Soundings

One of the most common Gospel passages that is read in churches across the globe during the season of Advent is Matthew 1. This chapter, located at the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew, describes the circumstances surrounding the conception and birth of the Messiah. In this passage we also find the ancient prophecy of […]

“Soundings” is a series of essays that, like the waves of a sonogram, explore issues in society, culture and the church in light of the Gospel and Christian understanding. In The Future of Evangelical Christianity, Donald Bloesch expressed his anxiety over the perceptible theological immaturity of the evangelical Church. “Modern evangelicalism”, he writes, “is confronted […]

Last year, the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) published the findings of its survey on perceptions of and attitudes towards social and moral issues among Singaporeans. According to the report, there is greater acceptance of gay sex and gay marriage now than five years ago, especially among those between the ages of 18 and 25.1 […]

In an article published on the Gallup website, Amy Adkins writes rather unflatteringly about Millennials’ attitude towards work.1 “Millennials have a reputation for job-hopping,” she declares. “Unattached to organisations and institutions, people from this generation—born between 1980 and 1996—are said to move freely from company to company. More so than any other generation.’ Adkins cites […]

The coronavirus pandemic has brought about unprecedented disruptions to the life and ministry of churches across the globe. This has led churches with access to digital technology to exploit their various offerings in innovative ways, such as conducting Sunday services online. Given the sudden onset of COVID-19, many churches have hitherto taken a pragmatic approach […]

One of the most striking features of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS), in my view, is the set of social principles by which it is governed. These principles are firmly rooted in the teachings of Scripture and are in harmony with the social teachings of the Church that can be traced to the work […]

In his letter to Titus his protégé, the Apostle Paul exhorts the young pastor to “Teach what befits sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). Orthodoxy (right belief) is important for the Christian faith because Christians believe that God has revealed something about Himself and His purposes for the world in Scripture. However, even a cursory reading of […]

Last September, my wife and I visited for the first time the famous Thomaskirche in Leipzig, Germany, where the greatest Baroque composer, Johann Sabastian Bach (1685–1750), served as Thomaskantor. The Russian Orthodox theologian, Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, himself an accomplished composer, describes Bach as a “universal phenomenon” whose music “transcends confessional boundaries”.1 I have long admired […]

“Soundings” is a series of essays that, like the waves of a sonogram, explore issues in society, culture and the church in light of the Gospel and Christian understanding. Christians of every stripe and from all traditions—Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant —have maintained that prayer is absolutely central to the spiritual life of the true believer […]

“Soundings” is a series of essays that, like the waves of a sonogram, explore issues in society, culture and the church in light of the Gospel and Christian understanding. Fasting is a spiritual discipline that has a very long and venerable tradition in Christianity, stretching back not only to the earliest period of Christian monasticism […]

In “Social Action is Integral to Methodism”, Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung emphasised that it is not enough for the Methodist to be committed to spiritual disciplines such as Bible study and corporate worship. The Methodist must also obey the command of the Lord Jesus to love their neighbour (Mark 12:28–34).1 Bishop Dr Chong reminds […]

In 2 Timothy 3:1–5, the Apostle Paul provides a lengthy litany of sins that characterise the lives of people who live during “the last days”. There is one particular transgression, however, which the church seldom talks about and which some Christians may not even think of as a proper sin: ungratefulness. In his commentary on […]