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)