From: Teh, Ian
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To: ‘[ ]’
Cc: [ ]; [ ]
Subject: Easter Plans
Don’t worry – I wasn’t going to do anything about my friend and brother’s plans and desires in this regard. I have pretty much decided to just get out of anyone and everyone’s face and do my own thing.
I would probably never understand completely the travails our brother goes through day in and day out, concerning Kuang. Often he seems accepting and well adjusted that these things happen and it is how one reacts and responses that counts. And it is perhaps these sorts of experiences that sees the most deep seated beliefs, cultural influences and upbringing all played out in our responses. We come from a survivalist economic refugees’ heritage to whom superstitions play a huge part. How we let those elements taper off by filtering them through our relationship with our Lord Jesus and His word, will be our lifelong challenge. While I think we all have a role in helping each other in that way, I also believe we can only do so meaningfully if we all belong to the same community of faith in all sense.
But we find ourselves mired in the problems that material and consumerist emphasis brings to Melbourne’s churches in the eastern suburbs. We have pastors and leaders influenced by these emphases so that we end up chasing experiences – not unlike the world’s desire for good movies, good books, latest tech, food,… i.e. experiences. All that interferes with our duty to help each other become more godly, holy and more focused on the Great Commission.
I don’t think ICC/LG has honed itself enough. TF is too distracted by the ills of Melbourne’s disease and if almost always swept along and any attempts to train his thoughts are seen as being unfair to his own views of how to do church, which to me is an aspiration to set up the best shop to satisfy its own customers.
All I long for now however, is a home where I can be planted and grow and help others around me grow. All that learning and instruction bit are no longer what interest me, and neither is my desire to cross paths with people who cant be bothered thinking about what is happening around them.
Regards
IAN TEH
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From:
On [ ] at [ ]:[ ] [ ], Teh, Ian <[ ]> wrote:
Good for you guys. I have a feeling he would stay on for the long haul, but he wants to make the church something closer to Clayton, Grace or even FGA in terms of look and feel. That’s all a by and by for me. Unfortunately.
We (I, more accurately) want to avoid going to repeated church services over the Good Friday/Easter Sunday long weekend because right now, my church going is perfunctory and borne out of a lifetime of habit. Again, unfortunately.
So, going away sounds even better a proposition than just for the usual reason of R&R.
It is only coincidental that I am glad we have a ready-made excuse for turning down the invitation to be part of the re-baptism service. I wonder if you think I can safely send the attached doc for his reading, and I wonder what you think about the issue of re-baptism. Personally, I think he shouldn’t do it and have been thinking about asking him to reconsider but I think I have had enough of doing things like this.
Regards
IAN TEH
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Ante 