Editorial – Olivet Assembly Southeast Asia

Called to Make Disciples in All Nations

oasea — Fri, 16 May 2025 11:39:00 +0000

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

In His Great Commission, Jesus commands us to make disciples-not simply to inspire a single moment of conversion but to lead others into a committed, lifelong walk with Him. As Reformed theologian R.C. Sproul wisely reminds us, “Jesus’ lordship encompasses all of life.” His call was not only a call to action but a call to depth, urging us to guide others in a journey that involves every part of their lives. This vision of discipleship means going beyond simply sharing the gospel; it involves teaching, nurturing, and encouraging others to grow in their faith continually.

When Jesus says, “all nations,” He is reminding us of the global reach of His message. The gospel is meant to transcend boundaries, cultures, and nations. Christ’s message is for everyone, everywhere. For us, this can mean sharing His love both with our next-door neighbor and with someone across the world. Making disciples is about showing others how to bring the teachings of Jesus into their daily lives and how to let His love shape their decisions, relationships, and sense of purpose.

Discipleship doesn’t end at conversion; rather, it begins there. It involves coming alongside others, guiding them to follow Jesus with their whole heart, and encouraging them to embrace His Word fully. We are called not just to inspire temporary faith, but to help foster a steady, growing commitment that permeates every area of life. Sproul captures this beautifully by reminding us that we are called to live under Christ’s lordship in everything we do.

Lord, help us take Your call to make disciples deeply to heart. Guide us as we seek to nurture others in their faith, teaching them to love and follow You in every part of their lives. Empower us to reach out, to share Your truth, and to walk alongside those who are growing in faith. Let our lives be a reflection of Your love, calling others to a life committed to You. Amen.

Let Me Dwell in Your Tent Forever

oasea — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 02:19:35 +0000

■ Psalms 61:1-8
[To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments Of David]
1 Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer;
2 from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,
3 for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.
4 Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah
5 For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
6 Prolong the life of the king; may his years endure to all generations!
7 May he be enthroned forever before God; appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!
8 So will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.

■ Who is God like?

Thinking & Understanding
This psalm contains David’s appeal to God to save him from Absalom’s pursuit (vv. 1-4) and his thanksgiving and praise following the restoration of his kingship (vv. 5-8). David prays amid this hardship, which is like a dust pit from which he cannot escape. The only thing he can do is pray (vv. 1-4). God hears David’s plea and remembers all the pleas and vows made by David during his time of suffering. David confesses that he will keep his promises to the Lord as the Lord has heard his pleas. Then he promises to dwell before God and praise him (vv. 5-8).

■ Who is God?
Vv. 1-3 God is our safest refuge and strongest tower. God hears our cries and protects us from all kinds of danger and suffering. How do you first respond when your heart is shaken and weakened by hardship that is difficult to endure? Cry out to God and flee to him.

We Can Worship God Even When We Don’t Understand

oasea — Sat, 04 Jan 2020 12:35:21 +0000

Florence Chadwick, the first woman to swim the English Channel, decided in 1952 that she wanted to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast, about 26 miles. No woman had ever done that before.

It was very foggy when she started her swim, and she couldn’t see. After 15 hours in the water (yes, you read that right), she looked up at her mother in the little boat beside her and said, “Mama, I can’t make it; I can’t go any further.”

Her mother tried to encourage her, but, after swimming for another 55 minutes, she gave up and got in the boat.

A couple minutes later, she discovered she was half a mile from the coastline.

When asked later why she quit, Chadwick said, “It was because I couldn’t see anything. If I could’ve just seen the coastline, I know I would have made it.”

Two months later, she got back in the water, and not only did she swim from Catalina Island to California, but she also beat the women’s world record for that distance.

And the men’s.

By two and a half hours.

Interestingly, the second time she swam, it was even foggier than the first time. She couldn’t see anything. When reporters asked her about it afterward, she said, “I was ready this time. And it’s real simple: I kept a picture in my mind of the shoreline. Even though I couldn’t see it with my eyes, it was ever before me. I never lost sight of the California shoreline, and so I felt like I was always closing in on it. As long as I lived for the picture in my mind, I could keep slogging through the fog of my challenge.”

We need this kind of vision when we have unanswered questions about things that don’t add up. As a pastor, I can tell people what the Bible says, but my heart is not always at peace with it. And there are times I sit with people in pain and think, “God, if you love this person, why would you let this happen?”

But I see revealed in the gospel the evidence of God’s goodness. And I think of the words of that timeless hymn, “For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto him against that day.” And I know that, just like he came out of the tomb when everyone thought he was gone, one day he’s going to return and make all the sad things come untrue.

One of the things I hate is when a worship leader asks, “How does everybody feel this morning?” How do I feel? That’s where we are going to start? It’s Sunday morning at 8. I feel terrible. Things are going wrong in my house. I’ve got bills I’m not sure how to pay. My kids have me holding on by my last string. I feel overwhelmed and confused.

Instead of asking me how I feel, why don’t you tell me what I should know? Tell me about him in whom I have believed and can trust. I feel terrible, but I know he is faithful.

Worship is not about how you feel. It’s about who God is.

I’m concerned for those who base their understanding of how God feels about them on their perceptions of what is going on in their lives. If things are going well, then God must love them. But you’re always going to misinterpret things if you do that.

God’s ways are untraceable. But his character, revealed in Christ, is undoubtable.

I don’t know all that God is doing in every situation, and neither will you. But I know that what he is doing is bathed in love because that’s who he is.

And I know that one day all of this pain and confusion will be swallowed up in a glory that will give us such joy that the suffering leading up to it won’t even be worth comparing to it.

I don’t understand why God would allow a cancer diagnosis or a broken marriage or a bankruptcy. I don’t see any silver lining to it. Candidly, I don’t even see God’s plan in it.

But I know who Jesus is and why I worship Him.

I know that just as God used Jesus’ death for good and brought resurrection out of it, so will he do with this situation. Where I can’t trace his hand, I can trust his heart.

And one day, like Paul, we’ll say,

^“33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
³⁴“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
³⁵“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?”
³⁶For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”

– Romans 11:33–36 NIV

As long as you can keep living for the picture of future glory in your mind, you can keep slogging through in the fog of your challenge and continue to worship Him.

The shore in your mind should be Jesus. He is Jehovah. He is everything you’ve ever needed. In everything you’ve felt insufficient, he’s been your overflowing supply.

For all the ways you are not, he is the great I AM. And because of this, you can worship.

This article originally appeared here.

2 Reasons Christian Leaders Can Take Risks

oasea — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 01:19:31 +0000

We have often challenged leaders to find seasons of being overwhelmed because you will only grow if you are overwhelmed and take risks—risks of taking on more responsibility or chasing after a big goal. This was true when you took your first steps as a toddler, when you boarded a bus or subway for the first time as a child, when you took your first hard class in school, and when you led your first meeting. If you are never overwhelmed with a sense of “I am in over my head,” you will not force yourself to learn new skills or develop new capabilities.

But you can’t be too overwhelmed or you will be crushed. The art to our own leadership development is being overwhelmed enough to grow but not so overwhelmed that we can’t breathe. How our muscles grow is instructive for us here. If you want to grow your muscles you must lift heavier weights. Your muscles must be overwhelmed. But if they are too overwhelmed, you can get injured and face setbacks for a long time.

In Jordan Peterson’s highly acclaimed book 12 Rules for Life, he writes about the difference between order and chaos and he challenges people to have one foot in both. While we long for order, it is chaos that challenges us. He writes:

“Order is not enough. You can’t just be stable, and secure, and unchanging, because there are still vital and important new things to be learned. Nonetheless, chaos can be too much. You can’t long tolerate being swamped and overwhelmed beyond your capacity to cope while you are learning what you still need to know. Thus, you need to place one foot in what you have mastered and understood and the other in what you are currently exploring and mastering.”

So, according to Peterson, to be able to learn new things you need one foot on stable ground and one foot exploring. Peterson’s encouragement caused me to reflect on why Christians are in such a great position to learn and grow and develop. Here are two reasons Christian leaders, more than other leaders, should be able to take risks and step out of their comfort zones:

1. The ground believers stand on is firm.

Those who don’t stand on solid footing can’t embrace the chaos as much as those who stand on solid ground. Believers have received the good news of Jesus, and now stand on the firm foundation of that news (I Corinthians 15:1-2). The news that Christ came to secure our salvation and give us His peace and forgiveness is news that changes everything about us. It is the firm foundation on which we build our lives. There is no surer a foundation. Everything else we are tempted to build our lives on will fail us, but Christ is forever and He satisfies forever those who come to Him. Our salvation has been purchased. Our standing is secure. Our identity is set. We stand on solid ground…

2. The results of the risks don’t impact our identity.

Those who don’t stand on the solid ground of Christ are likely to find their worth and identity in the result of the risk that they take. Believers don’t have to find their identity in the result; we should not find our identity in the result. So, we don’t have to lead in fear or timidity because the result of our leadership isn’t who we are. God has already secured who we are. Standing on the foundation of the gospel frees me to take risks because my identity is not in the result of the risk. Christ has already secured my identity as His child. I am set. I stand on solid ground.

This article originally appeared here.

Paul’s Method of Mission, “I Make Myself a Slave to Everyone”

oana — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 01:38:50 +0000

2 Corinthians 4

5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Paul’s attitude and philosophy of his mission work are clearly stated in this verse; he served and worked as “a servant of Christ.” A servant, doulos in Greek, was a term Paul used to indicate his self-identity as he served the Lord.

A voluntary life of devotion and sacrifice for God’s Kingdom was a basis of every work he did. He confessed, “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” (1 Corinthians 9:19)

Paul’s portrait of his own identity is a mandate to everyone who follows the life of a believer. Once you are saved, you have absolute freedom to choose a way of life. With the new life born through Christ’s blood, Paul “made himself a slave to everyone” to preach the gospel and advance God’s Kingdom.

When this identity collapses, a crisis comes to the believers’ life, diverting them to demand God’s reward and blaming others for their own choice. Although dedication of one’s life to God’s Kingdom begins with one’s free will and voluntary devotion, loss of this mindset as “doulos” can quickly blind our heart and mislead us into a meaningless conflict with secular values such as money, fame, or vain ambitions.

Paul said, “We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord.” “I make myself a slave to everyone.”

The fact that his life was driven by this belief was exposed in many parts of the New Testament. Rather than receiving, he considered giving as a greater blessing (Acts 20:35). Even in times of deficiency, he led his team to fundraise from churches in order to help and support the church in Jerusalem that was suffering from a severe famine.

Paul was strictly dogmatic, however, strategically practical and forward-looking. Not only teaching and preaching, Paul provided substantive money and funds for the poor, practicing the love of Christ voluntarily.

In Christ, there is nothing impossible for believers who desire to practice this love for others. We are in an era that even Christians are sold by money, being tested or discouraged in material temptations. Through the lips of the prophet Isaiah, God said, “To which of my creditors did I sell you?” (Isaiah 50:1) However, countless believers surrender to the force of money and discredit their conviction in Christ.

Paul’s courageous and daring model of self-support and self-reliance should speak strongly to modern churches to release many who are bound by a trap of fear in money or secular values. This Early Church method will revive when we inherit Paul’s spirit: “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.”