This morning, we went to the New Hope Baptist Church in Blackburn North. It is the church our friends CM and IT had gone to. We need to consider our next steps and it was just very timely for CM to contact us last Friday even as we were thinking about this. The anything goes approach in ICC has been a bit unsettling for me. Healing with atonement, cleansing after funeral, untrained theology and a reluctance to concretize thoughts and plans probably marks the milepost for me.

Last night we celebrated my mate’s new son Jermel’s full moon. It has beeen 1 month since he was born and we celebrated his first month. It was a very good dinner at a restaurant in Doncaster known (unluckily!) as “Happy and Lucky”.

I wrote this email to a couple of church leaders, in a diminishing attempt to dissuade “The Elijah Challenge” being conducted in our church towards the end of the month.

Brothers

Just so that we are on the same page and there is no confusion about my understanding, the following is how I understand the Elijah Challenge. I want to know if you are both comfortable with the below, ie whether you agree, you think I’m wrong or where my understanding is inaccurate.

Again, I attach a document written by William Lau, downloaded from The Elijah Challenge website. The below points are based on this document.

1. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah challenged the followers to Baal to consider who was God. If Baal was, then worship him but if God was, then they ought to follow/worship God.

2. William Lau takes this account and used it to suggest we ought to be taught how to heal in order to bring the gospel to others.

3. He brings you from the first point to the second point in the following way:

a. Elijah’s ministry (as was John Baptist’s) was to backslidden Christians (God’s people).

b. Many aren’t really disciples of Jesus because we are only hearers, but not doers of the Word

c. To be doers of the Word, we need to be like Jesus and do what he did

d. The reason we are not doing what Jesus did, was that we received a “compromised gospel”

e. So we should receive an uncompromised gospel by doing what Jesus did.

f. This to William is the Elijah Challenge. We must repent for believing in a compromised gospel (ie Baal) and must receive an uncompromised gospel (ie God)

g. The key is to do what Jesus did – ie healing, signs and wonders

h. So we must be taught how to heal.

i. When we do, we can do what Jesus did and therefore return to an uncompromised gospel

j. Then we can effectively preach the gospel

If you think the above accurately reflects what he wrote, do you have a problem with it – ie do you see any flaws in this?

Am I seeing shadows where there aren’t any?

The Elijah Challenge (Clean Copy).doc

It was almost 8pm on a Friday night (28 Aug) and I was on the train home. I was definitely going to be late for a meeting with a few friends. It is a meeting to discuss a less than pleasant matter.

A few days ago a friend sent an email to a few of us from church. A mutual friend had died.

We have gotten to know Steven Leong a lot better the past couple of years ago. This determined, sprightly man was hardly intelligible but was highly intelligent. Apparently he had a PhD in Finance from the LSE (London School of Economics). He was in the rarefied area of high finance. He was a revered player in Malaysia in the mid 80s in the then UMBC. Apparently, a fledgling Dami Zainuddin had him as a go to man for corporate finance deals. No doubt Steven would have amassed a reputation and a fortune in the course of providing Daim with his expert service of corporate banking and finance.

Yet for all his highly respectable financial skills, Steven was in the end, a down to earth man who simply enjoyed the company of friends and good food. He would have enjoyed good wine too, had he not been on long term medication.

While tracking in the tropical jungles of Malaysia, he drank from a stream and was inflicted by a virus which irreversibly affected his nervous system. He almost died and escaped with permanent scars to his motor and speech abilities. For as long as we have known him, he could not for the most part, take half a dozen steps without falling over. We could barely understand what he was saying to us most of the time.

As at 8am 2 September. We said our final goodbyes to Steven yesterday. Tress and I took the day off. After a leisurely morning we left home at around 9am, stopped for a coffee and made our way to church at 9.30am. Steven had just arrived in a hearse when we pulled up at the car park.

Alex, Brian and I busied ourselves with directing traffic and parking and I only got into the church in time before the first eulogy finished. The rest of the service was touching and beautiful.

After the service we drove up to Springvale for the burial, followed by some refreshments in a hotel across the road. It was the first time I had a glass of wine after a funeral. Thanks and au revoir, Steven.

Kooky stuff in Church

At the conclusion of the funeral service in church, as everyone was milling around at the car park getting ready for the drive to Springvale, a group of church leaders got together near the stage, formed a circle, held hands and conducted a cleansing prayer. This is the kookiest (sorry, but it is very weird and disturbing) thing I have seen my church do and quite frankly, I am rather shocked and seriously question if I’m in the right place… an elder has promised to discuss this with me “some day” and I am diarising for that day. After the “Elijah Challenge” sideshow this will surely fuel my questions on a much more serious note.

An exchange …

Ian Teh

T: (61) 3 9009 4525

P Please consider the environment before printing this email

Forget about it – Malaysia I mean

Political fiascos, breakdown of law enforcement agencies, widespread mistrust of police, the attorney general and public prosecution and the judiciary are all par for the course in Malaysia now. The gravity of these ills has accelerated in recent years. When I left almost 5 years ago, I already had enough. I can only imagine the frustrations of Malaysians who remain there. I gave up on Malaysia 5 years ago because I saw no one – either from an individual perspective or from a collective/political party perspective – who can provide the sort of leadership needed to drag Malaysia out of this quagmire.

There are a handful of politicians from the Pakatan fold waiting to gazump the people and walk into the throes of an alliance with BN, no doubt ensuring their retirement funds (and those of their children) are amply endowed. If money continues to call the day in Malaysia, Kedah and Selangor will return to BN. I’m not sure that is necessarily a bad thing, in the sense that Pakatan is looking like they are no better. How can they be anyway, being led by someone so steeped in UMNO’s ways. Sure, Anwar Ibrahim is presently distracted by his sodomy trial. That in itself speaks volumes of UMNO’s hold to power. It will be extremely difficult to disentangle the web of unholy alliances that are now sucking the country dry. Anwar however, is not the embodiment of change needed for Malaysia. He was the architect of many of what’s wrong in Malaysia today.

Mei and Goh

My sister Mei gave birth to her second son over the weekend. I woke up on Sat morning and was surprised to read a text message from my brother. YY’s brother wasn’t scheduled to arrive till the end of the month. I waited a couple of hours, and then telephoned Xuzhou and spoke to YY and my mum, who has gone to Xuzhou to provide support and help to the family. Mum said Mei and the baby were both well. I’m sure Goh was too. YY sounded the same. I never identified myself when I called them. YY seems to always know instantly it was me calling.

ICC Cell

My church cell leader recently decided to take a break. Unfortunately, “taking a break” in this context often means there is a problem. We were assured whatever problem there was, was personal to her.

The coordinator was supposed to speak to one of the elders on Sat to work out a solution. However, when I caught up with one of the members (of the cell) after church yesterday, I was told the coordinator asked this member and her husband to join another group instead. I can’t get my head around this. This coordinator took over the task of cell oversight about 1.5 years ago with a pledge to make it “more organised”, “get it right” and that she was serious about it, we got to be serious when it comes to God’s work, blah, blah, and blah. 18 months later we have groups disintegrating and now, when my group appears to need a replacement leader more resources are ripped out instead. I’m sure there’s an explanation. Communications however, is a rarity. So this morning, I sent the coordinator an email instead. I’m not sure I’ll hear back anytime soon. I think I’ll just slowly convert my group to a Friday night drinks session if nothing happens.

Home Deck

We have just got a deck built over the front part of the side lawn. It was finished a few weeks ago, and for the past 2 weekends, I have been painting the pergola roof structure. The deck was built with merbau hardwood but the structure was constructed using pine and polycarbon sheets. The pine needed painting and I spent a weekend at Bunnings going through the material I needed (including trying to identify the colour of the existing paintwork) before commencing the painting 2 weekends ago. It was finished on Saturday. Yesterday, I started washing down the merbau floor to prep it for oiling. I’d have to return to Bunnings again to pick up the decking oil and applicator, as well as some staining material for the pine posts. I guess it will be maybe another (at least) 2 weekends before the deck is ready for use. It will still be well in time for summer so that’s alright.

Et Al

Kiddo did another year of World Vision’s 40 hour famine. She finished the fast at 12pm yesterday. She wanted to go to this place in the DandenongMountains called “Pie in the Sky”. So after church, we drove up. It’s only a 30 minute drive and the place is quite nice so I didn’t mind it at all. When we came home Tress went to a house warming for a colleague’s new house. Kiddo and I stayed at home and after washing down the deck floor, I went out to get some bread for this week’s lunch. I then did some ironing and then Tress came back. We were just too bushed to cook so we went out and tried out the clay pot king place in GW.

The World Vision thing has at least anchored us in a week that didn’t provide much to be excited about gave us much to be busy with. At least it provided us with an assurance that we did (or Kiddo did) a good thing last week and didn’t just grind out through our daily tasks. Ah well, I should complain really, because I am vert grateful to be grinding out a living Down Under instead of mucking around in “boleh” land.

Just picking up from the previous entry… when I asked the doctor what his thoughts were on the recent most developments in Malaysia, he instantly knew what I was referring to, without my having to provide further details. He just looked at me and shook hid head slightly and said, “what can I say la”. The sense of frustration was so strong. We both knew even for 2 strangers meeting for the first time, what our thoughts and likely comments would be without saying too much. Those thoughts and any other sentiments have been thoroughly articulated and are widely shared. The doctor was a highly switched on person. He knew all about the AIG issues when I mentioned where I was working. He was across the fact that being a separately incorporated and regulated entity in a different jurisdiction, the contagion effect was minimal if any. He appreciated the insulation afforded under the circumstances. Like I said, he was a highly switched on guy. There was a doctor in the house who could contribute and do a whole lot more for his community. He and his family have just walked out of Malaysia. What a shame for Malaysia. If the present race is about attracting all the best talent, Malaysia has done and is doing everything it can to lose the race, if it hasn’t already lost it.

It was bucketing down on Tuesday night when I was on the train home. I had left early, after finishing a seminar in the city (Spring St). It was a quick hop onto Parliament Station and I was in Blackburn before 5.30!

Which was great as I did a bit of cooking and had a great home cooked meal when Tress came back and did her usual steamed fish. We got a text from Jason saying he and Mel were catching up with TT Quah and Maudrene and asked if we could join them. We didn’t really want to, with the wet and cold night on, but we went anyway as I had wanted to pass TT Quah something before he left for Asia again.

We caught up at Shine in Glen Waverley. While chatting over coffee and wine, Mel brought out some cookies Sam had made at home. We were rudely told this wasn’t allowed, so we put it away. That manager/owner could have easily been more graceful. I think I’d stop going to Shine for a while.

We got home just before 11pm.

On Wednesday night there was another thing on – a fund raising by a mission organisation which focus on North India. It was a great night but it is way out of my league. I am certainly not the sort of partner Empart was seeking. Again I got home late – just after 10.30 and I was just washed up.

A 4.30am start does not work well with an 11pm finish. Especially if it is an 11pm finish which creates a lot of thoughts. I ended up going to bed close to 12 and the sub-5 hour sleeps don’t work well for me. Although 7 would be better I can heck 6. Sub 5 is a real no- no as I get a bit flighty…not good…

But, I am enjoying the different focus, to be doing something with more lasting values. If only I get to do it on a more committed/full time basis…

Najib Razak orchestrated the Perak mess, clearly with the aim of reclaiming government. There is a clear pattern to exclude PKR state assembly person in Selangor. The tool is MACC

Not too big a jump to deduce Najib Razak has a hand in MACC pursuit of Selangor state assembly rates, yes?

Well then – the one implicated in the Altantuya murder is clearly involved in the murder of Teoh Beng Hock as well, no?