SSMCSUNGAI WAY-SUBANGMETHODISTC H U R C H
PS DR NG KOK MOI | 17 JAN 2016
CHINESE CULTURE + CHRIST
PART 2
~ 2016 ~Mark 3:14-15 “… that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons."
a new beginning-
Being With Jesus Mk 3:14
God had only PLAN A;
Success or Failure rested on the ‘12’
God had NO PLAN B.
Jan 3
1. Salvation ONLY in Jesus.
2. … and we are His instruments /
agents / partners
a new beginning-
Being With Jesus Mk 3:14
3. Our relatives / loved ones /
schoolmates / colleagues /
neighbours etc…
Understanding the culture
Relating to them
Presenting the gospel
a new beginning-
Being With Jesus Mk 3:14
1. Chinese New Year
2. Mid-Autumn Festival
3. Dragon Boat Festival
4. QingMing Festival
5. Winter Solstice Festival
- Religious & Demonic
- Cultural & beneficial
- Neutral
1. Chinese New Year
2. Mid-Autumn Festival
3. Dragon Boat Festival
4. QingMing Festival
5. Winter Solstice Festival
2010
Chinese New Year
• Reunion Dinner
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
• Reunion Dinner
• New Year visitation
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
• Reunion Dinner
• New Year visitation
• Ang Pow
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
2. Reject – religious & demonic
• All forms of idol-worship
• Superstitious beliefs &
practices
• Sweeping floor
• Opening business
• Inverted “Fú”
• Lucky dragon bamboo
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
3. Redeem – Neutral
• Couplets
• Yee Sang
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
3. Redeem – Neutral
• Couplets
• Yee Sang
• Lion Dance
• “Shou Shui”
• Family Tradition
1. Chinese New Year
2. Mid-Autumn Festival
3. Dragon Boat Festival
4. QingMing Festival
5. Winter Solstice Festival
2011
QingMing
Festival
• Family gathering
• Memory of ancestors
• Cleaning of graves
1. Retain – Cultural & Beneficial
• Repair of
tomb-stone
1. Retain – Cultural & Beneficial
• Ancestral worship – at
home and at grave-site.
2. Reject – Religious & Demonic
1. Retain – Cultural & Beneficial
2. Reject – Religious & Demonic
• Food offered
@ ancestral
worship.
• Ancestral worship – at
home and at grave-site.
1. Retain – Cultural & Beneficial
2. Reject – Religious & Demonic
3. Redeem – Neutral
• Filial piety
1. Chinese New Year
2. Mid-Autumn Festival
3. Dragon Boat Festival
4. QingMing Festival
5. Winter Solstice Festival
2015
Dumpling Festival
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
• Eating rice dumpling
• Promote values of
patriotism and
hatred towards
corruption
• Family time
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
• Dragon boat race
• Ancestral worship
• Perfume pouch &
5-colour silk thread
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
3. Redeem – Neutral
• Non-dragon boat
race???
1. Chinese New Year
2. Mid-Autumn Festival
3. Dragon Boat Festival
4. QingMing Festival
5. Winter Solstice Festival
Fact
s o
n F
est
ival
• 2nd
most important festival – Harvest
Festival – on the 15th day of the eighth
month in the Lunar calendar
(Autumn full moon) – Sept 15, 2016;
Thursday
• Moon cake Festival
• Lantern Festival
Me
anin
g o
f th
e F
est
ival
3 Fundamental Concepts:
1. Gathering / Reunion
2. Thanksgiving
3. Praying / seeking / asking for
blessings:
• Babies / spouse
• Beauty / longevity
• Good future
Ori
gin
of
the
Fe
stiv
al
3 Interesting Stories/Legends:
1.Chang’e & Hou Yi
2.Wu Gang and the Cherry Bay
3.The Jade Rabbit
Cu
sto
m &
Pra
ctic
es
1. Family
Gathering
ling jiao Baby Taro
Cu
sto
m &
Pra
ctic
es
1. Family Gathering
Lighting of lantern
Lantern Riddle 燈謎
Gazing at the moon
Cu
sto
m &
Pra
ctic
es
1. Family Gathering
2. Worship of the Moon
- Religious & Demonic
- Cultural & beneficial
- Neutral
Ch
rist
ian
Re
spo
nse
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
1. Family Gathering
2. Eating of Mooncakes
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
1. Family Gathering
2. Eating of Mooncakes
3. Lighting up lanterns
SS2 - 2013
SS2 - 2013
Bukit Bintang -- 2015
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
1. Moon Worship
2. Associated Ancestral Worship
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
3. Redeem – Neutral1. Re-telling the legends… bring in &
relating to spiritual truths
2. Praying / seeking / asking for blessings:
• Babies / spouse
• Beauty / longevity
• Good future
Parable of the Sower:(Mt 13:1-23; Mk 4:1-20; Lk 8:5-15)
•4 types of soil
•75% attrition rates
Conclusion: Sow More Seeds!
1. Preach the word…. in season & out of season…. (2 Tim 4:2)
Share about your faith… in season & out of season!
2. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect… (1 Pet 3:15-16)
Jakarta ISIS AttackJan 13, 2016At least 8 dead…
Star HeadlineJan 16, 2016
1. Preach the word…. in season & out of season…. (2 Tim 4:2)
Share about your faith… in season & out of season!
2. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect… (1 Pet 3:15-16)