandings crop up. Consequently, run into disagreement, where it can be awfully destructive for the leader, the team and over and above the church. With good documentation, these issues are evitable.
Reference:
Mike Waddell (Project Management Guide for Christian Leaders)
Deborah Ike (Why Project Management Belongs in your Church)
Yngvi Rafn Yngvason (Jesus Christ the Project Leader)
By profession, project management require a highly competent all rounder of the field and scope for that delivery, with a recognized project management methodology. As a result, the project manager will know exactly the stuffs that the team is doing and the ability with standardized terminology, expectations and management of all levels. However, the buzzword “PM” is heard in all industries and everyone seems to be a project manager ‘without credentials’.
Similarly, in any given task, Christian Leaders are call to lead projects in their Church or in their workplace, only to find that they possess little skills to manage project time, cost, scope, quality, human resource, procurement, communication, risk and integration.
Projects may be short or long; it is temporary in that it has a defined beginning and end in time, and therefore defined scope and resources (PMI). It is quick and unique, transient endeavor, undertaken to achieve planned objectives, which could be defined in terms of outputs, outcomes or benefits (APMUK) like running special services, evangelistic meetings, fund raising et al. It may be a ‘simple lunch meetings’ or ‘seminars’, a-walk-in-the-park for many experience leaders to run these projects. On the other hand, the spectrum may be massive and demanding like evangelistic meetings, concerts, building expansion projects. Project Management is the discipline of organizing and managing resources in such a way that these resources deliver all the work required to complete a project within defined scope, time and cost constraints. (MIM)
Without formal project management coaching or knowledge, project management can be a mammoth task for many leaders. While, many inborn leaders are gifted with good organizational and time management skills that come in handy, nevertheless there is no guarantee that the project will turn out to be successful.
Setting up a new ministry, hosting conventions or opening an outreach are additions to the departments’ regular activities that blast with loads of responsibility (Resources Constrain). Due to constraints in available time for the delivery or lack of funding and resources, lets checkout the relevancy to implementing project management concepts into our endeavors.
A biblical project management concept could be found in Nehemiah 1-2 (Read more: A Biblical Reference to Project Management: http://www.walkwiththeword.org/Studies/01_OT/16_Neh/16_Nehemiah_01-02.html)
The first step to jump-start:
Project Deliverables (Scope Management)
More often than not, unclear with the entire deliverable is the factor contribute to project failure more than others. What is the project objective? If you are unsure, how can you plan right and deliver with results? Would you know the demarcation of the project? The fundamental of project management is identifying the output without ambiguosity.
Once you know exactly the deliverables, you then breakdown into sub-deliveries and defining the scope. Scope management will be the exclusive accountability of the Project Manager. Work out and grasp all the areas of impact that need to be tackle or potentially involved. Make out the steps to take to complete each identified section. Allocate time to work this part out with the team (stakeholders). Document the decisions and phases and sign-off once concur. Many experience and long time leader assume project management methodology to be overkill or overload in church’s work, but over a period (sometime short duration) memories disappear gradually, work not done, responsibility pushes around and misunderstandings crop up. Consequently, run into disagreement, where it can be awfully destructive for the leader, the team and over and above the church. With good documentation, these issues are evitable.
Reference:
Mike Waddell (Project Management Guide for Christian Leaders)
Deborah Ike (Why Project Management Belongs in your Church)
Yngvi Rafn Yngvason (Jesus Christ the Project Leader)
Check back for more!
Wednesday, 11 March 2015
君子爱财 取之有道
钱财是身外物，生不带来、死不带去；
钱财是实用之物，虽然不是万能、没有它却万万不能；
钱财被适当的管理，带来许多好处、相反却祸患无穷；
钱财哪有限的功能：买得山珍海味、却买不到健康，
买得昂贵真品、却买不到真心，
买得真象牙床、却买不到睡眠，
买得高尚豪宅、却买不到幸福家庭。
静默想想，当不偷窃、不投机和不急速、不求不义之财、不贪心时，反而殷勤和勤劳积蓄时，必见加增。耶和华曾说：『不可存心贪爱钱财，要以自己所有的为足，因为我总不撇下你，也不离弃你。若你遵行耶和华你神的话，福气必要追随你，临到你身上。』
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