FOCUS, FORGET & FORGE FORWARD
Michael Tan
Welcome to 2019! This year, our oldest founding members are 64, pushing 65. I am reminded of a classic song by the Beatles entitled When I am Sixty-Four. The refrain goes: “Will you still need me, will you still feed me? When I’m sixty-four.”
Well, those are irrelevant questions today. As we have been told, the 60s is now the new 40s. The longer you live the more you realize just how fleeting these years are. Actually every day not just every year is a gift from God when you are a senior. My resolution for 2019 is really to be as productive as I can be for his ministry and as pleasing as I can be for his glory on a daily basis.
I take my inspiration from Philippians 3:13-14, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Focussing on the one thing. “But one thing I do …” The Apostle Paul was certainly a high achiever in ministry and a self-driven servant of God. He was the model of an indefatigable missionary. He understood the power of focus because everything he did and accomplished came from that focus. What was the one thing for him? He says, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
My goal in life is what will define me. God has called me, not just for ministry and service but primarily to and for himself. I still remember vividly one of the morning devotions over the PA system by my secondary school principal 50 years ago. He said that one’s vocation is to love God and others, not business, ministry, career or achievement. Those are merely one’s avocations. The dictionary defines an avocation as a hobby or minor occupation!
Forgetting what lies behind. The Apostle Paul is using the metaphor of a race. And he is so right. I can’t run forward if I am always looking backward. The word “forget” doesn’t mean “failing to remember” as old folks tend to do! It means rather “not be influenced or affected by the past.” What lies behind may be failures or successes. Both are part of life and both can teach me how to be a better person moving forward. The race of life and the journey of faith is always ahead. Past laps cannot be reprised. The laps that remain and the goal ahead is everything. As an organization, we are also focussing on the future not just reminiscing the past 50 years.
Forging forward to what lies ahead. The text tells us that the Apostle Paul was straining forward. In other words, it consumed all of his energy because the goal was his all-consuming desire. In leadership, I have learned that it is not how you start but how you finish that matters. Of course, we want to end strong and well and leave a good legacy. More importantly, I have also learned that it’s not where you start, it’s where you go that counts. It’s both how and where. Every day is a gift from God. I pray that I will remember to focus, forget and forge forward to the prize of the upward (i.e., high) calling of God in Christ Jesus.
MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS
Sharing Joy
Michael Tan preached at Bethesda Katong Church on Christmas Day 2018. More than 300 church members and their family and friends packed the three halls in the new building of the church following the service via live broadcast. A number of attendees responded to the invitation to receive Christ at the end of the service.
Michael also preached a Christmas message at three services for Mt Carmel Bible Presbyterian Church on December 15 & 16, 2018.
A new beginning
In response to requests, Oasis retreats were organized for marketplace Christians in Shanghai, China and Singapore. The Singapore edition saw 35 participants from East Malaysia and Indonesia join others from the island city. They retreated to Bali for this spiritual experience. Participants were new to each other but they were open to each other very quickly.
The experience centered on 4 messages delivered by Peter Chao. Experiential learning exercises followed each presentation. In the Singapore edition, participants went for a seaside meditation at dawn and composed a poem. Dr Kenny Tan found this a wonderful way to express his spiritual journey. He has continued to write prolifically. We produce one of his pieces he wrote at the retreat.
All I heard — the beating of the waves
All I felt — the frenzy of my heart
Then light breaks
The darkness of the night
Now I hear — the singing of the lark
Now I feel — the silence of my heart
The Son breaks
The darkness of my night.
— Kenny Tan (2018)
Oasis Shanghai will be convened in March, 2019 (interpreted into Mandarin) while the Singapore edition will meet in Chiangmai, Thailand in November, 2019. Other locations will be considered as requests come in.
NEXT UP
Equipping your young adults to lead self and others
YLDP is a unique program for young adults of 18-25 years of age to develop and hone their leadership skills through in- depth conversations on relevant issues, friendship forums that build accountable communities, role-modeling values that last from best-in-class younger faculty, newly developed learning pedagogy, 24/7 access to digital mobile learning, and real- world entrepreneurial projects that challenge creativity and problem solving skills.
Sign your young adults up at www.eagles.org.sg/yldpsg.
Experience the Word
Do you find it hard to obey God when he asks you to do something out of your comfort zone? You are not alone. Even the great patriarch Abraham fumbled and stumbled in his faith. His struggles in obeying God can help us grow stronger in our faithful obedience to God.
Join Michael Tan at the Eagles Rendezvous Bible Study ministry as he leads us in a series of seven Studies in the Life of Abraham: Faith, Fear, Failure, & Future from Genesis 11-25. This series begins on January 12, 2019 for 7 consecutive Saturdays from 4 – 6 pm. Admission by registration online at www.eagles.org.sg/er or SMS Mimi at 97995040 your name and email address or email: er@eagles.org.sg.
If you missed the first session, catch up on Eagles Facebook Page.
FOCUS, FORGET & FORGE FORWARD
Michael Tan
Welcome to 2019! This year, our oldest founding members are 64, pushing 65. I am reminded of a classic song by the Beatles entitled When I am Sixty-Four. The refrain goes: “Will you still need me, will you still feed me? When I’m sixty-four.”
Well, those are irrelevant questions today. As we have been told, the 60s is now the new 40s. The longer you live the more you realize just how fleeting these years are. Actually every day not just every year is a gift from God when you are a senior. My resolution for 2019 is really to be as productive as I can be for his ministry and as pleasing as I can be for his glory on a daily basis.
I take my inspiration from Philippians 3:13-14, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Focussing on the one thing. “But one thing I do …” The Apostle Paul was certainly a high achiever in ministry and a self-driven servant of God. He was the model of an indefatigable missionary. He understood the power of focus because everything he did and accomplished came from that focus. What was the one thing for him? He says, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
My goal in life is what will define me. God has called me, not just for ministry and service but primarily to and for himself. I still remember vividly one of the morning devotions over the PA system by my secondary school principal 50 years ago. He said that one’s vocation is to love God and others, not business, ministry, career or achievement. Those are merely one’s avocations. The dictionary defines an avocation as a hobby or minor occupation!
Forgetting what lies behind. The Apostle Paul is using the metaphor of a race. And he is so right. I can’t run forward if I am always looking backward. The word “forget” doesn’t mean “failing to remember” as old folks tend to do! It means rather “not be influenced or affected by the past.” What lies behind may be failures or successes. Both are part of life and both can teach me how to be a better person moving forward. The race of life and the journey of faith is always ahead. Past laps cannot be reprised. The laps that remain and the goal ahead is everything. As an organization, we are also focussing on the future not just reminiscing the past 50 years.
Forging forward to what lies ahead. The text tells us that the Apostle Paul was straining forward. In other words, it consumed all of his energy because the goal was his all-consuming desire. In leadership, I have learned that it is not how you start but how you finish that matters. Of course, we want to end strong and well and leave a good legacy. More importantly, I have also learned that it’s not where you start, it’s where you go that counts. It’s both how and where. Every day is a gift from God. I pray that I will remember to focus, forget and forge forward to the prize of the upward (i.e., high) calling of God in Christ Jesus.
MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS
Sharing Joy
Michael Tan preached at Bethesda Katong Church on Christmas Day 2018. More than 300 church members and their family and friends packed the three halls in the new building of the church following the service via live broadcast. A number of attendees responded to the invitation to receive Christ at the end of the service.
Michael also preached a Christmas message at three services for Mt Carmel Bible Presbyterian Church on December 15 & 16, 2018.
A new beginning
In response to requests, Oasis retreats were organized for marketplace Christians in Shanghai, China and Singapore. The Singapore edition saw 35 participants from East Malaysia and Indonesia join others from the island city. They retreated to Bali for this spiritual experience. Participants were new to each other but they were open to each other very quickly.
The experience centered on 4 messages delivered by Peter Chao. Experiential learning exercises followed each presentation. In the Singapore edition, participants went for a seaside meditation at dawn and composed a poem. Dr Kenny Tan found this a wonderful way to express his spiritual journey. He has continued to write prolifically. We produce one of his pieces he wrote at the retreat.
All I heard — the beating of the waves
All I felt — the frenzy of my heart
Then light breaks
The darkness of the night
Now I hear — the singing of the lark
Now I feel — the silence of my heart
The Son breaks
The darkness of my night.
— Kenny Tan (2018)
Oasis Shanghai will be convened in March, 2019 (interpreted into Mandarin) while the Singapore edition will meet in Chiangmai, Thailand in November, 2019. Other locations will be considered as requests come in.
NEXT UP
Equipping your young adults to lead self and others
YLDP is a unique program for young adults of 18-25 years of age to develop and hone their leadership skills through in- depth conversations on relevant issues, friendship forums that build accountable communities, role-modeling values that last from best-in-class younger faculty, newly developed learning pedagogy, 24/7 access to digital mobile learning, and real- world entrepreneurial projects that challenge creativity and problem solving skills.
Sign your young adults up at www.eagles.org.sg/yldpsg.
Experience the Word
Do you find it hard to obey God when he asks you to do something out of your comfort zone? You are not alone. Even the great patriarch Abraham fumbled and stumbled in his faith. His struggles in obeying God can help us grow stronger in our faithful obedience to God.
Join Michael Tan at the Eagles Rendezvous Bible Study ministry as he leads us in a series of seven Studies in the Life of Abraham: Faith, Fear, Failure, & Future from Genesis 11-25. This series begins on January 12, 2019 for 7 consecutive Saturdays from 4 – 6 pm. Admission by registration online at www.eagles.org.sg/er or SMS Mimi at 97995040 your name and email address or email: er@eagles.org.sg.
If you missed the first session, catch up on Eagles Facebook Page.