Grace BP Youth Fellowship

Church Sports Day - 9th August 2008 (:

2008-07-22T11:05:00.002+08:00

greetings in the name of the Lord! (:

after a lOOOOng period of dormancy, our Church is once again organizing her inaugural sports day once again... this year, it falls on our national day (9th august)...

details as follows ->

when? 9th august 2008; 9:30am
where? shalom bp church sports hall
what? grace bp annual sports day
why? communion of saints in fellowship and activities
how? meet @ pasir ris mrt control station; 9am*

*for those who are driving, you may wanna consider dropping by the mrt station to give others a lift ;)

so hurry! many fun-filled activities, prizes and a great time of interaction awaits!! sign up now @ our Church notice board (:

Games @ Da Beach (14th June 2008)

2008-05-28T20:41:00.008+08:00

Grace YF Sports Bonanza @ Da Beach!

Hey There!!

WHAT'S THE HYPE ABOUT?

Grace YF/YCG is hosting a games bonanza event @ Pasir Ris beach! We will be playing many fun games like ultimate Frisbee, Dog & Bone, Jacob's Ladder and many many more!!

WHAT ARE THE DETAILS?

Date: 14th June 2008 (Saturday)
Venue: Pasir Ris Park/Beach
Time: 0930 - 1600
Meet: Pasir Ris MRT Control Station

WHY THE GAMES?

Since it is the school holidays, we decided to host the much-anticipated follow-up to the Sport-itude/Kayaking event held some time back.

Furthermore, this event will kick-off a string of similar, & regular, activities to follow during the school holidays & the months ahead! :D

How Do I Join?

Simple! All are welcome to join us on 14th June 2008.
Although it is not compulsory to inform us of your attendance,

you are highly encouraged to do so in order for us
to prepare lunch for you :)

Who To Contact?

A few ways to inform us of your attendance by 10th June 2008:
SMS Josiah or Ruth

Informing Josiah, Ruth or any YCG Comm. persons verbally

Emailing the Editor

What if...

I can only make it for awhile? - (: We'll arrange for that!

It rains? - We'll pray.. But that doesn't mean we're not prepared for a wet day! :P

My friend wants to tag along? - By all means! do invite him/her to join us! Free lunch for new-comers!

The list of what ifs will run high if ths goes on... But pray, trust & come!

What do I bring?

EZ-link card
Bag
Towel
Change of clothes
Water-bottle
Sunblock (if you require)
Medication (if you are on them)
A little $$
YOURSELF!! (MOST IMPORTANT)

So why hesitate? Please be reminded that you are strongly advised AGAINST bringing of expensive valuables etc. Although the games masters will look after your belongings, please do not take such risks...

Grace BP Church Camp 2008 (:

2008-05-28T18:10:00.005+08:00

Shalom!

As promised, this is the 2nd and last update for our Church Camp. Included in this post will be Harris Resort's activity rates & other essential information!

Equipment Rental Rates/Facilities For Rent:

*** We will be having a Church-sponsored bowling competition (with simultaneous Captain's Ball @ the Beach Volleyball Court) on Day 4. So do join in the fun! ***

Bowling - S$2.50 a game
Gokart - S$ 12 for 10 minutes
Table Tennis - RP 15.000 / hour
Tandem Bicycles - S$5.00 an hour
Single Bicycle - S$3.00 / hour
Squash - RP 15.000 / hour
Gymnasium - FOC
Basketball Court - FOC
Beach Volleyball - FOC

For more information, you can send an email off to the Editor.

Some essential points to note:

Bring Clothes that are light & breezy. Be prepared to get wet too, on Day 3 of the camp (:
Only bring essential valuables. You will most likely not require much cash on the trip.
Bring sunblock/sunscreen lotion, especially for those who will want to play captain's ball/swim etc.
Bring essential medication if you have any.
Bring your BIBLE!!!

Ultimately, our objective is to have a good cohesive time of fellowship, prayer and fun. All camp games brief will be made on Day 1 (Sunday) when we arrive @ Batam Harris by the Games I/C Josiah.

See you there! (:

Grace BP Church Camp 2008! :D

2008-05-19T12:31:00.009+08:00

This year's Church Camp is nearing VERY SOON! We will be going to Harris Batam Resort for our annual retreat from the 1st to 5th of June 2008...

Our camp speaker is Rev. David Yan, a truly experienced and well-versed speaker on broad Christian topics. He is also the pastor of Emmanuel Church, Auckland (New Zealand).

Enough said! Here are just some tantalizing pictures of the resort for you to feast your eyes upon :)

Swimming Pool

Conference Rooms

Harris Boutique Shop

FOOD!!!

Harris Spa

There are so many other great activities in stored! Including Go-karting, Bowling, tennis etc. Stay-tuned too as Grace BP YF site updates you on the prices & other attractions there...

So what are you waiting for?? Quick! Sign-up today with Melissa Chan (Kee Min is on holiday) before May 23rd 2008 to book your spot in the Church Camp!

This year's activities also promises to be a blast!! Here is a sneak preview of the various games we will be playing:

Icebreaker Games - To 'thaw' you out :)

Bible Quizzes - How well do you know your scriptures?

Soakin' Wet! - Wet games to cool down in the hot weather!

And many many more....

So do not hesitate! Just drop an email off to Melissa or contact the Editor now! we will get back to you shortly. See ya there!

ATTRACTIVE DISTRACTIONS - Part 1

2008-05-04T01:22:00.001+08:00

26 April 2008 / 3rd Combined GBP YF Session - Pr. Matthews (Shalom BPC)

In this 2 part summary series, Preacher Matthews message on 'Attractive Distractions' will be expounded upon. Keep on reading and discover a treasure of what truly being a fervent youth Christian for Him means in times like these...

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever wondered if the myriad of things that youths do nowadays are actually wholesome and pleasing in His sight? And what measurement should we use in our lives to test if these things are right/wrong/ and acceptable in His sight?

Well, to name a few 'distractions' that are seemingly 'attractive' to us youths, we have TV, computer and hand held games, instant communicator devices (i.e. hand phone, msn etc.) and so many more things that provide us 'instant generation youths' with 'instant GRATIFICATION'.

Are we then to totally neglect these things and forfeit them forever?

1. WHAT SHOULD BE YOUR STAND?

We might argue that such things as computer games, clubbing and what not would fall under the ominous cloud of a 'Grey Area'. Take for example clubbing/pubbing. Sure, we all know clubbing is bad. But what if I don't even drink? What if I just 'sit in' with my friends and enjoy the 'ambiance'?

Is it wrong to do such a thing? What about my favorite computer game? I only dedicate a part of my day to it... And only 'a part'. Its nothing much in comparison with the 24 Hours I have each day. And (esp. for guys) it doesn't really show 'much' violence and gore. I mean, we see that all the time on TV right?

Grey, when seen under the microscope, isn't 'Grey' at all. It is black printed dots intermingled with white spaces, deceiving the eye and making it perceive 'Grey'. Likewise, our perception of the 'Grey Areas' in our Christian life should be the same.

Playing a computer game isn't a bad thing. In fact, it encourages psycho -motor coordination! But the content of the game (Pac-Man vs HALO/Warcraft/Graphically Violent) and the duration of time we spend on it, has a definite impact on our lives.

Are we then allowing a simple justification of 'no harm done' (the white spot) mask all the other negativities (the black spots)? Am I allowing the game to take control of my life and devote/forsake my quiet time?

Can i also but myself as a seed on thorny ground and expect to grow in His image? (Matthew 13) Thus, can I visit such seedy places such as clubs and expect to glorify Him through that?

Truly, our stand should be clear when it comes to such matters. If something is impeding us from having the ability to glorify Him and grow in His image, we should avoid it.

2. SO WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Remember too the story of Lot? (Genesis 13:12) He pitched his tent closer and closer to Sodom & Gomorrah until one day, he was found to be inside the city walls. He even suggested to the perverted people who were wailing for the Man of God that they take his virgin daughters instead...

Do we likewise succumb to temptation and let sin draw us closer and closer to Hell each day as we live? Ultimately corrupting our moral values and system?

Satan's modern-day Sodom & Gomorrah (S&D for short), would be all our worldly distractions. Geared towards fleshly pleasure and instant gratification, he dangles us these 'attractive' distractions as his bait for us to snare upon.

In Hebrews 12:1-2 these 'attractions' are deemed as shackles and a weight to be 'cast aside'. With 1 Cor. 10:23 stating clearly that 'all things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient (beneficial)'.

Our yardstick should be the Bible and our strength in Him.By supplicating and meditating upon His word daily, we will be able to get an insight into what is truly 'expedient' in my life. And how I can better adapt my life to it.

With this, I conclude Part 1, but do stay tuned for Part 2 this week. The next part will be touching on 'THE PRINCIPLES OF A GODLY YOUTH' and 'ARE MY ACTIONS COMMENDABLE IN HIS SIGHT?' Have a great weekend ahead! God bless...

G.U.Y. (Grace Updates for Youths) - Mar/Apr '08

2008-04-12T12:27:00.014+08:00

Greetings & Shalom! (:

It has truly been a glorifying past 4 months, with all the activities, fellowships, cottage meets and bonding activities we had.. Thank God for His grace and mercy upon us all and for all the youths who have strive to grow in closer fellowship with Him and one another.

Many more fellowship activities are in stored for us, particularly during the mid-year period and here are the notable few:

1. Church Sports Day
2. Combined YF with Sahlom BPC (Part 2 of Creationist Apologetics)
3. YF Sport-itude @ Da Beach (Date TBC - Second half of May)
4. YF Gardening (Date TBC - Second half of June)

For more information and events, please refer to the Grace BP YF Calender. All our activities are planned and posted there in advance! (:

Do pray too for a few things:

1. Continued spiritual growth of all our youths. In appreciation of our faith and the need for constant and fervent supplication. Do take some time from your busy schedule to check up on your fellow brothers & sisters...

Inquire about any woes that seems to be plaguing their growth and prayer for them. Remember, prayer is the first step, but you must take the first step in order to proceed!

2. Pray for our reach to our fellow neighbours and friends who have not been saved yet. We should take an active (against a placid) approach to bring the Word to them. Let us supplicate for ample opportunities for us to reach out to them! (:

P.S. For the YCG people, remember to continue your 'Hit List'! Pray for these people and ask him for grace upon them and opportunity to minister to them.

3. Pray for the upcoming activities - Sport-itude & the monthly combined AF/YF meeting, where Pr. Matthews from Moriah BPC will be speaking. Let us pray for wisdom and anointing upon the Lord's messengers as they preach/bring forth His word to us.

Let us also pray that those whom we bring to the events that have not been saved will also have their hearts opened and be receptive to the Word. Let us also do our part to bring our friends/love-ones who have not accepted Christ to these events and extend our brotherly.sisterly Christian love to them.

With that, I close this issue of the G.U.Y. - March/April '08. Do continue to stay close to Him, read His word daily and supplicate earnestly and without ceasing for all things.

God bless, Shalom & Grace be unto you!
Josiah Shen
Editor - G.U.Y.

(Proverbs 4:1-4)
1 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding;
2 For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.
3 When I was my father’s son, Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 He also taught me, and said to me: “ Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.

Creationists Apologetics Part 3 - Where The Word & The World Crosses

2008-03-21T20:44:00.014+08:00

Qn: What is the world's most powerful telescope?

Ans: See bottom of page (:

Romans 1:20 (King James Version)

" 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"

As this is the final conclusion for the 1st half of the "Creationists Apologetics" series, UCC delivered it with much gusto and indeed, many of the things he said left profound footprints in my mind. Albeit the shortest amongst the 3, I will attempt to deliver a concise message...

"Science Experiment"

Written in the Bible, was Romans 1:20. If you've followed part 2 thus far, you'd have understood that the Bible is God's Word to man; but also man's word of God. This said, the God of the world is similarly the God of the Word we have - the Bible.

Rom. 1:20 gives us a glimpse into how God wants us to marvel @ His works, via His magnificent creations. Namely that of the world and all things in it. And science is just our small 'magnifying glass' tool that we use to peer into the "invisible things of him from the creation of the world". The very fact that 'something', or rather 'Someone', is behind our creation and existence does not happen just by a fluke.

Eskimo Nebula - NGC 2392 (Hubble Space Telescope)

As C.S. Lewis, the famed Christian Theologist who converted from Atheism to Christianity argues in his book "Mere Christianity", do we actually believe "By one chance in a thousandth something hit our sun and made it produce the planets; and by another thousandth chance the chemicals necessary for life, and the right temperature, occurred on one of these planets...and then, by a very long series of chances, the living creatures developed into things like us."

UCC mentioned that God gave us the power of observation to accredit His works to Him. Thus, we as His creation have an innate desire to know how we came about and in its course of observation, science was one of our tools.

Romans 1:18, 28 (King James Version)

"18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;"
"28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;"

Now we have known that God exists and His Word to us is given in a previous analogy as our "instruction manual" to maintain our lives in tip-top shape. And we all agree that science was a God-given observational skill set to man. So why, and where, exactly do they not concur?UCC stressed that they appear when man's knowledge & approach are limited by his finiteness & sinfulness (Romans 1:28). "God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient". The "convenient" here is translated in the NIV as "to do what ought not to be done", which is exactly what science, in its extremity of concluding our existence, has done. The "big bang" hypothesis and all.

BLURRED GLASSES

Having such a biased & finite perspective is likened by UCC to be wearing the 'spectacles of science and reprobation' (reprobate: person without moral scruples) and thus, we misread God's infinite & faultless Word. We start to find fault with it and critic it. But what we ought to do, as UCC puts it, is to 'take off our warped worldly spectacles and put on the spectacles of Truth - His Word'.

"Funny" Mirror

Our misreading of His Word by putting on 'science's spectacles' does not imply that God is not true. Just like when we stand in front of "funny mirrors" that distort our body shape/s. It does not mean we are fat or skinny but it is just the mirrors that give us such an 'allusion' to it.

In conclusion and setting the precedence for his next part, UCC ended by saying that ultimately, our WORD view should be influencing our world view; not the other way round.

Stay tuned for more updates -> Grace YF Upcoming Events :)

Qn: What is the world's most powerful telescope? And how far can it peer into space?
Ans: Hubble Space Telescope (click to enter NASA website)

Hubble Space Telescope - In orbit

WHY A SPACE TELESCOPE?

The Hubble Space Telescope is the direct solution to a problem that telescopes have faced since the very earliest days of their invention: the atmosphere. The quandary is twofold: Shifting air pockets in Earth's atmosphere distort the view of telescopes on the ground, no matter how large or scientifically advanced those telescopes are. This "atmospheric distortion" is the reason that the stars seem to twinkle when you look up at the sky.

The atmosphere also partially blocks or absorbs certain wavelengths of radiation, like ultraviolet, gamma- and X-rays, before they can reach the Earth. Scientists can best examine an object like a star by studying it in all the types of wavelengths that it emits.

Newer ground-based telescopes are using technological advances to try to correct atmospheric distortion, but there's no way to see the wavelengths the atmosphere prevents from even reaching the planet.

The most effective way to avoid the problems of the atmosphere is to place your telescope beyond it. Or, in Hubble's case, 353 miles (569 km) above the surface of Earth.

Creationists Apologetics Part 2 - Studying The Word

2008-03-19T15:53:00.006+08:00

And here's the much-awaited 2nd part of the 3 part series on UCC's (Uncle Chien Cheong) message: "Creationists Apologetics"

After laying down the foundation in "Part 1- Exploring the World" as to why science in it's capacity only serves to prove (and not disprove) the very existence of the Living God we believe in, UCC then went on to expound upon why the Bible is not a science book.

As reiterated in my previous post, science is finite and fallible. In its limited capacity, we are unable to explain many things that God has made; like the innate qualities of LOVE & FEELINGS.

Thus, similarly, the Bible cannot be used to explain science. It cannot explain the "water cycle, carbon cycle, weather cycle & KREBS cycle (respiratory cycle's ATP generation step - if my "Air Level" biology definitions have not failed me yet)"; as quoted directly from UCC!

How true it is. Another of his anecdotes appraises how science can never tell us how to choose our friends, bringing up the analogy of a school boy with his chem text book on the topic of bonding. An excerpt:

"my chem text book tells me about bonding! i should use it as my guide to make friends...

it tells me that in bonding, it teaches me to give & take (i.e. covalent bonding). so likewise, i must give to my friends... but i must not always give! if my friends give to me, i must also take! ... and sometimes there is share (i.e. ionic bonding). so i must learn to share with my friends!"

Haha... Well, yeah. It doesn't go that way, although his analogy is really funny! (: We must learn to anneal ourselves to the truth of God and His teachings about life; and friendships. The Bible does have alot to say about life since it was "God-breathed (i.e. inspired)" and suitable for "teaching, reproach & guidance".

I would liken ourselves to a CAR. The world is like a lousy auto-mechanic shop - expensive on the pocket but ultimately, they might not get the job done right!! Jesus (the creator of our body "CAR") gave us the PERFECT, FREE and ULTIMATE one-stop care centre - the BIBLE...

Our "car" is under warranty as long as we trust & believe in Him, with SALVATION as our repair shop & BIBLE as our "technical manual" on how to run this "car" of ours correctly. Who better knows the car then the Creator Himself? :P

Coming back to the topic, it is thus that God makes Himself known to us explicitly through His word. The "car" creator explains to us how we should run our bodies in order to perform optimally and prevent spiritual & physical breakdowns.

Of course, He does not explain to us how our "car" works... That is what science does. God does not need to tell us that. He left it for us to 'discover' and marvel. Just like your family/Dad/Mum's car does not come with a manual explaining how the engine works or steering block turns the car.

UCC also explained that the Bible is infallible. Though written by men, it was "God inspired" and hence, is God's word. God spoke to the writers - John, James, Matthew etc. on many occasions and through their writings, we have our Bible today.

The reverse is also true! The Bible is also man's word of God since it was written in a language known to us, describing who He is. Through it's limitations, we described our Heavenly Father up above and his many wonders. Back during John's days as he saw God-given visions of the last days (i.e. The Book of REVELATION), he was limited by his language descriptions - imagine how he would describe a TANK or PLANE 1000 years ago!!

But nonetheless, it is this book, set in history and olden customs that we have today. Albeit the fact that the settings might have changed, it can still be used as a tool for instruction, with moral & spiritual implications.

UCC thus concluded his 2nd part of the message, setting precedence for the final conclusion that is to come - Part 3: Where the Word & The world Crosses...

Stay tuned once more! It will be posted here soon (:

grace + shalom yf 15 03 08 - photos, links & more

2008-03-17T21:54:00.007+08:00

grace be unto u!

there have been a few requests for the photos of our combined youth gathering with the Shalomites so I think it best to provide the photos & stuff here (:

Item 1 - Photographs

Most of the photos have been uploaded onto the Picasa Web sharing domain and you can easily download the photos here.

Alternatively, you can visit the Facebook site here (for album 1) and here (for album 2).

Item 2 - Video

I have uploaded the video taken of the Captain's Ball game (taken with great stealth.. :P) here on this post.

The video we have taken has also been uploaded by bro. Joel Tan of Shalom YF. You can find it on Youtube here.

Item 3 - Instruction Manual

Lost as how to go about this website? Simple. just drop your email off to me and i will send u a copy of the Instructional Manual (if you have not already received it).

The crux of the matter is our latest, -drums rolling- STATE OF THE ART, automatic update service for our weblog! So you can stay-in-touch with all the happenings via email.

Just add your email address into the empty blank in the "grace yf updates" on the right hand column --> --> --> -->

And follow the very simple steps to activate it! (:

I will post the 2nd part of the summary soon. So keep a look out for it!

- reminisce josi (in His service)

Creationists Apologetics Part 1 - What is Science?

2008-03-17T01:07:00.007+08:00

Uncle Chien Cheong gave us a very ample & well thought through message on "Creationist Apologetics". As usual, he delivered it in his usual satirical (& lyrical) manner that has endeared him to so many youths (:

Having said thus much, read on for the concise version of the expounding:

Part 1 - WHAT IS SCIENCE? (A DEFINITIVE EXPLANATION TO WHAT WE CALL 'SCIENCE')

Science is defined as "the study of the nature & behavior of the Universe" and can be systematically categorized into 3 domains. Namely:
i. natural
ii. applied
iii. social

With each domain further divided into many sub-domains (e.g. sociology, chemistry etc. etc. - check out the picture above) and how one can never claim to be an expert in "Science" since we can NEVER master even more than 1 particular field.

The thought of the age-old adage "jack of all trades master of none" came to mind then... But Unc. Chien Cheong (for convenience, I'll call him UCC fr now on) subtly infused into us this awe-inspiring sense of God's mightiness as we look at the puny knowledge that we have (in science).

One of the few notable examples UCC gave was that of an ant (or rather, a file of them). God created such small intricate creatures and UCC stated that if we were to swipe a break in a file of ants, they will get disoriented for a few moments (or even lost). Moreover, scientists took years to discover the many chemical pathways & hormones involved in their navigational process whislt God created them from the start.

He used this example to make his point that even the littlest creatures God made, science has taken so long to unravel. Even so, we have only uncovered enough to marvel @ His great works. We aren't even close to duplicating them in any way.

UCC also quoted Einstein as saying: "No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong"; an attestation to the fact that even one of the greatest minds in history, has also admittedly confessed man's fallibility. What more are those who hold science as if it were religion itself?

Admittedly, after all these years of going through a path almost identical to UCC (taking Science all the way from Secondary School to JC & now Uni), it appears that the more I learn, the less I know (I'm kinda sounding like Einstein too! lolx)...

UCC then began to plunge into the intricacies and fallibilities of Science itself. How barely half a decade ago, people believed in weird stuff like Pholengist (I think I got the spelling wrong), which apparently was odorless, colorless & cannot be measured, to exist in all things that are combustible!! Haha... Well, now we all had a good laugh then but UCC pointed out to us that Science is very much fallible.

Science also can't explain every thing, be it perfunctory or in-depth. An example quoted would be LOVE - a feeling felt by all by cannot be explained in Chemical or Scientific terms. UCC brought up many funny examples of this and how perhaps "there is LOVE in the tear-drop of a mother" should be taken literally (& compared with sea water's composition). LOL

I shan't go on in dreary lengths to elaborate but if one is actually interested (& I quote from UCC), you can visit Wikipedia :P This introduction lays the ground work for his next point - Studying The Word.

I will cover this in the next blog post here so stay tuned! Catch ya again soon!

P.S. U can subscribe to updates 4 tis blog by entering ur email address on the field in e RH column (: U will then receive an alert in ur email inbox to all future posts & happenings.

(Uncle Chien Cheong is the National Director of the Singapore Youth For Christ)

- reminisce josi (in His service)

Appetizer - Combined Shalom & Grace YF (15 03 08)

2008-03-16T14:55:00.006+08:00

Check out the recently uploaded pictures of our combined YF - "Evidence for Science : Creationists Apologetics Part 1" held on the 15th of March '08 here.

The Shalomites have also helped us to upload the video that we took of the Captain's Ball game! (: Check it out here.

Stay tuned for we will be bringing you an update/summary of Uncle Chien Chong's message. This site is also currently undergoing some major repairs. Would appreciate your constant feedback to help make it a success!

- reminisce josi (in His service)