bosan, lelah - gii-usa.org · seperti rasul paulus mengucap syukur ... aku ini pembosan, tidak...

Eeditorial —————————————————————————————

Tak ada hal yang paling menggembirakan buat seseorang kecuali pada saat orang itu merayakan ulang tahun-nya. Apalagi kalau banyak orang yang datang untuk turut merayakan dan bersama-sama bergembira di dalam kebahagiaan perayaan ulang tahun-nya yang ke-22 tersebut. Pernahkah Anda merayakan hari ulang tahun dan yang hadir lebih dari seratus orang, dan makanan yang tersedia begitu melimpah ruah? Apakah Anda akan bisa mengukur kebahagiaan Anda di tengah-tengah lautan manusia yang sedang makan minum dan bercakap-cakap, manusia yang datang dan pergi, yang sedang tertawa dan menyendiri. Yang tua dan yang muda semua bercampur baur menjadi satu hanya untuk merayakan ulang tahun Anda? Apakah perasaan Anda pada saat itu? Bahagiakah Anda? Puaskah Anda? Ataukah Anda cuma akan lelah karena terlalu sibuk untuk menyalami tamu-tamu Anda untuk mengu-capkan terima kasih atas kedatangan mereka dan berbasa-basi dengan mereka satu dua kata menanyai bagaimana keadaan mereka? Sebelum Anda sempat menyalami semua tamu yang hadir, mungkin Anda sudah merasa lelah dan bosan dengan kata-kata yang sama yang diulang-ulang tanpa Anda sendiri sadar apa yang akhirnya Anda ucapkan tersebut. Anda akhirnya merasa exhausted, lelah dan ngantuk. Ulang tahun yang Anda harapkan akan menjadi hari yang menggembirakan buat Anda malah menjadi hari yang paling melelahkan, mungkin hari yang Anda paling tidak sukai, hari yang paling Anda benci di dalam hidup Anda dibandingkan dengan hari-hari yang lain.

Apakah hal yang sama terjadi di dalam perayaan ulang tahun gereja kita yang ke-22 ini? Apakah yang gereja kita rasakan kalau gereja kita ini mempunyai perasaan? Apakah yang akan dikatakan oleh gereja kita atas kedatangan kita ke gereja kita selama ini dan terutama di dalam kita merayakan ulang tahun-nya yang ke-22 ini? Apakah gereja kita juga akan exhausted, lelah dan ngantuk? Karena gereja kita terlalu sibuk un-tuk meladeni kita dan memperhatikan dan menanyakan keadaan kita? Apakah kita telah membuat gereja kita feel boring about us?

Seperti kita ketahui bahwa gereja adalah rumah di mana nama Tuhan tinggal di dalamnya. Kalau kedatangan kita membuat gereja kita ex-hausted, bored dan ngantuk, apakah kita telah membuat Tuhan merasa bosan, lelah dan ngantuk terhadap kita?

AGAPE — Anniversary 2005 1

AGAPEANNIVERSARY 2005

PenasehatEv. Wilson Suwanto Daniel Loe

EditorEvelyn Sunarko Janice AtmadjaMarcia Japutra Rachel Atmadja

Ilustrator & FotograferJoshua Adidjaja Martha Raharja

Pilipus Santoso

LayoutEva Leony Martha Raharja

Tesia Trisnadi Tjandra Afandi

KontributorRev. Kristianto HoseaEv. Wilson Suwanto

Mrs. Joy SimonaRachel Yao

Jessica Kawilarang

PrintingSemiwaty Oei

Special ThanksThe participants of

The Graduates on A Roll and

From Your Baby Boysarticles.

E-mail [email protected]

Produksi GII Azusa539 N. Sunset Ave.Azusa, CA 91702

Telp: (626) 812-0326http://lax.gii-usa.org

Kalau benar demikian... mungkin sudah saatnya kita harus meninjau diri kita masing-masing se-bagai jemaat rumah Tuhan di GII Azusa ini. Apa yang salah yang telah kita lakukan yang mana telah membuat Tuhan menjadi lelah dan bosan terhadap kita?

Mungkin sudah saat nya kita lah yang harus mem-perhatikan gereja kita bukan gereja kita yang ha-rus terus-menerus memperhatikan keadaan kita.

Apakah yang sudah kita lakukan yang bisa mem-buat Tuhan bahagia terhadap kita? Apakah yang sudah kita lakukan terhadap gereja kita yang mana bisa membuat gereja kita tersenyum puas dan bahagia dengan kedatangan kita ke gereja se-tiap minggu? Apakah yang bisa kita lakukan yang mana bisa membuat gereja kita terlihat semakin cantik dan menarik sehingga bisa membuat orang -orang yang ada di sekitar gereja kita menjadi curious dan ingin mencari tahu kenapa gereja kita begitu cantik dan menarik di mata mereka?

Apakah kita bisa membuat gereja kita akan kelihatan begitu cantik dan menarik dan bisa membuat orang-orang yang belum percaya juga datang ke gereja kita dan diselamatkan? Kalau kita bisa membuat gereja kita menjadi wadah ke-selamatan buat orang yang belum percaya maka satu hal yang pasti yang kita akan ketahui adalah bahwa Tuhan tidak akan pernah merasa bosan, lelah dan ngantuk terhadap kita, malah sebaliknya kita akan bisa membuat Tuhan tersenyum bahagia dan suatu saat Tuhan akan berkata kepada kita: “baik sekali perbuatanmu itu, hai hambaKu yang baik dan setia; engkau telah setia dalam perkara kecil, Aku akan memberikan tanggung jawab dalam perkara yang besar. Masuklah dan turutlah dalam kebahagiaan Tuanmu.” (Matius 25:21)

redaksi

2 AGAPE — Anniversary 2005

Minggu Pk. 09.00 Sekolah Minggu Dewasa

Pk. 10.30 Kebaktian Umum (IndonesiaN & En glish)

Sekolah Minggu Anak-anak

Pk. 16.00 Chinese Service

(diterjemahkan ke bahasa In do ne sia)

Jumat Pk. 19.30 Kebaktian Doa (In do ne sian & English)

Bible Study Anak-anak

Sabtu Pk. 18.30 youth fellowship (Indonesian & En glish)

GerejaInjili

IndonesiaAzusa

539 N. Sunset Ave,

Azusa, CA 91702

Gembala Sidang:

Rev. Kristianto Hosea

GII San Fran cisco400 Brussels St.San Francisco, CA 94134(415) 656-0886

Jadwal

kegiatan:

GII Seattle(c/o First Chris tian Reformed Church)

14555 25th Ave. N.E.Shoreline, WA 98155(425) 357-5928

LOKASI

LAINNYA: GII San Jose

600 W. Campbell Ave.Campbell, CA 95008(408) 343-1314

GII Sac ra men to(c/o Chinese Grace Bible Church)

6656 Park Riviera WaySacramento, CA 95831(916) 692-3756


Anda punya usul, kritik, saran, atau apapun yang

berhubungan dengan Agape atau G

II Azusa?

Silahkan m

engirimnya ke agape_gii@

yahoo.com

atau mem

berikannya kepada redaksi.

Ddaftar isi —————————————————————————

Don't forget t

hat we're o

nline!

visit us

@ lax.gii-

usa.org

/iec_web/

agape.h

tml

05 Renungan: Bersyukur, Bersyukur, Bersyukur

20 Parenting: Help Your Teen Develop a Biblical Worldview

26 Book Review: Faith, God, and Rock N Roll

29 Event: The Graduates on a Roll

32 Culinary: Looking for Good Eats?

34 Music Corner: Sea of Faces by Kutless

38 Quiz: Word Search

39 Humor

Poems etc.:

19 God is with Us

25 Tante Mona's poems

35 Famous Quotes on Christian Living

36 From Your Baby Boys

focus: The Age of Loneliness Being alone in a sea of peoplea of peoplea o Activities buzzing, loneliness screaming Where are my friends—is there a friend? Is God with me?

07 The First Time I Commit Suicide

11 The Heartbeat of a Community

13 Dealing with Loneliness among the Living

16 Facing the Problem of Loneliness

4 AGAAGAAG PEAPEA

1. Kita bersyukur atas pimpinan-NyaGII Azusa adalah didirikan oleh tangan Tuhan sendiri. Maka tangan Tuhan tetap memimpinnya selama 22 tahun. Dan Dia tidak pernah tinggalkan Gereja-Nya, meskipun di dalam gelombang apa pun saja. Karena kasih setia-Nya terhadap Gereja-Nya tidak berubah sampai selama-lamanya. Oleh sebab itu kita harus bersyukur atas pimpinan-Nya terhadap GII Azusa selama 22 tahun. Seperti Pemazmur bersyukur atas pimpinan Tuhan kepada umat-Nya:

“Kepada Dia yang memimpin umat-Nya melalui padang gurun! Bahwasanya untuk selama-

lamanya kasih setia-Nya.”Mazmur 136:16

Rrenungan ———————————————————————

Dalam rangka HUT ke-22 GII Azusa, dimana Tuhan telah melakukan pekerjaanNya yang sangat indah selama 22 tahun. Hanya Dialah yang patut dipuji, dihormati, dan dimuliakan. Oleh sebab itu ada tiga pengucapan syukur kepada Tuhan yang demikian baiknya terhadap kita.

bersyukur, bersyukur, bersyukur

oleh: Rev. Kristianto Hosea


2. Kita bersyukur atas pelihara-NyaGII Azusa adalah milik Tuhan, maka Dialah tetap memelihara Gereja-Nya selama 22 tahun. Meskipun si jahat dengan bermacam-macam caranya untuk merusak Gereja-Nya selama 22 tahun ini. Akan tetapi Tuhan tetap melindungi dam memelihara Gereja-Nya. Maka kita harus bersyukur atas pelihara-Nya terhada GII Azusa selama 22 tahun ini. Bagaimana pemeliharaan Tuhan terhadap Gereja-Nya?

“Peliharalah aku seperti biji mata, sembunyikanlah aku dalam daungan sayap-Mu.”

Mazmur 17:8

3. Kita bersyukur atas berkat-NyaTuhan sungguh memberkati GII Azusa dengan berkelimpahan selama 22 tahun ini. Banyak sekali jiwa diselamatkan dan iman mereka bertambah dan berbuah bagi Tuhan. Banyak yang sudah kembali ke Indonesia jadi berkat di dalam keluarga mereka dan gereja-gereja Tuhan. Oleh sebab itu kita harus bersyukur atas berkat Tuhan terhadap GII Azusa sejak mulai sampai sekarang ini. Seperti Rasul Paulus mengucap syukur kepada Tuhan atas berkat Tuhan terhadap Gereja Filipi:

“Aku mengucap syukur kepada Allahku karena persekutuanmu dalam Berita Injil mulai dari hari

pertama sampai sekarang ini.” Filipi 1:5

Akhir kata, kita harus senantiasa bersyukur kepada-Nya dan tidak lupa atas pimpinan, peliharaan, dan berkat Tuhan selama 22 tahun ini. Dan kita harus kembalikan segala kehormatan dan kemuliaan hanya kepada Tuhan Bapa kita yang di sorga. Amin!


Ffocus ——————————————————————————————

the first time I commit suicideoleh:

Daniel Loe

enit terakhir sebelum aku menelan semua narkoba dan obat tidur ini aku masih mengharapkan telpon di rumahku dan cellularku berdering. Tapi sepanjang hari ini tidak ada satu pun yang menelpon aku... atau mengetuk pintu rumahku yang kosong melompong dan dingin seperti hatiku yang sedang membeku dari ‘kemanusiaan’ dan fresh dengan

‘kesetanan’ aku mengatakan diriku penuh dengan unsur-unsur yang jahat, unsur-unsur yang merusak yang merupakan sifat yang paling disukai oleh iblis, setan, dedemit, jin, tuyul atau segala macam roh-roh jahat lainnya. Karena hari ini aku merencanakan akan mengakhiri lembaran hidupku dengan paksa, dengan rengutan maut dari narkoba, obat tidur Valium 5 serta bantuan dari minuman keras yang akan melanglang buana di dalam badanku ini. Walaupun ini adalah pertama kali bagiku untuk bunuh diri, tapi ini adalah salah satu dari kebiasaanku yang selalu suka mencoba sesuatu yang baru untuk memuaskan diriku.

Aku ini pembosan, tidak pernah puas dengan apa yang ada. Well, sebenarnya sampai saat ini tidak ada satu pun yang bisa memuaskan aku: harta, makanan, game, sex, obat bius, semua sudah aku coba, sampai pada pilihan yang terakhir aku menuruti perintah orang tuaku untuk ke gereja, walaupun pada mulanya di dalam pikiranku aku yakin kalau orang-orang gereja ini adalah cuma pathetic, loser, low self-esteem, tidak percaya diri, cuma membius diri mereka dengan doktrin-doktrin yang tidak masuk akal. Tapi aku berpikir apa salahnya aku mencoba,

M


toh aku senang berpetualang dan senang men-‘thrill’-kan diriku dengan hal-hal yang mengagetkan sehingga aku selalu menemukan pengalaman yang baru.

Tapi rupanya ini pun adalah usaha yang sia-sia juga. Soon I got bored and disgusted to be among them or to be around them. Pada mulanya memang di luar dugaanku, ke gereja rupanya agak menyenangkan juga, apalagi di persekutuan pemuda-pemudinya. Aku tidak menyangka kalau mereka menjamu aku bukan karena hartaku, atau penampilanku yang “tidak norak” tapi ‘up-to-date’ dan yang jelas aku tidak ‘jelek’ alias ‘handsome’. Tapi mereka ‘menerima’-ku apa adanya, karena mereka mau menjadi ‘temanku’. Aku tidak menyangka sama sekali kalau mereka men-‘treat’ aku bagaikan ‘prince’ karena ‘mobil sport’-ku yang mewah. Atau mungkin kemudian mereka mengetahui kalau aku ‘anak tunggal’ orang kaya.

Pada saat aku mengetahui semua itu, aku mulai merasa tidak kerasan datang ke gereja, yang ternyata tidak ada bedanya dengan orang di luar gereja. Satu satu perbedaan antara orang gereja dan bukan orang gereja hanyalah ‘gereja’-nya. Kalau orang dunia tidak menginjak gereja, tapi orang kristen menginjak gereja dan hang around di gereja. Soal sifat dan kebiasaan tidak bisa dibedakan kalau mereka yang menyebut diri mereka orang kristen itu berada di luar gereja. Hal ini pernah aku lihat sewaktu di mall aku run into orang gereja yang mengembalikan barang yang ditolak oleh customer service karena kelihatannya barang yang akan dikembalikan ‘telah over used’ tidak bisa dikembalikan lagi. Tapi orang kristen ini tetap ngotot dan marah-marah sampai semua pengunjung floor itu melihatnya, tetapi orang kristen yang ‘jahat’ ini tidak sampai di situ saja

‘make a scene’-nya dia minta dipanggilkan supervisornya yang tentu saja orang yang lebih berkuasa ini ‘mengalah’ dari pada ada kesan ‘keributan’ terjadi di floor di mana menjadi tanggung jawab supervisor ini. Lalu sewaktu aku tanya kenapa dia ngotot seperti itu jawabannya adalah karena masih dalam period of refund, walaupun dia akui dia sudah bosen memakainya..... lalu kejadian-kejadian lain juga secara tidak langsung aku dengar atau saksikan.. jadi aku merasa untuk apa aku ke gereja kalau cuma menjadi munafik dan jahat seperti bukan orang gereja?

Alasanku untuk ke gereja adalah untuk menjadi orang baik setelah aku merasa aku ini orang jahat. Tapi kalau orang gereja itu tidak pernah menjalankan ‘kebaikan’ dari ajaran kristen ini dalam hidup mereka, untuk apa mereka ke gereja? Hanya untuk masuk surga? Tapi tetap hidup seperti ‘iblis’ di dalam dunia ini? Apakah itu mungkin? Apakah di surga itu cuma dipenuhi oleh ‘iblis-iblis yang mengaku dirinya orang kristen?’

Aku hampir tidak ke gereja lagi selama satu bulan. Perasaan senang berada di tengah-tengah jemaat Tuhan adalah sangat indah dan sangat ingin kurasakan kembali..., tapi kini tampaknya aku kehilangan saat yang indah itu. Akhirnya aku mendapatkan akal untuk menguji apakah akan tetap diperlakukan sama kalau aku mendadak jatuh miskin? Aku lalu sengaja membeli mobil tua dan membawanya ke gereja di dalam persekutuan muda-mudi. Mereka bertanya apa yang terjadi? Aku cuma mengatakan orang tuaku bangkrut. Satu demi satu orang yang biasanya mendekati dan ngobrol denganku mundur teratur. Suatu hari ada surprise party, aku pas amprokan dengan orang yang mengurus surprise party tersebut. Celakanya aku


bertanya apa yang sedang diurusnya? Karena aku bertanya maka aku diajak untuk ikutan? Aku berkata boleh. Ketika kepada orang yang lain aku bertanya kok surprise party-nya mendadak sekali, kan kalau kepepet kaya gini bisa bentrokan dengan agendaku? Tapi orang tersebut berkata padaku kalau orang sudah ditanyai sejak tiga minggu yang lalu. Aku merasa terpukul dengan semua ini. Rupanya bener kalau orang-orang gereja bisa lebih jahat daripada orang yang bukan kristen sama sekali. Aku totally drop semangatku rasa rindu dan menikmati indahnya persekutuan yang getarannya dirasakan oleh iman dan hatiku ini.

Sebulan sudah lewat dan tak ada satu pun yang mencari aku atau menelpon aku. Aku sedih dan kecewa. Sekarang benar-benar aku terbentur pada karang kesunyian dan kebosanan yang amat sangat. Aku menyesal kalau dulu aku mau mencoba untuk datang ke gereja kalau aku tahu ujungnya akan seperti ini, lebih menyakitkan dari kecanduan obat bius atau minuman keras. Aku tidak akan pernah mau menginjak gereja. Sekarang aku telah berbalik ke dunia gelap dan terkutuk lagi. Aku masih mengharapkan ada yang datang ke rumahku dan membesuk aku dan aku bisa membuktikan kalau aku masih tetap orang kaya yang mempunyai banyak uang dan mereka boleh lagi datang padaku dan menanyakan apakah mau menjadi donor ini dan itu seperti sebelum aku berpura-pura bangkrut. Tapi apa yang kuharapkan? Telpon saja tidak berdering apalagi mengharapkan orang datang mengunjungi aku?

Aku tahu kalau hidupku memang tampaknya ditentukan oleh aku sendiri, akulah yang berhak menentukan mati hidupnya aku sendiri. Pada saat pikiran ini

menyelinap pikiranku aku mulai berpikir untuk bunuh diri. Aku membeli Valium 5, dan segala macam narkoba serta minuman keras karena aku yakin kalau semua di-combine jadi satu pasti akan merupakan cara yang paling nikmat meninggalkan dunia ini. Aku sudah coba pergi ke gereja dan menemukan arti kehidupan... tapi rupanya itu cuma sementara dan banyak hal yang men-drive-ku away from God.

Sebelum aku menenggak obat-obat bius tersebut, aku masih mengharapkan telpon berdering, aku lalu mencoba satu menit lagi dan menghitung dalam hati sampai bilangan satu menit. Tidak juga cellphone-ku berdering. Lalu dengan linangan air mata aku menelan satu demi satu dan mendorongnya melalui tenggorokanku dengan semua brandy, XO and Johny Walker. Ketika aku berlinang air mata, aku tiba-tiba tertawa... bukankah mencoba untuk mati ini dengan jalan bunuh diri adalah salah satu cara untuk memuaskan diriku. Tiga menit kemudian aku mulai merasakan ada reaksinya di dalam badanku yang tiba-tiba rasanya menjadi begitu berat sehingga aku jadi menggelesoh jatuh ke tanah tidak kuat menahan berat tubuhku. Aku tahu aku mulai menuju ke dunia kegelapan... semasih aku di lantai dan sebelum aku sempat bergerak bangun, di semua persendian t u b u h k u kurasakan panas yang luar biasa.

T i b a -tiba sekali dan sangat m e n g a -getkan aku yang se-

dang sekarat ini telpon berdering. KRING... KRING...... KRING....!!!! Aku marah sekali dan ingin membanting telpon tersebut sambil aku menyayangkan kenapa tidak berdering lima atau sepuluh menit yang lalu? Tapi biarpun begitu beratnya badanku dan pikiranku yang kacau balau seperti ini berjuta-juta kata seolah-olah ingin keluar dan melompat dari dalam mulutku. Aku mengangkat telpon tersebut. Dan cordless tersebut aku dekatkan pada telingaku dan terdengar suara di ujung sana.

“Hallo....saya penginjil CHUANG, saya ingin berbicara dengan anda sudah sejak lama.. tapi karena saya sedang menghadapi final.. tapi hari ini desakan dalam hati saya begitu kuat makanya saya menelpon anda.. karena sepertinya Tuhan ingin saya berbicara dengan anda. Maaf selama ini saya belum sempat telpon.... anda sudah lama sekali tidak datang ke muda mudi”

Aku menangis mendengar penjelas-annya... aku baru mengetahui kalau Tuhan tidak ingin aku bunuh diri... buktinya Tuhan menyuruh hambaNya untuk menelpon aku... tapi rupanya segala-galanya sudah terlambat.... proses pembunuhan diri sedang berlangsung di dalam diriku ini....

“Maaf.. Ev. Chuang... aku harus segera pergi.....”

“Lho mau pergi kemana, kok begitu terburu buru dan mendadak?”

“Oh.. maaf.. kepergian ini telah direncanakan hampir satu bulan lamanya..”

“Oh tidak bisakah anda share pada saya tentang masalah anda sebelum anda pergi....?”

Proses kehilangan kesadaran semakin hebat menarik-narik diriku dan semua tulang, sumsum dan otot-ototku.

“Good bye.. Ev. Chuang.. thanks for calling...”

“Baiklah.. kalau anda terburu-buru.. saya cuma mau berkata.. kalau Tuhan sangat mengasihi anda dan Dia ingin menyelamatkan anda....”

Kututup telpon. Dan aku menangis dengan kerasnya... “Oh Tuhan selamatkan aku... dan ampunilah aku telah mencoba membunuh diriku sendiri.....”

Aku tiba-tiba ingat sesuatu langsung aku dengan susah payah mengambil telpon kembali dan mendial 911.

“What city please....!”“Help me help me.. I am going to

die by any minute.... so please send somebody here.... my addres is....” dengan susah payah aku berusaha menyebutkan address rumahku dan berusaha keras untuk melawan dunia kegelapan yang sedang berusaha menggelapkan semua pelita di dalam diriku. Sedikit demi sedikit badanku digerogoti oleh kehampaan dan kekelaman.... lain sekali kekelaman yang kurasakan sekarang ini dengan kekelaman karena kesunyian, tiada teman dan seorang diri. Aku merasakan semakin tenggelam di dalam kegelapan... tapi perlawanan terakhir yang bisa kulakukan adalah berusaha menghitung angka satu sampai seratus.. tapi beberapa kali aku rancu dan harus memulai dari nol kembali. The first time I commit suicide..... dan tampaknya berhasil, tetapi justru pada saat aku berhasil untuk bunuh diri itu justru aku menyesal melakukannya....... aku menangis dan meminta ampun pada Tuhan yang sebentar lagi mungkin akan aku temui muka dengan muka.

I am totally lost... now.... at the same point I heard the siren and other noisy sounds come approaching my apartment.

Darkness.


Ffocus ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The Heartbeat of a Community

by: Rachel Atmadjataken from: Community, by Bill Hybels

of a CommunityChicago Tribune writer Maria Paul took a risk when

she wrote a self-revealing column confessing her own inability to build and sustain friendships. She wrote this column expecting little, if any, response. However, she was inundated with letters from others experiencing the same kind of isolation and frustration.

One person wrote, “I’ve often felt like I’m standing outside looking through the window of a party to which I was not invited.” What a vivid picture! Do you ever feel that way? Do you ever have a sense of being on the outside looking in?

Another woman wrote, “I have this fear of becoming a very lonely, old widow sitting around and listening to the clock tick.” This fear, she says, just about paralyzes her life. It is probably a well-founded fear, because she confessed in her letter that she has no sense of com-munity. She has no family. She has no friendship or small group or church community of which she is a part. She feels that she’s going to die alone, and she may be right.

In the summer of ’95, many people died in Chicago’s heat wave. I was shocked to read that forty-one of them were buried in a mass grave called “The Potter’s Field.’ Not a single person surfaced to claim their bodies or grieve their passing. Forty-one people died alone.

Marla Paul ended her column about loneliness with these words: “Sometimes it seems easier to just give up and accept disconnectedness as a dark and unshakable companion; but, that’s not the companion I want.” She writes, “So I will persevere.” She is going to keep longing, searching, trying, and hoping that someday she will be able to discover and develop community.


• You perceive yourself in a negative way. You may become overly critical of your physical appearance.

• You blame yourself and others for your poor social re-lationships. You falsely assume that nobody likes you.

• You do not make any attempt to get in-volved in social activities. You expect everyone that you admire to like and include you in their activities and conversations. If they do not include you in their social activities you may become more withdrawn, angry and iso-lated from other activities.

• You become self-conscious and worry unnecessarily about being evalu-ated by others.

• You have difficulty in expressing your feelings and in engaging in assertive behavior. You are afraid to stand up for your rights and say “no” to unreasonable requests.

• You avoid taking social risks, meeting people and new situations. You have difficulty introducing yourself, making telephone calls and participating in group activities.

• You tend to expect others to reject you.

• You feel isolated, alone and unhappy about your situation.

• You may tend to see things out of proportion or overreact to situations.

The good news is that you do not have to continue to feel this way. There are ways to overcome loneliness, and we shall explore the topic of overcoming loneliness further in the following focus articles. [RA]

from: www.campusblues.com/stud_lonley.asp


DealingLonelinessDealing

LonelinessDealing

LivingLonelinessLiving

Loneliness

Ffocus ——————————————————————————————

by: Marcia Japutra & Eva Leonysummarized from: www.counsel.afl .edu

with

among Loneliness

among Lonelinessthe

among the

among

Ever since man was fi rst created, it was understood that

he can not live without companionship from others in

his race. God understood Adam’s need for compan-

ionship, and in His grace he created Eve so she can accompany and

help Adam take good care of the rest of God’s creatures. At this

day and age, people live busy lives as they go to and fro working

and/or going to school, while all the while balancing their sched-

ules to make time for friends and families on outings and activities.

However, amidst all the busy schedules that people have, many still

suffer from LONELINESS. . .

13

Most of the loneliness experienced by people can be put under one of these two categories: loneliness from a hori-zontal (human-to-human) standpoint, and loneliness from a vertical (God-to-human) standpoint. In this article we shall explore loneliness from the hori-zontal standpoint. The word ‘loneliness’ has several definitions:

1. The state of being alone in solitary isolation.

2. Sadness resulting from being forsaken or abandoned.

3. A disposition towards being alone.(source: www.dictionary.com)

Other than those three meanings, lone-liness can also be defined as a feeling of emptiness that makes a person feel isolated from the world. It can grow to become a major problem if one keeps dwelling in that feeling rather than breaking away from it.

Loneliness can be a minor discom-fort, like when one feels that something is not right or when the weather outside is dark and gloomy. But loneliness can sometimes be extreme to a point where it dwells deep within the heart, causing an intense feeling of deprivation and pain.

There are different types of loneliness that people deal with everyday. One may miss a specific individual in his or her life as that specific individual may have passed

away or lives far away. Another type of loneliness may involve feeling alone due to being physically isolated from other people, such as when one works night shifts or work in areas where no one else is really around. One may even feel emotionally isolated even when they are surrounded by people because they have a difficulty in reaching out or talking to people. People have tried to overcome loneliness in many effective ways.

Like other problems, to overcome them, one must admit to the problem that they have. To stop feeling lonely, people have come to express their feel-ings in writing in a diary, writing a song, or drawing a picture. These acts may help them in dealing with their problem. By expressing their feelings, they are able to see where such feelings may be coming from. They can also recognize whether their feelings of loneliness may be connected to other feelings and realize how these feelings are connected to the loneliness that they felt. As connections are realized, one has a better route in making changes to better their lives in a healthy manner

Being passive about one’s feelings often causes a person to continue to dwell in unwanted feelings. In order to deal with loneliness, many have come to become more active. For example,


when a person misses someone, such as a family member or a friend, they take action such as writing a letter or email, or picking up the phone and making a call. Talking to an understanding friend gives people a way to express their sadness or anger as shutting oneself to others may lead to untimely emotional breakdowns.

Many have sought help by talking with a pastor, teacher, or counselor. Also, if a person has lost someone that they love, remembering the happier moments and knowing that those memories will always be in their hearts will help that person move away from their loneliness.

To overcome loneliness, many have also gotten more involved in activities and clubs. When one is involved in healthy and fun activities, they are able to take their minds off of the problems that they may have. It can give new opportunities, as they are able to meet other people with similar interests and it gives those who have a hard time in talking or reaching out to others a chance to practice their social skills.

Loneliness is a feeling that everyone has felt one way or another. It has

reached across generations, from the lonely rebellious teen to the elderly. Dealing with loneliness, especially in its extreme form, is something that must be taken seriously. Many have tried to live in denial of loneliness by distracting them-selves with work, school, and even video games. Many chose to accept their lone-liness, either by sinking to depression or searching for human connections in many places.

However, all the human companion-ship in the world can not substitute for the spiritual loneliness present in every human heart and mind. Intellectuals substituted their spiritual hunger for God with philosophies that question God’s existence, asking that “If God is just, why do bad things happen to good people?” Little did they realize that their thirst for answers is their GPS (God Positioning System) at work. Their quest for answers may just lead them to their Creator. As for the antidote to spiritual dryness, God’s offer of unconditional love and friendship still stands. [MJ/EL]

sources:www.counsel.ufl.edu/selfHelp/dealingWithLoneliness.aspwww.boston.com/globe/search/stories/health/health_sense/042296.htm


Ffocus ——————————————————————————————

L O N E L I N E S Sfacing the problem of

by: Ev. Wilson Suwantotranslated to English by: Rachel Atmadja

LONELINESS is a common condition experienced by all humanity, be they child or adult, man or woman, rich or poor. Everyone has experienced moments or bouts of loneliness at some point in their lives. Loneliness is a serious problem in modern countries such as the United States and other countries.

The feeling of ‘loneliness’ often coincides with the feeling of ‘boredom.’ Together, these feel-ings have led many to fall into alcoholism, depression, rebellion, affairs outside of marriage, and even suicide. Symptoms of loneli-ness appear whenever a person feels alienated, isolated, or even rejected by others within their surroundings.

It turns out that loneliness does not always appear whenever one is alone; it appears when one is surrounded with a group people with whom one felt rejected or ignored. From this condition, we learn an important concept: the basic need of every human is to feel loved and accepted by his peers. Everyone wants to have a personal and intimate relationship with others around


him, but many failed to build such a rela-tionship. The result: loneliness.

Feeling unwanted, lonely people gradually assume that they have no value and self-worth. Moreover, a lonely person always feels that only he alone is lonely, and that everyone else must have friends and are happy. This makes him feel even more alone, ignored, and rejected.

Movies, TV commercials, and maga-zines often portray lovers’ relationships as unrealistically ideal and intimate. As a result, many people felt unsatisfied with themselves, and even with the people around them. They want to copy the romantic couples who are so ideal for each other, like a prince and a princess, even with the knowledge that it is a false notion. Sadly, many chase after dreams and abandon reality.

What are the results of loneliness?1. Choosing friends or life-partners reck-

lessly, “as long as I’m not alone.” 2. Burying oneself in work, as long as

there’s movement, loneliness can be ignored.

3. Blaming one-self.4. Blaming others for their rejection.

Because others reject him, he feels lonely; therefore it is their fault that he is lonely.

5. Wasting time wallowing in self-pity. Because everyone else rejects him, he learns to pity himself.

6. Being passive and non-responsive; has a hard time interacting with others and tends to focus on people’s flaws.

As Christians, such thought processes are very disruptive in our relationship with God. Let us refer to the Bible to find the recipe for dealing with loneliness:

MENGHADAPI MASALAH KESEPIAN(untranslated article by Ev. Wilson Suwanto)

KESEPIAN adalah hal yang umum dira-sakan semua manusia, baik anak maupun orang dewasa, baik pria maupun wanita, baik kaya ataupun miskin. Setiap orang pasti pernah mengalami saat-saat kesepian. Dan kesepian adalah masalah serius di negara-negara maju, seperti Amerika dan lainnya.

Perasaan ‘sepi’ seringkali bercampur dengan ‘bosan.’ Kedua perasaan ini banyak kali membawa orang jatuh dalam kecan-duan alcohol, depresi, pemberontakan anak remaja terhadap orang tua, gangguan keji-waan, penyelewengan dalam pernikahan, bahkan bunuh diri. Perasaan sepi biasanya juga timbul ketika seseorang merasa “diasingkan”, “dikucilkan”, atau bahkan “ditolak” oleh orang-orang di sekitarnya.

Ternyata kesepian bukan muncul ketika tidak ada orang di sekitar kita. Itu muncul justru ketika banyak orang di sekitar kita, tetapi kita merasa mereka tidak peduli dan menolak kita. Dari kondisi ini, kita belajar sesuatu yang penting, yaitu: kebutuhan dasar setiap manusia adalah kasih dan penerimaan dari sesamanya manusia. Setiap orang ingin mempunyai hubungan yang personal dan akrab dengan sesamanya, namun banyak orang gagal dalam membangun relasi demikian. Akibatnya: kesepian.

Karena merasa ditolak, banyak orang merasa diri mereka tidak berharga dan tidak ada gunanya. Lebih lagi, orang yang kese-pian selalu berpikir bahwa hanya dia yang kesepian, dan semua orang lain pasti punya teman dan merasa bahagia. Ini membuat dia merasa semakin tersendiri, terkucil, dan tertolak.

Film, iklan televisi, dan majalah sering menggambarkan hubungan sepasang keka-sih yang sangat ideal dan intim. Akibatnya


1. Believe that God is near and is always with us. In John 16: 32, Jesus said, “Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.” At the moment of cruci-fixion, He knows that everyone will leave him, and yet He perseveres because he knows that God the Father is with Him. Jesus also promises never to leave us. (Hebrews 13:5)

2. Be faithful in attending church fellow-ships and bible studies. God knows that an individual person is bound to feel weak and lonely. That is why He erases our sins as a Church, a body of believers. Whenever two or three people gather, there God will be. This means that God really wants his children to participate in church fellowships.

3. Paying attention to others. Lonely people tend to think only of them-selves. We can change our way of life by thinking of others and their needs. By paying attention to others, we feel the presence of God’s love in our hearts and we no longer feel lonely. Oppositely, when we ask for atten-tion, we only think of ourselves and this is what causes loneliness.

CONCLUSIONLoneliness is not necessarily good

or bad. We don’t have to feel proud or ashamed whenever we feel lonely as lone-liness is a condition that can be changed or used for a greater purpose. For example, when we feel lonely, we pray to God, we learn to faithfully attend church fellow-ship, we serve God, we pray for others, and work on important things. The psalmist who felt lonely and frustrated fills the emptiness of his soul with the presence of God. He defeats loneliness by “praying to the living God” (Psalm 42). [RA]

banyak orang merasa tidak puas dengan keadaan dirinya, bahkan dengan orang-orang di sekitarnya. Mereka ingin meniru bintang iklan atau bintang film dalam hubungan yang ideal bagaikan Prince and Princess. Padahal kita semua tahu bahwa itu hanya impian belaka, tidak ada dalam kenyataan. Sayangnya, banyak orang bukan mengejar kenyataan, tetapi impian.

Apa saja akibat dari perasaan kesepian?1. Sembarangan memilih teman atau

pasangan hidup. “Asal tidak kesepian,“ kata mereka.

2. Sembarangan mencari kesibukan. Asal kaki dan tangan bergerak, perasaan kesepian bisa diusir.

3. Menyalahkan diri sendiri. 4. Menyalahkan orang lain. Karena orang

lain menolak dia, maka dia merasa kese-pian. Akibatnya, dia pikir bahwa orang lain yang salah.

5. Menghabiskan banyak waktu menga-sihani diri sendiri. Karena orang lain semua menolak dia, maka dia belajar mengasihi dan mengasihani diri sendiri.

6. Pasif dan tidak responsif. Tidak mudah berinteraksi dengan orang lain, dan cenderung menganggap semua orang sama buruknya.

Sebagai orang Kristen, pemikiran demikian sangat mengganggu hubungan kita dengan Tuhan. Untuk itu, mari kita melihat Alkitab agar menemukan resep menghadapi kesepian dengan baik. Langkah-langkah seorang Kristen mengha-dapi kesepian adalah:

1. Percaya bahwa Tuhan dekat dan bersama kita. Dalam Yohanes 16:32 Yesus berkata, “Aku tidak sendiri karena Bapa bersamaKu.” Di saat Dia mengha-


dapi salib, Dia tahu bahwa semua akan meninggalkan Dia. Namun Dia teguh karena tahu bahwa Bapa selalu bersama Dia. Tuhan juga berjanji tidak akan pernah meninggalkan kita (Ibr. 13:5).

2. Setia menghadiri persekutuan dan kebaktian gereja. Tuhan tahu bahwa sebagai manusia, kita bisa merasa sepi dan lemah. Itu sebabnya Ia menebus kita sebagai sebuah umat/gereja, bukan sendirian. Dimana dua tiga orang berkumpul, disitu Tuhan hadir. Ini berarti Tuhan sangat mendorong perkumpulan anak-anakNya untuk beribadah.

3. Memperhatikan sesama manusia. Orang yang kesepian cenderung memikirkan keadaan dirinya. Kita bisa mengubah arah hidup ketika mulai berpikir tentang kebutuhan orang lain. Dengan memperhatikan orang lain, kita merasakan adanya kasih Tuhan dalam hati. Dengan demikian, kita tidak akan kesepian. Sebaliknya, ketika kita minta diperhatikan, kita hanya memikirkan diri sendiri, dan ini yang menyebabkan kesepian.

KESIMPULANPerasaan sepi bukanlah sesuatu yang

baik atau buruk. Kita tidak harus merasa bangga atau malu ketika merasa sepi. Kese-pian merupakan sebuah keadaan yang bisa diubah dan digunakan untuk hal yang baik. Misalnya: ketika merasa sepi, kita berdoa pada Tuhan, kita belajar setia ke gereja, memperhatikan sesama kita, melayani Tuhan, mendoakan orang lain, mengerjakan hal-hal yang penting dan berguna. Seperti pemazmur yang merasa kesepian dan putus asa, kekosongan jiwanya dipuaskan dan diisi dengan kehadiran Tuhan. Ia mengalahkan kesepian melalui “doa kepada Allah yang hidup” (Mazmur 42). [RA]

GOD is with US

The Lord is a never failing friend. It’s in the Bible, Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV. “The Lord Himself goes be-fore you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

When lonely because someone you love has died, God is with you. It’s in the Bible, Psalm 23:4, TLB. “Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way.”

If parents reject us, God never will. It’s in the Bible, Psalm 27:10, TLB. “For if my father and mother should abandon me, You would welcome and comfort me.”

God will never leave us orphaned. It’s in the Bible, John 14:18, TLB. “No, I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm—I will come to you.”

We are never totally alone. It’s in the Bible, Hebrews 13:5, NIV. “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”

source:http://en.bibleinfo.com/topics/topic.html?id=171


�ave you noticed that you aren’t the only one talking to your teen? I don’t mean your teen’s friends or teachers,

as influential as those conversations are. No, I am talking about the people whose faces you will never see, the ones behind the thousands of advertising messages that bombard our young people every day.

I am thinking of the filmmakers, TV produc-ers and thousands of special interest groups who know (sometimes better than Mom and Dad) that our teenagers are the future. They are working from this pragmatic belief: “Teach the teenagers how to think and you own the future.”

Thankfully, many parents are wary about the messages their sons and daughters are getting, even while realizing it’s virtually impossible to fi lter these messages from a teen’s experience. However, that might not be all bad. If the sheer persistence of these messages forces us as parents to teach our teen-agers how to think about life and learn to filter messages for themselves, then we have given our young people the ability to think critically. And, hopefully, our teens also will be trained to defend their faith in a world increasingly hostile to family values and Christian faith.

There are not two realities, but only one reality, and that is the reality of God, which has become manifest in Christ in the reality of the world. — Di-etrich Bonhoeffer

�� by Marc Fey (Director of Christian Worldview and The Truth Project)

Pparenting


Just five years ago we might not have been having a conversation about society’s messages. Sure, we knew that the media influence wasn’t necessarily good for our teens, but few of us knew just how bad it was for them. There is one term that helps us understand the profound impact today’s culture has on our kids: worldview. This term was popularized by The Barna Group’s recent research, which shockingly reported that only 9 percent of born-again Christians have a biblical worldview. There’s a buzz around the term worldview. This is good news for parents because when we look at media issues (and the myriad of other issues facing our teens) from a worldview, we are addressing root causes of belief and behavior. Let’s start by looking at some foundational definitions for worldview.

��

Have a solid definition of worldview and biblical worldview. To begin, we must define worldview. Focus on the Family’s The Truth Project uses the following working definition: “A worldview is a comprehensive set of truth claims that purport to paint a true picture of reality. A comprehensive biblical worldview is one that includes and fundamentally understands God’s truth claimed over every area of life. Our personal worldview is the total set of truth claims that we have bought,

consciously or subconsciously, which drive our emotions and what we think and do in unguarded moments — reflecting what we believe to be really real.”— Del Tackett

Know what is the core distinction: truth vs. lie. Answer the question, “What is really real?” The first step in engaging your teen around the topic of worldview is to ask him the provocative question, “What is really real?” I recently asked one teen this ques-tion. After his initial look of “What kind of question is that?” he realized that I wanted a sincere answer. His second look was more contemplative. At that point, I knew I had hooked him. His first answer: “I think what’s really real is what I can touch, put my hand on. I can see it, feel it, know it is real.” Now it was my turn to say, “Hmm. Is that so?” And with that we were off on an odyssey of discussing what a world-view is and what undergirds how we think about the most important ques-tions of life, meaning and existence. By the way, as you might have noticed from this teen’s response, it was a typical naturalist worldview. If it can’t be proven by science, then it cannot be considered definitively “real.” I followed his comment with: “Is justice real? How do I prove that?” This is why God’s Word is the source of all primary truth. Because it speaks to all the questions about who God is, who man is, what is right and other core questions of human existence, the Bible must always be the defining reference point for all primary truth.

1

2


Focus on the nature of God: the ultimate truth experience. Because truth is a person, Jesus Christ, the most important component of a Christian worldview is knowing God. For this reason, we say that all truth is rooted in the nature of God. In fact, thinking like a Christian produces the most important action of all: loving God. When we think right, we do right. For this reason (all primary truth comes from the nature of God), we see everything in life as sacred. There are no dichotomies between religious truth and other truths. It all belongs to God, and God’s truth bears on all of life. All of life.

�� Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.(Romans 12:1-2, NIV) The most important skill you can teach your teen is the renewing of his mind. The mistake many parents make is to try to renew their teen’s mind for him. Renewing the mind is a day-to-day process of thinking biblically. You might

remember in our last issue we talked about how to choose God’s reality as the Bible defines it rather than alternate and counterfeit versions of reality. The car commercial that promises significance through horsepower and luxury is presenting a “truth claim” that is counter to the truth claims of the Bible. The world is full of counterfeit truth claims, but you can teach your teen to live according to God’s reality. When the mind is renewed, God’s will and reality become clearer. You may be thinking, But how do I teach my teen the skill of renewing the mind? To get started, you should first pre-pare your teen.�

�� Begin by making sure your teen has the right set of expectations. Some people approach God’s Word with the wrong set of expectations. For example, does the Bible promise that if you follow all the commandments, you will have no struggles in life? Of course not. But it’s not uncommon for a person to read the Bible with this kind of faulty expectation. When your daughter opens the Bible, what should she expect? Teach her to look for who God is and what His world is really all about. Next, help her understand that read-ing the Bible is having a conversation with God. As she reads, she can look for things that apply to her own circumstances and place in life. The next step in helping your teen to renew their mind is to give them a bibli-cal perspective.

3


�� Put God’s Word into the context of your teen’s everyday life.Many parents make the mistake of assuming their teen’s world is the same as their own world. Start by looking closely at your teen’s world. Walk in his shoes. Listen to the messages he gets when he walks into the classroom every day where a biblical worldview is challenged. Consider the effect of video games he plays or TV he watches. Your first challenge is to step back and evaluate the

messages your son is getting throughout the day. Next, help your son gain a bibli-cal perspective on these messages. Ask:

• “What did you hear today that would have sounded out of place at our dinner table?” • “What are the promises that you heard on TV tonight? Are they true?” • “What message does that video game convey?”

Speak about God’s truth in contrast to the other messages. You might say: “The Bible says you and I are going to live forever, and we have a unique opportunity every day to do things that will last into eternity. What do you think we could do today that would last forever?” Or, “When God looks at you, what does He see?” In addition to helping your teen gain a biblical perspective, you should also teach them about spending personal time with God.

��Help your teen carve out regular,

daily time with God to study the Bible and pray. When I

was a new Christian at the age of 17, a Young Life leader said to me, “If you read your Bible every day, God will tell you all kinds of things that will help you know how to live your life!” Boy, that got my attention.


Encourage (don’t nag) your teen to commit to a specific time every day. Have him pick the time and spot. In my own parenting, this challenge led my wife and me to talk with our 14-year-old son about canceling all the video game time for the rest of the school year to make room in his life for prayer. Commitment takes sacrifice. Here are other suggestions:

• Start out small (perhaps 10 or 15 minutes to begin). Divide the time into three simple activities: 1. Pray (ask God to speak through His Word and to give understanding) 2. Read 3. Reflect (ask “What did I just hear or learn about who God is and what His world is like?”) • Learn the art of asking great questions. Jesus asked so many good questions. In fact, He often answered a question with a question!

Start by carving out time for you and your teen to talk. Engage your teen with life questions that apply directly to your teen’s circumstances. For example, you might ask, “Have you ever read anything in the Bible that might apply to that?” or “Have you looked at Proverbs to see what God might have to say about that?” What you can’t do is ask a ques-tion that has an obvious answer or that implies you already know what the right answer is, kind of a “warmer, warmer” sort of hunt for the answer. Make the question a legitimate one so your son finds the answer on his own.

Of course, there are no hard and fast rules. Recently my son accompanied me on a business trip where we had a heart-to-heart talk. I was ready with life questions to get us talking. Before I started rattling off the questions, I asked God what He thought I should focus on. His answer surprised me: “Ask him what was his favorite part of the day.” Another important part of helping your teen to renew his mind is spending quality time with God’s people.

�� Learning from God’s Word is a corpo-rate activity. Your teen should learn from God’s Word with other people, starting with you. Listen to Dr. Dobson or another radio teacher on a regular basis, discuss Sunday’s sermon at the dinner table on Tuesday or attend a family camp this summer. Psychologists say your teen’s peer group is important to his development as a person.

��

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��


Find rich environments where your teen can learn from God’s Word with his peer group. Often that will be a Bible-focused youth group, but it also might be a Bible study you start in your home, or a conference teens attend together. Continually evaluate the quality of the teaching and converse with your teen about what he is learning. Finally, in helping your teen to be-gin renewing their mind, emphasize the importance of the quest for truth.

�� Discovering what it means to live out our faith is a lifelong journey as we integrate what we believe with every area of life. God will be with us, which is the most important part of the quest. Teach your teen that God desires to reveal His truth to us. God is personal. He talks to us all the time: through cre-ation, through others, and most clearly through His Word. We can trust God’s Word, expecting that He will do what He promises: speak to us, lead us, provide for us, give us everything we need for life and godli-ness in Christ Jesus. Share your own quest with your teen so he knows the power of your story. Learning to think like a Christian requires renewing the mind. Teaching your teen how to do this and live ac-cording to God’s will — and why that’s important — might be the best gift you can give. [TA]

Source: Focus on Your Child (A Ministry of Focus on the Family)www.focusonyourchild.com/faith/reallyreal/

Take off your mask, my friend,The masquerade will soon be over,And the air is getting colderThere is no need to pretend.

We’ve been here for a long, long time,On the stage we looked so fine.But who knows what we’ll become,When the final hour comes?

Take off your mask, my friend,Now that we can almost see the end,Aren’t you just a little bit tiredOf this life you once desired?

Take off your mask, my friend,Let’s see each other face to face,And walk together hand in handTo finish this never ending race!

the ultimate blues

God is my help in every need;God does my every hunger feed;God walks beside me, guides my way,Through every moment of the day.

I now am wise, I now am true,Patient, kind, and loving too.All things I am, can do, and be,Through Christ, the Truth that is in me.

God is my health, I can’t be sick;God is my strength, unfailing, quick;God is my all, I know no fear,Since God and Love and Truth are here.

poems by: Tante Mona


FAITH, GOD, AND ROCK & ROLL follows the phenomena of Christian artists who

do not label themselves as ‘Christian artists;’ believing that labels discourage many from listening to their potentially

life-changing music. These artists love God with all their hearts as they try to make a difference in a beautiful world full of corrupted people and dreadful problems. They have not turned their

backs on their faith and have continued to maintain their musical integrity. In

reality, people seem to reject the Christian music industry, but they are not rejecting Christ because “the artists write and sing

actually witnesses to their fans, laying seeds for people searching for relief to

confusion and pain” as Mark Joseph references from Dave Mustaine. It is the label ‘Christian music’ that they seem to

shy away from, or even avoid.

Rreview

by: Marcia Japutra

Author: Mark Joseph ISBN: 1860744656 (paperback) Publisher: Sanctuary Publ., Ltd. List price: $13.95 Thickness: 288 pages Size: 7.3" x 6.0" x 0.8"

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• Creed was “advancing through its music with a generally Judeo-Christian worldview and specifically, Christian-centered worldview that had long been kept on the fringes of mainstream American media, and especially in the world of rock music”.

• P.O.D. was “out in front of a new movement of people of faith into mainstream rock, away from the wild excess of the founders of rock and pious escapism of the Christian music industry…Moreover, their mission was to take their music and their message to the world”.

• Lifehouse finds “that worshipful songs written for their Cod could be understood and appreciated so long as labels were avoided and the work was done in the mainstream culture by artists who had learned to speak its language and allowed their music to be primary agent of communicating their faith.”

• MxPx “was living proof that rock music played well, combined with lyrics that reflected deep Christian convictions, could indeed win the attention of the culture if it wasn’t a gimmick and the passion for faith was matched by a passion for the craft of rock music”.

• Destiny’s Child is a group with a clear mission even though the delivery was sometimes conflicting. Michelle Williams said, “I know we sing R&B…but we don’t promote premarital sex, drugs and alcohol or do those things. I’m here to help change the world – not have the world change me”.

The ‘Bones’ of the Book“A small but growing number of

Christian musicians are fighting to be heard within mainstream culture – and turning the music world upside down in the process. They confound categorization, marrying spiritually informed lyrics with musical styles that have traditionally been hostile to the Christian message. Rather than being doomed to obscurity in the Christian music subculture, they achieve full impact through integration.”

The group P.O.D. (Payable on Death) “did not consider itself ‘Christian band’ making ‘Christian music.’” Instead as a group, they saw themselves as “Christians making music about their lives, including their love for God, in the center of popular culture.” P.O.D. had signed with Atlantic Record in hopes that they shun away from the marginalizing terms that eventually keep their music away from the Non-Christians.

Many artists have gone on the same direction as P.O.D did when it comes to avoiding the marginalizing terms that may keep their music away from the non-Christians.“To call something ‘Christian’ implies that what that organization has to offer is only for Christians;” they wanted their music to be available to everyone so that it may become a stepping stone for non-believers towards knowing Christ. “Warner Brothers executive Barry Landis worked hard to allow artists such as Plus One and P.O.D. to have access to both mainstream and Christian-owned bookstores and to be accessible to the entire culture without limiting labels”.


• Jars of Clay “had conclusively proved… that people of faith could indeed make great rock music that could also be enjoyed by people who didn’t necessarily share that faith, but were still open to hearing about their spiritual journey; especially when that journey was wrapped up in shared experiences, feelings, and appealing music”.

• Mary Mary “reflect a new generation of Afro-American artists who refuse to disappear in to gospel music or change their Christian beliefs".

“Faith, God, and Rock & Roll” is an intriguing look at the beliefs and motives of Christians who have decided to use their musical talents in the mainstream market. While recounting the success of mainstream bands such as P.O.D., Lifehouse and Sixpence None the Richer, Joseph’s book outlines the growing trend of Christian rock artists opting to enter the secular market rather than stay in the Christian music industry.

The message of Joseph’s book can be taken two ways: As a battle cry for the “roar-ing lambs,” who are shining light into the dark world of secular rock music or a slam on the practices of the Christian music industry. The term “roaring lambs” came from the book by the same title penned by the late Bob Briner, who challenged Christians to influence modern culture by using their talents to offer an alternative to, rather than criticize, secular media. The Christian music industry, according to Joseph, is made up of the record labels that eschew secular culture and promote artists who sing of God to fellow church-goers.

Enticing are the testimonies of Christian artists who cite the reasons they left the Christian music industry for the mainstream. Enthralling are the stories of artists who are Christians, yet sidestepped the Christian music industry altogether.

On the side of Christian music converts are P.O.D., MxPx and Lifehouse, while U2’s Bono, Lenny Kravitz and Alice Cooper are featured as artists who claim to believe in Christ, but never entertained the idea of entering Christian music. Many give the reason that they believe their music is for everyone, not a select few (the church). Others, like Kendall Payne, say that this is their chance to be “salt and light” in darkness.

Joseph contends that many artists avoid the Christian music industry because of its proclivity to sing to the choir. He cites the record label executives as “unwilling or unable” to help Christian artists reach people who don’t share their faith. He equates Christian music to “cultural obscurity.”

Whichever side of “Faith, God, and Rock & Roll” you land on, one thing is for sure: This book is going to generate a lot of heated discussion about Christians in mainstream music forsaking their Christian values and Christian music artists not fulfilling Jesus’ commission. Get the aspirin.

from Christian Music Planet: A review by Carol Crenshaw

“For the first time, on a mass scale in the middle of the popular entertainment culture, rock was getting religion – understanding its power to transform, engage, and illuminate a generation hungering for spiritual renewal, enlightenment, and ultimate meaning”. [MJ]

www.christianmusicplanet.com/magazine/viewarticle.asp?id=182


Eevent ——————————————————————————————

The Graduates on a Rollby: Janice Atmadja

In this year, like any other year, several youths from IEC Azusa enter the next steps into adulthood…the journey to college! Our college-bound youths share with us which college they’re going to, what their major will be, and their feelings about the road ahead.

Graduate: Cleve HoseaCollege: University of California, RiversideMajor: BiochemistryWhy this college: It’s the farthest away from

home… >.<Things he’ll have most diffi culty with in

college: everything…Things he’ll miss the most about home life:

food…Wisdom shared from the now offi cial

“adult”: Stay strong and work hard!Favorite quote: “Do or Do Not”Shoutouts: To everyone, “I LOVE YOU!!”


Graduate: Rachel AtmadjaCollege: Cal Poly San Luis ObispoMajor: ArchitectureWhy this college: “I visited its open house. It was

so impressive when it came to reputation, the people were nice, and the location is great. I love it!”

Things she’ll have most diffi culty with in college: night-owls rock :) (staying awake)

Things you’ll miss the most about home life: I’ll miss my biological and my church family, my dogs, and rice.

Wisdom shared from the now offi cial “adult”: Give all credit to God.

Favorite quote: “Speak now, or forever hold your peace.”

Shoutouts: To Mom and Dad, Janice and Chris, “Thank you for being patient with me every time I’m in a sour mood. I will miss you guys!”

Graduate: Marcia JaputraCollege: California State University of LAMajor: MathWhy this college: food and more family

members and friends around the area. Great teaching program.

Things she’ll have most diffi culty with in college: staying away from traffi c :P

Things she’ll miss the most about home life: Nothing, possibly free books :P

Wisdom shared from the now offi cial “adult”: Don’t over stress and burn out because there are still a lot more ahead of you.

Favorite quote: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8)

Shoutouts: to my Dad and Mom and brother, “Thank you for all your love, support, and encouragements.”

______________________

______________________


Graduate: Carmen SeethoCollege: University of California IrvineWhy this college: it’s closer and it’s friendlier.Things she’ll have most diffi culty with in

college: no more cool cousins!___ Winna Siti

Things she’ll miss about home life: Like 12 people living in my house and hanging out with them.

Wisdom shared from the now offi cial “adult”: Um…high school is cool, life is cool, and God is very cool!

Favorite quote: “Silly rabbit, trix are for kids!”Shoutouts: to Mom, “Hey!”

Last but not least are our graduates from middle school to high school. Say hello to our new FRESHMEN!! [JA]

Joanna Setiawan and Sabrina Oei

Christopher Atmadja

Jason Kawilarang and Albert Halim

______________________


Cculinary ————————————————————————

Looking forGood Eats?

by: Janice Atmadja

—————————————

Good Eats?B ored of eating at the same restaurants

for your special occasions? Are you

short on variety and choices? For this

month, Agape has done a little restaurant-scouting

and one restaurant that stood out from the rest is

a restaurant on the corner of Fullerton and Colima,

the server of exotic Thai cuisine, Baimon.

The Atmosphere: “Very home-like.”Baimon is a small, relaxing restaurant located right behind the already famous Banana

Bay. It is less visible than its neighbor, but little Baimon is certainly attracting diners’ attentions to their pungent, spice-full dishes. If you like the pungent taste of thai spice in your mouth, then this restaurant is for you. Baimon does not sacrifice price for taste. Its reasonably-prized dishes may be a little more expensive than Banana Bay, but its dishes are more authentic in flavor, and its presentation more pleasing to the eye.

The Dishes: “Authentic and Spice-full”The spicy papaya salad was perfect for an appetizer, it was exqui-

sitely-prepared. My initial reaction was to notice the sourness of the salad dressing, later to be counterbalanced by the papaya, small dried shrimps, and


the faint taste of peanut-sauce. Baimon’s fish dishes are cooked until the fish bones become soft and sautéed with a pungent sauce characteristic of Thai-food. For lovers of simple, classic Thai-dishes, the mint-leaf fried rice is more than filling. Noted for its spiciness, most diners asked that the mint-leaf fried rice be of medium-spiciness, since very few people could handle the dish at a ‘spicy’ level, not even my mother who likes to eat sambal terasi. Its Thai tea is apparently a very popular beverage with their customers; probably because the strong flavors in the food created a great thirst for this drink, which I also ordered. It certainly complements the meal and the whole feel of traditional Thai cuisine.

The ServiceThe service at the restaurant was not bad although they could use more

servers. Despite the shortage of servers, the food still came quickly. The tiny restaurant was still bustling at 8:30 p.m., they were so busy that the waitress left a pitcher of cold water for us to pour on our glasses because she had to seat the still-coming guests! So if you are tired of your usual weekend restaurants and are looking to explore, give Baimon a try! [JA]

Baimon Exotic Thai CuisineMon-Sun 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.1741 Fullerton Rd (corner of Fullerton & Colima)Rowland Heights, CA 91748Tel: (626) 964 6851 Fax: (626) 810 5838

orner of Fullerton & Colima)

What’s next? If you have any idea, favorite

restaurant, meal deal tips, anything! — please

write to us. We’l l gladly publ ish it in the

next edit ion! Just write to agape_gi [email protected], or give

it to any one of Agape staff members. Cheers!


Mmusic corner ——————————————————————————

(Pre-Chorus)And In Your eyes I can seeAnd in Your arms I will be

(Chorus)

(Bridge)Em G If only my one heart Am C2Was all you’d gain from all it cost Em G Well I know you would have still been a man AmWith a reason C2To willingly offer your life

(Ending)G D/F# C2 I am not just a man, vastly lost in this worldEm D/F# GLost in a Sea of Faces D/F# C2Your body’s the bread, Your blood is the wine Em D/F# AmBecause you traded Your life for mine C2 D/F# GJust one in a million faces

To the music-lovers: Agape will be devoting a musical section just for you starting with this

anniversary edition. The fi rst section is kindly provided by Jessica Kawilarang, who found the guitar chords for the hit Christian song “Sea

of Faces” by Kutless on the internet and has put it together with awesome lyrics. On the next edition, another musical piece will be featured, be it notes for a piano, violin, or any other instruments. Submissions of musical

pieces are encouraged and welcome, but the musical pieces must be Christian in nature. There will be a limit of one musical piece per edition. Please help

the Agape staff to keep this music section going!

Sea of Faces by Kutless

Capo 3

(Intro)G Cadd9 Em Cadd9

(Verse 1)G Cadd9 Em I see the city lights all around meCadd9Everyone’s obscureG Cadd9 Em Ten million people each with their problemsCadd9Why should anyone care

(Pre-Chorus) D/F# Em C2And in Your eyes I can see

(Chorus)G D/F# C2 I am not just a man, vastly lost in this worldEm D/F# GLost in a Sea of Faces D/F# C2Your body’s the bread, Your blood is the wine Em D/F# G Because you traded Your life for mine

(Verse 2)Sometimes my life it feels so trivialImmersed in the greatness of spaceYet somehow you still fi nd the time for meIt’s then You show me Your love

Sources: www.christianguitar.org

www.christianlyricsonline.com


“Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.”(St. Francis of Assisi)

“A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.”(Theodore Roosevelt)

“If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

(David Otis Fuller)

“You will never know that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you’ve got.”(Mother Teresa)

“I can contribute nothing to my own salvation, except the sin from which I need to be redeemed.”

(William Temple)

“Whatsoever we beg of God, let us also work for it.”(Jeremy Taylor)

“What our Lord said about cross-bearing and obedience is not in the fine type. It is in bold print on the face of the contract.”

(Vance Havner)

“Defend the Bible? I would just as soon defend a lion. Just turn the Bible loose. It will defend itself.”

(Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

“Keep praying, but be thankful that God’s answers are wiser than your prayers.”(William Culbertson)

“There’s nothing written in the Bible...that says if you believe in me, you ain’t going to have no troubles.”

(Ray Charles)


Dear Mommy Esther,

No words can express how much I love youI appreciate everything that you do

From the times I fell and got a bruise or cutTo the time you came in my room and you hit my butt

I know you punish me out of pure loveBut what I really need is just your loving hug.

Even when I didn’t need help you were always there for meYou never left me alone cause I know you care for me

Being your son is what I’m proud to beAnd I’ll love you always and forever

My love for you nothing could ever measure.

From your baby boy, Jason


Dear Mommy,

When I fall and stumbleYou were always there to pick me upI know I am troubleBut thank you for taking me with you...Mom... you’ve given life to meNow that I see....Just makes me want to tell you..That everything I’ve done it’s true...It’s just for you...When I was having troubleJust a coupleYou were there...And you cared...I’m sorry for the hard times...I’m sorry for my crimes...I know I’ve hurt youBut I’ve come to say...I love you...

From your baby boy, Albert

Dear Mommy Milka,

I will never forget all the things you’ve done for meYou really showed me what love really meant to meYou constantly watch over me and our familyFor this I owe you everythingNothing could repay your unconditional loveNot even the money in my bank accountNothing in the world could ever replace youThere’s nothing more I can sayFor the wonderful things you have done for meThe best mother is who you are, for what I’m thanking you.

From your baby boy, Duma


Word SearchQquiz ——————————————————————————————

Can you find the 18 words hidden in this jumble of letters? The fi rst person to fi nd all of these words and show it to cici Rachel Yao at

the church library on Sunday, 9/11/05, will get a free ice cream and a free candy!

(Participants must be 13 years old or younger, parents and/or older friends are strongly advised not to help. Be honest, God is watching.)

P H F F E R T B Q T D Y V Q T B R M E I L R T E W O W O M R Y I A O L A B S S I N G L X G C R H I I L T I Y H A S U H L I C T Z S A O K B B T R N X W S I J S M E E W Q R E G T W P U N G E I Z B F S W E M E Y I M Z N O I N S R E H C A E T H F T M T D D I U C X I K R Q S M F P L R Z N M E R H P S S R R A L A N R Y B P A S T O R O B M M R E Y A R P P Z T J M W B A Q M X S F I Z X T U P G G S S V Y M P Q H H S V F F H I S U N D A Y S C H O O L I H B

Words to Find:BAPTIZE DRAMAS MUSIC SUNDAYSCHOOLBIBLE FELLOWSHIP PASTOR TEACHERSCHOIR GOD PRAISE TESTAMENTDONATE MINISTRY PRAYER VOLUNTEERS SING WORSHIP

by: Rachel Yao


Hhumor —————————————————

- Why Adam Needed Eve -10. God worried that Adam would always be lost in the garden because

He knew men would never ask for directions. 9. God knew that Adam would one day need someone to hand him the TV

remote because men don‛t want to see what is on TV; they want to see WHAT ELSE is on TV.

8. God knew that Adam would never buy a new fig leaf when the seat wore out and therefore would need Eve to get one for him.

7. God knew that Adam would never make a doctor‛s appt for himself.

6. God knew that Adam would never remember which night was garbage night.

5. God knew that if the world was to be populated there would have to someone to bear children because men would never be able to handle it.

4. As Keeper of the Garden Adam would never remember where he put his tools.

3. The Scripture account of creation indicates that Adam needed someone to blame his troubles on when God caught him hiding in the garden.

2. As the Bible says, “It is not good for man to be alone”, he only ends up getting himself in trouble.

And the NUMBER ONE reason... 1. When God finished the creation of Adam he stepped back, scratched

his head and said, “I can do better than that.”

Ninja Billy characters are taken fromwww.ninjabilly.comLive by faith ~ Act with courage!


- 10 Things You Never Hear in Church -1. Hey! It‛s MY turn to sit on the front pew! 2. I was so enthralled, I never noticed your sermon went over time

25 minutes. 3. Personally, I fi nd witnessing much more enjoyable than golf. 4. I‛ve decided to give our church the $500.00 a month I used to

send to TV evangelists. 5. I volunteer to be the permanent teacher for the Junior High

Sunday School class. 6. Forget the denominational minimum salary: let‛s pay our pastor

so s/he can live like we do. 7. I love it when we sing hymns I‛ve never heard before! 8. Since we‛re all here, let‛s start the worship service early! 9. Pastor, we‛d like to send you to this Bible seminar in the Bahamas. 10. Nothing inspires me and strengthens my commitment like our

annual stewardship campaign!

- Died in the Service - A young lad was vising a church for the fi rst time, checking all the announcements and posters along the walls. When he came to a group of pictures of men in uniform, he asked a nearby usher, “Who are all those men in the pictures?” The usher replied, “Why, those are our boys who died in the service.” Dumbfounded, the youngster asked, “Was that the morning service or evening service?”

- Hilarious Quotes - Some ministers would make good martyrs; they are so dry they would burn well. (Charles Haddon Spurgeon) A young girl once confessed to her priest that she thought she was guilty of the sin of pride. She said, “When I look in the mirror, I think I am beautiful.” The priest said, “That‛s not a sin, that‛s a mistake.”(Rev. James Whitcomb Brougher, Sr.) You know it‛s going to be a boring service when the ushers ask for your espresso order as they had you a bulletin (Bill Jones) Some people say, “I go to church, so I am a Christian.” But that‛s like saying if you go to McDonald‛s you are a Quarter Pounder (Adam Christing) They have Dial-a-Prayer for atheists now. You can call up and it rings and rings but nobody answers. (Tommy Blaze)


bosan, lelah - gii-usa.org · seperti rasul paulus mengucap syukur ... aku ini pembosan, tidak...

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