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Report on the Pastors’ Planning Forum
24 th to 26 th November 2015
By Rev. Pin Hien Lam (Kingsway Methodist Church)
The Pastors’ Planning forum started off in the afternoon of 24 th Nov with a workshop
conducted by Bishop James Kwang. During the workshop, bishop challenged the
churches under the umbrella of the Chinese Methodist Church in Australia to be a denomination that is
focused on spreading Scriptural holiness throughout the land, just as it was in the days of John Wesley.
He challenged us to be the flag bearer of Methodism and the Methodist spirit in Australia with the
reminder that we must do it - and we can only do it–if we do it with one heart and mind.
The bishop’s address was followed by a lively question and answer session and a rowdy ice-breaker
game led by Rev. Elijah Chew, chairperson of our Board on the Ministry and organiser of this pastors’
planning forum.
Rev. Dr Philip Siew, our speaker for the planning forum, delivered six talks which addressed the Annual
Conference’s theme for 2016 –‘Growing in Scriptural Holiness.’
In the first talk on “Understanding Scriptural Holiness – Biblical, Theological, and Traditional
Understanding in the Wesleyan Tradition,” Rev. Siew reminded us of the question John Wesley
asked the Methodists of his day: “What may we reasonably believe to be God’s design in raising up the
preachers called Methodists?” to which Wesley also answered, “To reform the nation, particularly the
Church; to spread scriptural holiness over the land.”
But Wesley also had a great fear. He said, “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever
cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect,
having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast
both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.” As Rev. Siew himself was
challenged, so he challenged us to examine ourselves to see if our local churches are existing as such.
Has the Church lost its saltiness and has the Church hidden its light in a closet (from Mt. 5:13-16)? In
order for the nation to be reformed, the Church has to spread scriptural holiness in the land. But In order
for the Church to spread scriptural holiness over the land, the Church first needs to be reformed by
scriptural holiness. And if the Church is to be reformed, renewed and revived, it has to start with each
one of us – the pastors.
We ended the first day of the forum with a prayer meeting during which the participants gave thanks for
the many blessings God has bestowed upon CMCA – our new preaching points, new property for one of
our preaching centres, new co-workers joining the pastoral team, and the candidates for ordination,
amongst many other blessings. We prayed also for those who were not well, for our personal revival and
the revival of the Church.
The second and third talks focussed on “The Understanding of Christian Perfection.” John Wesley
has been criticised for his insistence on Christian Perfection, but many of these criticisms have stemmed
from a misunderstanding of what Wesley meant by the word ‘perfection.’ Wesley was not referring to the
sinless, infallible state of perfection (Latin: perfectio), but the meaning found in Mt 5:48 (Greek: theleos).
Christian perfection does not mean we are free from ignorance, mistakes, infirmity, or temptation.
Christian perfection is a process of spiritual maturing. We start off as spiritual babies and we grow until
we are able to love God wholeheartedly and to love others as ourselves. In other words, to love God and
people, perfectly, or to be perfected in love. This is something not just Methodists, but every Christian
should strive for.
In talk four, Rev. Siew spoke on “Christian Perfection and Spiritual Disciplines.” Besides the
transforming power of the Holy Spirit, God has also given believers the means of grace by which they
can grow in Christian perfection or holiness. For Wesley, Christian perfection and holiness are
synonymous. Drawing on Acts 2:42-44, Wesley identified three means of grace that God has instituted
to help believers grow in Christian perfection – prayer, searching the Scriptures, and receiving the Lord’s
Supper. Citing the works of Christian authors Dallas Dillard and Richard Foster, Rev. Siew also
introduced spiritual disciplines that may be helpful for our spiritual growth. There are the disciplines of
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