dangerous prayers

Most dangerous one-word prayer
MORE

Most dangerous two-word prayer
USE ME

Most dangerous three-word prayer
USE ME MORE

 

Which dangerous prayer are you making this week?

 

what’s next

Now that the big stuffs are over, we’re getting ready for the next level. My team and I have been planning for THE planning we’re going to do in August and September. Words can’t describe the amount of anticipation I have for how God is going to ‘renovate’ our entire youth ministry.

One homework that we’ve been doing for this month (besides going mad over Rendition) is to read, read and read. We’re studying many models of thriving churches and youth ministries. We have also started throwing in questions that we’ve always pondered but never had the time to answer.

So, I’m going to catch up on some reading (no kindle, please! i prefer old-fashioned books, thank you very much) and journaling (on my first moleskine journal, no less) for the rest of the week. Now, where’s my koorong box…

Steph: “Shirls! Are you going to buy all those books?!?”
Shirls: -gives a mix of conflicted and sheepish look-
Rach: “Okays, let’s at least take a photo of them first!”

By the way, have I ever mentioned that my first language wasn’t English? When I first read my English Bible at the age of 15, I had to read it with a dictionary on my lap. What I’m saying is, no one is too stupid to read. Whereas not reading and learning, that is just crying shame.

“Not every reader is a leader, but every leader must be a reader.” – Harry Truman

up up up!

Our twittersphere’s buzzing with the latest happening – last night’s leaders outing. With Rendition over and National Day holiday coming, there’s no better time to have some celebration and chillin’ together.

There were 147 Care Leaders, Ministry Leaders and Rendition Team peeps crowding out Cathay Preview Longue for dinner and drinks. Ps Jeff dropped by to join us. He took the balcony and shared his heart to us – a 10-min sharing that I know left many of us with something to think about.

After that, it was movie time! And the movie we’ve been waiting for is none other than…

To have an entire cinema hall for ourselves was a really interesting experience. For example, when the the ads ended and the movie started, people actually cheered! That’s so yhope, lol! Everything else (“Gasp!” “Aww…”) was amplified, too! And when credit rolled, we clapped to encourage Pixar, hahaha… Very amusing!

I’m glad everyone enjoyed the night! As a team, we need to work hard and play hard together. And this team’s really a gift from God! Thanks for letting me serve alongside you guys! Let’s continue to scale new heights!

Rendition -encore-

 

41 hours of rehearsals

23 performers involved

20 experts in the tech crew

17 hours of filming

13 solid music numbers

2 weeks of Rendition

1 sole reason for this mad project:

the people God died for

194 of them invited Jesus into their lives

 

All applause for King Jesus

 

P.S. Photos Courtesy of Curvy Mervy

Rendition -crescendo-

Episode One’s over. First Service had so many people turning up that we had to seat some people at the reception – and even then we still couldn’t contain everybody (at which point some of our leaders whispered to me, “We really need a new venue for new growth!”)

The scene backstage was no less than chaos, filled with Asst. Stage Manager Jiali aka Charis dispensing last-minute instructions, the musos fiddling with their pails/cardboards/spoons, and exchanges between Project Managers Yao & Nate and me (for the 10th time), “So the cue for me to go on stage is when the host Dennis said…?”

The efforts put into this production was tremendous. Though we did not reach technical perfection (not the main objective to begin with), the fact that the team ventured into some new stuff deserves mighty cheers! AND, we saw something else even more phenomenal and worth celebrating: 121 friends invited Jesus into their lives!

A big, big hand to everyone who invested time/efforts/prayers in inviting your friends to Rendition. Without them, the whole event would have entirely lost its purpose.

And to our marvellous Youth WAM and every single y-hope volunteer behind every instrument/mic/laptop/mixer/console, I only have this to say: Until and unless all artists in the church get into the game, the church will never reach its full redemptive potential. But because you guys know this is the best place to invest your God-given talents, our future is so, so bright.

This Saturday, finale! Looking forward to greater stuff in store!