Church Life

Real Life, Real People

I thought I knew love, until it almost destroyed me

I love people. From a young age, I poured my life and heart onto others, especially the boys I was leading in church. As their mentor and older brother, I tutored them, played sports and music with...

Apologetics

Don’t depend on the church to give you all the answers

Christianity is sometimes described as a metaphorical lens. C S Lewis wrote: “I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it, I see...

Singlehood

Redeeming broken dreams: A journey of spiritual motherhood

“Sometimes when I see kids running around, I imagine them asĀ my own,” Deb remarks. She gazes into the distance through moist, red eyes. Coughing out a few girlish giggles, sheĀ quickly...

Mental Health

How are you? No, really: How are you?

Itā€™s a rainy Sunday morning and the guy on stageĀ is giving his usual welcome-to-church spielĀ and, like he does every week, he refuses to let us sit down. Before we all get comfortable in our...

Church Life

There is a place to be vulnerable

“I’m not comfortable to share this with you/everyone, but I’ll let my mentor know.” I’ve been hearing this phrase quite often. I usually nod my head in sympathy.Ā Yeah,...

Real Life, Real People

The unwilling, unlikely leader

At the age of 20, I became one of the youngest leaders in Singapore nominated to sit on the Local Church Executive Committee (LCEC), theĀ decision-making board that governs each Methodist church. I...

Friendship

Bromance is dead

Think of your three closest friends. Now think about the last time you spoke to each one of them. Next, try to recall what makes them come alive ā€“ their wildest dreams and greatest fears. If...

Church Life

Done with church? Hold it right there

IĀ don’t always feel at home in church. Some days I drag myself in (late ā€“ sorry pastor), force myself through those oh-not-again songs about emotions I wasnā€™t feeling, remembering what...

Devotionals

Time to pay the price

Redeeming the time (kairos) because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:16) Man’s days are evil ā€” full of pain and laborious trouble. Yet in between the humdrum of life, God appoints kairos...