I arrived early for the conference. Pastors were around several tables, having their nasi lemak and coffee for breakfast. I sat down with Dora and Pastor Timothy Chow and had casual conversations that normal people have. I feel relaxed and a sense of belonging. The conference began with singing and prayerful worship. The presence of God can be felt. I needed it. The Presence. I am sure other shepherds were drawing down the graces too. These are ministers who carry heavy responsibilities. Some may be discouraged, weary and heavy-laden, and some may be hurt, fearful or frustrated. Only the Chief Shepherd knows their specific needs. We pray the Holy Spirit will expertly tend to each one uniquely.

The fear of the Lord

I was blessed by the first session, “Shepherding God’s Flock in the Fear of the Lord” delivered by Pastor Gabriel Han. Gabriel mentioned how in recent decades the church had flirted with a different gospel: hyper-faith, self-centred favour, prosperity, and pampering emphases, but these days are over and the time has come for the church to heed the message of holy love and holy fear. He talked about what a church with the fear of the Lord would look like, expounding on how Ananias and Sapphira’s deceit with offerings were met with death. “And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard these things.” (Acts 5:11) As shepherds we need to serve in all aspects of ministry with a sense of holy reverence before God. One statement that struck me was: Perfect love casts out all fear of man and inspires a godly fear of the Lord.

I believe the Spirit underlined his concluding words. He appealed to pastors to grow in the fear of the Lord so that their lives would impact the congregation, causing God’s light to shine upon them and inspire growth in the church. “The God of Israel has spoken: the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth. (2 Samuel 23:3,4) I could sense the Spirit stirring in the pastors a desire for the fear of the Lord in their lives.

Saint and sinner simultaneously

The second session was a surprise for me. However, it demonstrated the openness of the MFIS leadership team to have invited a Presbyterian pastor, Keith Lai, to speak on the topic of “Understanding Leadership Failures and Avoiding Common Pitfalls”. I have known Keith for some time. He is one of the seven wonders of the Presbyterian church! I wondered how a Presbyterian minister who exercises the charismatic gifts managed to survive, indeed, thrive, in a denomination generally known to be doubtful, if not suspicious, of all things charismatic. In fact, he is open to all the Lord had for him and shared how he learned from the Baptist, the Methodist, and the Catholics, not just the charismatics. Fascinating and mind-opening.

Many notable ministers and ministries have fallen into disrepute and brought shame to the Lord’s name. However, Keith challenged the common reaction of shock and surprise of many Christians when they hear of notable preachers who have fallen into sin. They should not be surprised because theologically all believers are “simul justus et pecator” (“simultaneously saint and sinner”). All believers, including pastors and leaders, are like sheep and are susceptible to falling if not for the grace of God keeping us. We are all works in progress and are still being sanctified. Only in our glorification will we be finally free from the “presence of sin”. In the meantime, we notice the struggle of the desires of the Spirit with the desires of the flesh.

Seven times seven

By the end of the second session, I was full. I had received much to chew on and digest. But in typical Singaporean style, we had to pack in more! This session however was very encouraging. It showed MFIS intention of “connecting the generations and growing together in the 5-fold gifts” (from MFIS mission statement). Seven young ministers will each preach for seven minutes enlarging from the text in Psalm 78:72 “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart, with skillful hands he led them.”

Straightaway, I happily recognized one of my home church pastors Tom Cannon, and my pastor friend’s son, Jireh Chee. The seven young ministers were clear communicators infused with life and I was blessed as they turned around the verse like a diamond and let the conference see different aspects of shepherding, drawn from the life of David. My brain by this time was bursting with content and I was thankful that lunch was next, and what a sumptuous buffet it was – comparable to the spiritual food we just had.

Afternoon workshop

Now the lunch has put me on screensaver mode, and I wondered how to keep alert during the workshop. There were three workshops on offer: “Your Church is a House of Prayer: From Prayer Meeting to Prayer Movement” by Lai Kheng Pousson; “Shepherd from Rest” by Eugene Seow; and “Staying Fresh in the Ministry” by Pastor Calvin Lee. I have not seen or heard from Eugene for many years so I went for his workshop. It helped that I was in front – it kept me awake.

Eugene Seow shared with us that he was no longer in F.C.B.C. and is now a pastor with Living Sanctuary. That’s news to me. I was happy to hear him talk about the meaning of sabbath rest for pastors. One thought that resonated with me was that God created man on the sixth day. Then on the seventh day, which God separated as holy sabbath, was Adam’s first day, a day of rest, of being with God. God wanted man for himself. It goes against some common notions we have of the sabbath. It’s not the last day but the first day. It’s not time to wind down but to wind up. It’s not arriving but taking off. It’s not leftovers but first fruits. It’s not closing but a new beginning. This is a refreshing perspective. He ended with two practical applications: Remember (Exo 31:12), and Listen (Isaiah 55:P2,3 Hebrews 3:15, 4:7).

Corporate prayer

The session ended and we sang and prayed in the truths we heard all day. My upper back was aching and Pastor Isaiah noticed it and he prayed for me. That was so good. One more plenary session to go. Can this aching body and saturated mind take in more? Come on!

The grand finale

The new chairman of MFIS is Pastor Samuel Gift Stephen. I heard his father preach long ago in the late 1970’s when he was the pastor of a Finnish Mission church called Praise Evangelical Church. It was wonderful then to see the son on the stage and the dynamism of his preaching.

The topic was “Recognizing False Ministries and Teachings” and he was the right person to carry the last session. He was constantly reaching out and drawing responses from the pastors. He connected and engaged us effectively. He taught about the identifying traits of false teachings and ministries: conflict with Scripture, focus on material gains, lack of fruit, and authority without accountability. He also shared strategies he uses to vaccinate his members: equipping and biblical training, promoting open dialogues and forums, establishing clear doctrinal stands and practices, and fostering a culture of accountability. Effective communication within the time allotted. Great, what a full day! Homeward bound.

As I reflected on the conference the next day, I concluded that the speakers had communicated highly relevant and helpful subjects to the pastors. I wish I had such input earlier in my pastoral ministry. I was glad there were 150 participants from 58 churches in the conference. May these pastors and leaders shepherd their flocks with integrity and skilful hands. Amen and amen!