In the blink of an eye, the Pastoral Epistle class has come to an end. It has been an enriching two weeks for me, even though I had to balance a family, work and bible-school life. Nevertheless, the lessons I learned from this class, and the new friendships formed will be the things I treasure.

Reflecting on my own journey in this class, I would like to share 3 thoughts with everyone.

One practice that I struggle with

In this class, one practice that I struggle with is structural diagramming. This technique is difficult for me as I find it hard to follow the readings because my foundation for the language is weak. Growing up, I was a wayward child and teenager, and I did not study hard. I spoke mainly dialects and very little English. Terminologies such as subordinate clauses, verbs, conjunctions, verbals, etc., made me stressed because I felt that I was going back to my primary school days where I had to learn English. Forcing myself to practice the diagramming in class and outside of class, I learned how to use and appreciate the benefits of using this technique to prepare messages.

One lesson for life

In Titus 2:1, Paul told Timothy that he must teach “what is accord with sound doctrines.” The teachings in Titus 2 hit me hard because in all the letters that Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus, false teachings was one of his concerns. As I reflect on Paul’s letters on this concern, I began to understand that as a believer, we must make sure that we are well-versed with the Scriptures, so that we will not be swayed by false teachers, stumble new believers, and cause disunity in the Body of Christ. This lesson is particularly important to me because I remember that my faith was shaken when I picked up a book at an airport that was written by a new-age author. The book advocates that Jesus uses mind power to heal the sick. The book affected me because it was so convincing. Coupled with the fact that my knowledge of the Bible was not strong enough, I was confused. Thankfully, I read the Bible and Christian books which helped me to understand that the Scriptures were not correctly interpreted by the new-age author. In short, I managed to uncover the truth in the author’s claims, which were lies.

One idea/practice/experience that I found useful

I found that the topic on ‘right living’ in chapter 2 of Titus very useful. This is also the portion that my group used for our group skit. The teachings to the various groups on holy living can help to reduce conflicts and potential problems in the Christian community, where right values are passed from one family to the next. I feel that this is a topic that is seldom discussed in-depth, and this can lead to many believers sweeping worldly practices, such as co-habitation, under the carpet. As believers, we need to ensure that the next generation (and future ones to come) continue to uphold and project Christian values. If necessary, we should uphold Christ’s values by equipping ourselves with knowledge of the Scriptures, and having the courage to engage boldly in difficult conversations.

Thank you everyone for being a part of my life!