@ Baruch TRANSFORM camp, NLF Mangalore

It was great to be at the New Life Fellowship(NLF) youth camp at Mangalore. The theme was TRANSFORM. Trust me, the camp was ROCKING. It was HAPPENING! Young people’s lives being touched by both the WORD and the SPIRIT. I did three sesssions while Pastor Vijay (Mumbai) did the remaining sessions.

I spoke to young people about the Historical reliablity of the Bible, the truth about resurrection and living the Christian life in the midst of Generation Now. I told them how the bible is “real’ and “able” and how we can believe it – just as it is. I challenged the young people there to live out the historical fact of ressurection. Apologetics is not just about Why I believe what I believe. It’s more about: WHY I LIVE WHAT I BELIEVE. Finally, I told them that “We are IN the world but NOT OFF the world” and ” Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world“.  It was great to see young people (who were jumping and dancing in worship)  share an interest in apologetics (much more than I had anticipated). It was a great opportunity to minster to about 150 young people – who were hungry for God. The Word and the Spirit teaching would make these young people “live wires for Jesus”  

I enjoyed every bit of my stay. I was really ministered to. I was touched by Pastor Vijay’s challenge: to fall in love with Jesus and to develop a living relationship with God, the Holy Spirit. I am thinking about this for the last two days, since leaving Mangalore. I am reflecting on the questions: What does it mean to follow Jesus? What does it mean to be grasped by Jesus? What does it mean to love Jesus? Besides, I met some amazing people who are the movers and shakers in and around Mangalore.

NLF Mangalore has done amazing work among students and professionals in Mangalore. You can feel it when you see the Church. Pastor Mathew and Pastor Manu were a great inspiration for Urban missions. I thank God for the opportunity to (re)learn and (un)learn.  I just pray that NLF mangalore would continue to impact many more lives. Please visit: www.nlfmangalore.com

      

Looking Back!

It’s been a year since we launched Wisdomtree – The Academy of the Faithful. We are thankful to God for his grace, strength and blessings. We have been able to do “something” and God has miraculously blessed what we did. God has opened amazing opportunities, given resources, help us find people with the same vision (and passion). Through the twists and turns he has sustained us. No photograph (however real it may have been shot), No write-up (however true it is), No testimony (however unedited it is presented)and no (however-true-to-reality) presentation can adquately tell our stories at Wisdomtree. I remember God’s word that came alive to me while returning from Bangalore.

” Forget what happened long ago! Don’t think about the past. I am creating something new. There it is! Do you see it? I have put roads in deserts, streams in thirsty lands. I provide water in deserts– streams in thirsty lands for my chosen people – Isa. 43:18 – 20″

True to his promise, God has opened up opportunities in Corportate offices, Coffee Shops, Colleges, Churches, Youth gathering, National workshops to help young people engage with the challenges of the Urban sub-culture.Wisdomtree is not just about events. It’s about articulating a new vision for Generation “WHY”. It all about re-newing the New Generation. It’s about (re)shaping youth ministry so that they engage with urban sub-culture.

We are particularly thankful to God for Mr. Aram Appavu and family for their continued support to the vision to reach young people through engagement with urban sub-cultures. They have stood with us and encouraged us like no other. I am also thankful to my mother for given genorously, sacrificially and cheerfully to help wisdomtree grow. Besides, several of you have made financial investments for Kingdom gains. These men and women of God have made it possible for us to do innovative and creative things that are otherwise not possible. They have believed in us as we lived out the vision to reach young people through cultural apologetics.

Continue to pray for us. You can track our ministry experience, events, and other programme info at www.wisdomtreetrust.wordpress.com
 
Wisdomtree has launched alot of innovative programmes and events.

1. The Center for Religion and Film engages with Indian movies and helps relate issues of faith with the movie experience. Cinema, Coffee, Conversations – an innovative programme of film discussion has received good response. We plan to take this into coffee houses in various cities.
2. The wisdomtree blog has invited about 27800 hits in the first year. The Cogwheel – the sharing of ideas for cultural apologetics ( specially designed for youth workers) had 6300 hits. Besides, the other blogs are doing great too. God has blessed the Wisdomtree blog initiative and helped me to minister to a global audience. We are soon launching a broadcast channel in Youtube (wisdomtreechennai)
3. The Academy of the faithful has launched the online course. We would be launching teaching sessions through Skype and Youtube.
4. We are also formally launching the oXyGen circle( Offering Christ to Younger Generation) – a circle of innovative youth workers raring to make the gospel relevant to our times.
5. We have also begun research on Nu metal music – a genre that is popular with young people.
6. We have recently launced a christian discipleship programme for young people called THE DEEP DIVE. We are intentionally seeking to disciple 17 – 24 year olds.
7. We are launching A National Workshop on Cultural Apologetics for youth workers in July 2008.

If you want to partner with Wisdomtree or make a contribution to our efforts please contact us. We are in need of financial gifts, prayers and people to spread our reach beyond what it is today. For more details please write to: contactwisdomtree@gmail.com and/or call 9840988427

At Refuel – SABC, Bangalore

I faciliated “Engaging Urban Subcultures” module at the Refuel – youth workers training programme conducted by Southern Asia Bible College (SABC), Bangalore. Refuel is a three week long youth workers training programme conducted by SABC. Several youth workers and youth ministries are invited to pool valuable insights, experiences and expertise so that youth workers can be energized and refueled.

Refuel has been an enriching experience for me. I did three sessions at Refuel – Mapping the urban subculture, Locating the urban discourse of desire and despair, Engaging Cultures, Encountering lives. Besides, I also did a presentation on Kal Ho Na Ho to demonstrate how films can be used to build faith discourse with urban audiences and engage them in conversations about the gospel story.

What is the best way to live life?

Last Sunday, I spoke to the members of the Calvary Community Church (CCC), Adyar at their morning english service. My sermon was titled, ” what is the best way to live life?”. I presented Paul’s answers as it is explicated in his epistle to the Church at Phillipi. I was happy to minister at this church for more than one reason. Firstly, it is located in south Chennai – where the city is sprawling. Secondly, it is close to the IT corridor. Thirdly, it is attended by IIT-ians. Fourthly, it is a growing church. I would never have known about the existence of this Church. This year, I went to the Rock show - hosted by IIT-Chennai - where I got introduced to the Pastor. I was impressed. How many youth workers would ever venture out into College Culturals and get to understand young people? Not many. I think it is important for youth workers to understand who young people are (and not who young people are not). We hit it off almost instantaneously since we shared similiar concerns of reaching young people in and around south Chennai. The pastor invited me over to speak at their Sunday Service. It was a great experience to minister to young people. I emphasized the need to live out our faith so that people who see us would learn to appreciate our committment to follow Jesus and in doing so learn ‘the best way to live life – living for Jesus with Jesus.

Cultural Apologetics course online

The Academy of the Faithful is launching its online course in Cultural Apologetics. The Academy of the Faithful is a learning circle that believes in learning in fellowship together. The Academy of the faithful believes in

• Scholarship of every believer
• Collaborative learning
• Faith seeking application
• Hermeneutics of Trust

The course on cultural Apologetics: Encountering Pop-Culture, Engaging lives – intends to equip Christian young people to be conversant about the beauty, truth and goodness of Christian answers to life, and most importantly defend the Christian Hope. The interactive course is designed to help participants explore the “quest”-ion,” why-I-live-what-I-believe”.

Course Outline

• Engaging with Urban Sub-Culture
• The case for cultural apologetics
• Understanding goodness, Truth and beauty
• Faith, arts and culture
• Engaging with images, information and ideas.
• Multiplex solutions – revisiting ‘fill-o-sophies’
• Faith in a Machine world: Revisiting work
• Are there rules to live by? Revisiting moral frameworks
• Bringing goodthings to life: Revisiting consumerism
• Games people play: revisiting leisure
• Be what want to be: Revisiting Alternative lifestyles
• Storykeeping in an information age

Enrolling at the Academy of the Faithful is very simple.
Step 1: Send an email to contactwisdomtree@gmail.com inform the tutor/mentor that you are starting the course.
Step 2:

Go to: http://theacademyofthefaithful.wordpress.com/archives/

Follow the course outlines (at your own pace and time). Join the e-group for discussing the particular unit. After each section, send your comments to the e-discussion group and learn from others who are part of the study circle.

Step 3: You can get in touch with the tutor/mentor by email (contactwisdomtree@gmail.com) , phone, google talk, google chat, skype for clarification, clearing doubts and free sharing of ideas. You could fix prior appointment with the tutor/mentor for google talk, google chat, skype.
 
For more details please visit: www.theacademyofthefaithful.wordpress.com

Divine Invasion

Samuel Thambusamy was invited to speak at the Christmas programme organized by the Young Leaders For Christ (YLFC).  The meeting was attended by close to 100 people.  Sam spoke to the young people on the theme: Divine Invasion. The evening was packed with music, testimony and message. Sam has spoken at YLFC meetings on earlier three occasions. Wisdomtree enjoys the friendship of YLFC as they continue to nurture young leaders for Christ.

The Call for Revolutionary Revivalism and Peaceful Revolution

On 15 November, I presented a paper on ” Reconciling Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi” at the Liturgical Center, Chennai as part of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in India convocation. In the paper I highlighted the need for ‘peaceful revolution’ and ‘ revolutionary revivalism’. I also impressed upon the people that the gospel of Jesus Christ as a pursuit of truth (satyagraha) is a tool for social freedom. The paper was followed by Rev. Dr. Lewis Logan presented a paper on Martin Luther King Jr. About 200 people both from AME church, USA and AME India attended these presentations. The 100 odd African American Pastors (and their Spouses) and AME Indian pastors (and their families) were blessed by these discussions on Nonviolence and Truth. I urged AME to push forward in their commitment to the underside of India, particularly the marginalized in their struggle for justice. A discussion on women’s issues through the film Lajja was also prepared by wisdomtree.

Cafe Theology: Faith conversations in the real world

I am absolutely sure that Wisdomtree: The Academy of the Faithful has been called to ‘resource’ and ‘engage’ in cultural apologetics. The immediate need (as I see it. Call it hindsight, insight or foresight) is to make young people be conversant about the beauty – truth and goodness of Christian answers to life. We are asked to defend our Christian hope: ” Why I live what I believe”

It is important that we equip our younger people (both students and working professionals) to share the beauty -truth and goodness of the gospel during their student/start-up years. Coz’ thats when they meet more people of other faiths and beliefs. Me thinks, evangelism in the future will be through (one-on-one) conversations in coffee houses, movie halls, malls, office spaces and drive to work.

We need to equip our young people to speak the gospel intelligibly, attractively and responsibly. The Academy of the Faithful is offering a unique course: Cafe Theology – faith conversations in the real world to help young people understand/live their faith that they would be conversing in informal settings.

Topics Include

Life – Identity/Meaning – Work – Relationships – Entertainment – Technology – Power & Success – Justice – Living Faith

This course is designed to make young people ‘future ready’. It is actually intended for young people who are passionate about ministering to contemporary/urban audience engaging in culturally relevant formats and ideas. Wisdomtree plans to offer this course for young people (twice each year) in Chennai. Classes would be held on 8 weekdays (fridays) spread over two months. Other formats are being planned for Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Mangalore, Mysore, Mokokchung, Vellore etc.

The first course begins Oct 12. There are only limited seats (6 Nos). The idea is to train 12 people each year in each the cities. For information about schedule and course curriculum write to: contactwisdomtree@gmail.com

Encountering Culture, Engaging Lives (Bangalore)

Capstone Ministries (Bangalore) has launched a cultural apologetics course to equip youth workers to engage in culturally relevant evangelism in the city of Bangalore and elsewhere. The Academy of the faithful (Chennai) is resourcing this course. About 9 people have registered for this course that is spread around 6 months. Classes are to be conducted once every fortnight. This Sunday (30 Sept, 2007), I traveled to Bangalore to take the first class titled: Engaging the urban sub-cultures. Please pray that this course would fuel the evangelistic thirst of the participants.

A future ready camp!

Last weekend we (the Samuels – Vandana Samuel included) were at the WAC camp – fun filled activity camp – designed for Generation Strange (to borrow Slip knot’s words). The camp conducted by WAC was specially designed to help us be “future ready” – to be able to reach out to the younger generation. You never get to hear music bands, activity games, crazy games, Playstation games, remote controlled car race, theme parties, dawn worship and discussion from Spiderman movies in a Christian camp. The camp featured Blood Covenant – a christian death metal band who really rocked. Collin, a dear friend of mine, put together this camp and I must say he has has really done well.

I was happy to be a part of this camp. The theme of the camp was ‘No Compromise ‘ and so we decided to speak on issues that young people struggle in the ‘REAL’ world. There is a need for the message of Abundant life to penetrate the inner core of being and radically transform our LIFESPACE. I spoke on Spiderman movies. My talk was titled, “The web of life: What lessons can we learn from Spiderman?”. I highlighted the issues of: identity, choice, responsibility, guilt/forgiveness, relationships etc. I also did a workshop on Linkin Park titled: Understanding my music.

The camp was also great because my friends Paul and Anita ( Capstone Ministries), Remo and Susan (Reaching Hands Society) were there too. Collin, Remo and Paul are guys I discuss ministry a lot and I do learn a great deal from them too. They are such an inspiration for someone like me in my middle years and being passionate about reaching contemporary audiences. It was a great time of meeting friends as families. Paul and I prayed for our ministries and it was a great time of bonding (together with God).

I have learnt precious lessons at the camp. There’s so much to do to catch up and compete with those who are attracting young people with a different message about life. This is something that Remo, Collin, Paul and myself are constantly at it. The Camp was great. It was a learning and an unlearning experience. I do realize that there is a need to re-think camps if we are serious about reaching T20 audiences.

WAC camp is just an attempt to be at the cutting edge of reaching young people with the message of ABUNDANT LIFE. There’s more work for the oXyGEN circle ( offering Christ to the young generation) to do.