ONE BODY, MANY MEMBERS

The Role of Members in the Church
1 Cor 12:12-27, For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

The human body is an amazing creation of God. It is marvelously complex yet unified, with unparalleled harmony and interrelatedness. When the members of the human body do not function in harmony it is due to an injury or disease. Without unity we are as productive for Christ as a human body that has a disease that makes the head incapable of coordinating proper bodily function.

The scripture above tells us there are many members to the body. There are many different parts but only one body. So also is the church, the body of Christ. The church is a body with many members, with Christ as its head. We are one with Christ. We became one with Christ through the baptism into Christ.

Paul imagines parts of the human body talking to each other. The members are feeling discontented. They feel inferior. Their gift was not prominent and therefore they were discontented, they felt insignificant. They may have wanted the gift of exhortation instead of labour. Or maybe it was the quality of their gift; they may have the gift of teaching, but there were others in the churches that were more gifted at teaching.

This attitude of inferiority is not one of humility. In fact it is a selfish, self-centered attitude that feels that you are not needed because you don't have a more prominent gift. There are no insignificant members in the body. The work of the church is also to be Christlike; to do what Christ did when he was here! He taught large crowds on occasion but for the most part he spent his time ministering to individuals, caring for people, one on one. We too can minister to individuals. To encourage, strengthen and help people, to teach them the truth of God's word, to transform them. The church does not just function on Sunday morning. It goes on out there all week. We come to church to worship God and thereafter continue to live for Christ. That is what Paul is arguing here. We are only kidding ourselves if we say that because we cannot lead, or teach, or preach, we are not a part of the body and do not have a function within it. This is an important word of encouragement for all of us. We are all needed.

Every part of your body, no matter how insignificant or inferior it may seem, has a distinctive and important function to fulfill. It would be a ridiculous body if every member did the same thing. Each has received some gifts or talents on which the others depend. Your talents are useful! Paul goes on to encourage them even further by saying that every member has their place in the church.

The eye does not decide that it is going to see, God gives it that ability. The ear does not develop its own ability to hear, it was given that ability by God and placed on the side of the head to function in that position.

Exodus 4:11 So the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?

God has placed the members in the body as it has pleased Him. He is the one who gives us our abilities and positions. We are who we are, and where we are because of the talents and gifts God has endowed us with. Questioning our gifts is like questioning God.

Rom 9:20-21 … who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honourable use, and another for common use? NKJV

God not only gave you the talent you have but he also added you to his church.
It should forever settle the question of feeling insignificant as part of the body.

There is another side of the issue - the attitude of pride, an independent spirit. (verse 21) They were considering others of little value. So Paul gives them some principles of body life to rebuke their attitude of arrogance.

Individualism is appealing because the natural man does not like depending on or obeying others. The philosophy that we are basically self-sufficient and do not need anyone else is the opposite of God's will for man. In a body the greater members are dependant upon the lesser members. This is a great principle to learn because it makes us appreciative of those who are working with us in the ministry.

What happens to a member if you remove it from the body? It dies. What happens to the body if you remove a member? It is either crippled or it dies depending on which member you remove. When some of the members don't do their part others have to compensate for them. The body can compensate for the members that do not function properly but it will never function to its full potential without every member doing their part.

Paul talks about giving honour to those parts of the body by clothing them. The more you cloth a body and adorn a body the more honor you give it. There is this inbuilt tendency in human life to try to augment those parts that are less honorable. Notice how the Apostle puts it, "parts we think less honorable." They are not, really. It is just our idea of them that makes them appear that way.

The "but" in the middle of verse 24 brings the argument back to God's sovereign purpose. By saying that God "has given greater honour to the part which lacks it." Paul seems to be saying that God has caused us to protect our unpresentable parts from exploitation by properly covering them. It is normal and natural for the body to look out for its weaker parts, to protect and care for them.

When we begin to understand what the church is, as God sees it to be, this will be the result. You will begin to have the same care for one another. You will stop saying that teachers and leaders are all-important. You will see that God works the whole body together in a beautifully articulated and coordinated way.

In Ephesians 4:11-16, Paul wrote, "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love".

There is a common goal in the Body of Christ. The goal is the growth of the body. As we do our individual part, this causes the growth of the body. The Body is responsible for the building up of itself in love as it ministers to each member.

God has chosen for this growth to occur in the church. He has chosen to put us together in a spiritual body of believers where we can learn to be like Him. He has given gifted leaders to equip us for ministry. He has called us to attain a unity of the faith. He has called us to become mature, to be like Christ. He has called us to speak the truth in love to one another, and thus grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ.

Concern for one another ought to be the hallmark of the Christian community. This is certainly true of the physical body. All the members work together to protect and care for one another. If you try to punch me in the face my arm will respond and attempt to stop you, because my arm cares about what happens to my face. If my arm is unable to stop the punch my whole body will weep with my face.

We belong together and we suffer together. Individually and collectively, we are Christ's very body, the church for whom he died. Every church is fully equipped to serve the Lord, to carry on the ministry he began. There is no place in the body for discontentment, or envy, or jealousy. And there is no place in the body for pride or arrogance. The sovereign God has given us the gift he wants us to have and placed us where he wants us to use it.

We all need to serve the Lord effectively but if those members don't work in harmony with the head or if they simply refuse to work the body is crippled and frustrated.

HOSTING A JAPANESE YOUTH

Promoting International Understanding through youth exchange programme

“To create and foster a spirit of understanding among the people of the world”. - The goal of the Youth Exchange programme by Lions Club International

This month, my family and I had the privilege of hosting a 17 year old youth from Japan by the name of Naoto Kaji, a fine young adult who is adaptable and friendly. His arrival followed my son’s visit to Norway last December where he spent a month with 4 hosting families experiencing their culture and way of life as well as promoting Malaysia to the host families. Such is the noble objective of the youth exchange programme which is arranged yearly by the Lions Club International of which I am a member - to spread international goodwill and understanding among the youths and the hosting families. And this was so with us as we have come to know Naoto personally and to like him.
Arriving the evening of the 2nd of August with 12 others, Naoto was received by me and my children at the KLIA. In the beginning he was very quiet but he began to warm up as time goes by. He understands English when spoken slowly and is good at games. The first night upon reaching home, he was immediately introduced to a neighbour who, together with my children, happily invited him to play musical instruments like the guitar and a drum set, break-dancing and other activities. He had a few tricks up his sleeve as well.
During the time he was with us he also attended my sons’ secondary school (Sri KL). We had the permission of the Principal to allow him to attend classes and experience the Malaysian way of education. My two boys enjoyed his presence and so did the rest of us. They played together, and my eldest boy’s classmates even spent a whole evening with him shopping, ice-skating and bowling at the Sunway Pyramid shopping centre.
He joined us for bible class, and has been to the Lake Gardens, PutraJaya and KLCC. He spent three days at the YE camp in Trolak Resort, Perak, organised by the Lions Club where he was able to fellowship with youths from various countries and participate in lots of camp activities. We also brought him canoeing around the lake at Putrajaya.
Naoto is the eldest son in his family of 4. His father is working in the construction sector while his mother is a home-maker. We discovered that he is a fast learner and knows how to adapt and enjoy his stay. The students of Sri KL were very happy to welcome him and they involved him in their activities. This was a surprise reception to a youth whom they knew for the first time. And indeed, this is a testimony of the effectiveness of the Youth Exchange Programme.
The day before we transferred him to his new host family in SS2, we took him canoeing at the Putrajaya wetlands, something which we had long intended to do. Not only was rowing around the lake fun, it was also a good respite from the routine of school work and hectic life. We told ourselves to do this more often.
Naoto has endeared himself to us and we will miss him. We will be there to send him off at the farewell dinner in the honour of all youths from around the world next week. We trust that he will bring home with him lots of wonderful experiences, happy memories and plenty of stories to share with his family and friends.
We send our best wishes to him and his family.

11.08.06

SEMINAR ON PARENTING SKILLS

“COMMUNICATING POSITIVELY & CONSTRUCTIVELY WITH YOUR CHILDREN”

At a seminar on the above subject, organised by CEFL, parents were given some ideas of how to strategise communicating with their children as a means to develop constructive relationships and minimise hindrances to their progress. Our guest speaker was Dr Goh Chee Leong, the Director and Head of HELP University’s Centre for Psychology, who lectures on a broad range of courses, including motivation and counselling psychology, and also works as a corporate trainer, specialising in conflict resolution.
Dr Goh gave an arresting talk, analysing the various ways we can and do communicate with our children and giving food for thought to all present.
He started by looking at the purpose of communication and identified three main areas for consideration: conveying a message, sharing feelings and building relationships. He focused particularly on building relationships which he characterised as making connections with the other party. Parents can and should communicate with their children both to encourage and strengthen a relationship and, importantly, to steer children towards an end objective which parents have identified. In other words the person they would like their child to be when he/she grows up. To achieve this, Dr Goh encouraged parents to have a regular ‘retreat’ where they discuss and agree how they can best help their children to move towards the objective they have agreed upon. And it’s not just a matter of considering academic attainment or career options; parents must make a conscious effort to identify important characteristics and values that they want their children to acquire. These characteristics may be compassion, a concern for health (physical and emotional), an appreciation of the value of education, spirituality, integrity, independence, etc.
There must be unity of mind between parents. At the same time punishment meted out must be consistent with the value parents are trying to instil. Be careful about misplaced anger, which is destructive. Parental expectations must be appropriate to the child’s age and ability.
Dr Goh discussed 5 ways of communicating with children.
Positive–Conditional, parents offer praise and rewards for the accomplishment of the child. For example, when the child does well in exams, parents may then encourage him/her by saying ‘well done’ or rewarding with a present. The child has done something to deserve recognition and such recognition must be meaningful.
Positive-Unconditional is what parents give without a need for the child to achieve or perform something e.g. a vacation for the family or just an expression of love. Parents must be careful not to use love as a discipline tool or punishment. Parental love cannot be linked to a child’s action or else it may affect his/her self-esteem. Further it is useful for the child to spend some quality time with the parent on a one-to-one basis without the presence of other siblings.
Negative-Conditional takes the form of punishment to promote adherence to values established. The child then understands when he/she has crossed certain defined boundaries or has been guilty of unacceptable behaviour. Punishment may take the form of omission-training as in depriving the child of certain privileges like TV or computer access. But parents should be careful not to mete out punishment based on mood or in anger. Parents should also be realistic when considering their children’s achievements and perhaps focus on the effort they have made as much as the result. And parents should always explain to their children why they are being punished.
Negative-Unconditional communication is unhealthy and unconstructive usually arising as a result of a flare up or moodiness. This is to be avoided and Dr Goh suggested various ways to reduce the stress that can cause this kind of outburst. This includes buffer time e.g. reflective moments travelling home from work, physical exercise, a happy hour drink, listening to some music, etc.
The most unwelcome of all is NO communication.
It seems some parents are not talking with their children very much – and when they do say something to them, it's not likely to increase their sense of self-worth. We must change this dismal state of parent-child interaction by changing how and why we speak with our children every day. We must have more real conversations, in which we show a genuine interest in their world and we share our world with them. Telling and showing our children how much we love and appreciate who they are should become a natural habit.
Dr Goh then took questions from the audience and there was good participation from everyone. There were useful ideas for everyone to take home and try on their children. While we do not learn good parenting skills in school or through a formal learning process, nevertheless we must make a conscious effort to set a good example and to chart our children’s future. The effectiveness of the seminar prompted a suggestion from parents for CEFL to organise seminars for teenage children.

LEAVING OUR FIRST LOVE

25th July 2006








Rev 2:1-7,

'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." '

IT IS A GREAT THING to be commended like the church at Ephesus —"I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted." We may feel thankful if we can humbly and honestly say, that this testimony applies to us. Happy is the man whose works are known and accepted of Christ. He is no idle Christian, he has practical godliness; he seeks by works of piety to obey God's whole law, by works of charity to manifest his love to the brotherhood, and by works of devotion to show his attachment to the cause of his Master. "I know thy works." Some of us cannot get so far as that. Jesus Christ himself can bear no witness to our works, for we have not done any. We are Christians by profession, but we are not Christians as to our practice. Happy is that man to whom Christ can say, "I know thy works." It is a compliment worth a world to have as much as that said of us. But further, Christ said, "and thy labour."

Many were they in the apostle's days that did works for Christ; but the apostle Paul was in the forefront in labouring for souls. It is not work merely, it is anxious work; it is casting forth the whole strength, and exercising all the energies for Christ. Could the Lord Jesus say as much as that of us—"I know thy labour?" No. He might say, "I know your loitering; I know your laziness; I know your shirking of the work; I know your boasting of what little you do; I know your ambition to be thought something of, when you are nothing." But it is more than most of us dare to hope that Christ could say, "I know your labour."
But further, Christ says, "I know thy patience." Now there be some that labour, and they do it well. But what does hinder them? They only labour for a little season, and then they cease to work and begin to faint. But this church had laboured on for many years; it had thrown out all its energies in an unabated zeal for the glory of God. "I know thy patience." I tremble to think how few out of this congregation could win such praise as this. "I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil."

I am afraid we have not enough of patience, enough of labour, and enough of good works, to get even as much as this said of us. But it is in this next text, I fear the majority of us must find our character. "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou has left thy first love."

What is our first love?
What did Andrew do when he first discovered the Lord - John 1:41? Similarly what did Philip first do when he discovered the Lord"? John 1:45; What did the Samaritan woman in John 4 first do when she discovered the Jesus? John 4:28,29. What did Matthew do? Matt. 9:9. What did Paul first do? Gal 1:17-22, etc
It is that first love that you and I must confess I am afraid we have in a measure lost. Let us just see whether we have it. When we first loved the Saviour how earnest we were; there was not a single thing in the Bible that we did not think most precious; there was not one command of his that we did not think to be like fine gold and choice silver. How happy we used to be in the ways of God. Our love was of that happy character that we could sing all day long; but now our religion has lost its lustre, the gold has become dim; we know that when we come to the Lord’s table how often without enjoying it. There was a time when every bitter thing was sweet; whenever we hear the Word, it was all precious to us.

The Ephesians had left their first love for God. Although they still maintained the doctrines of religion, and opposed the advocates of error, they showed less ardour of affection towards him directly than they had formerly done. Loving God requires every part of us to return to that love from which we are loved by God. If our flame of love for Him is flickering, there is a need to discover a way to rekindle that fire and the love we have left.

The church, once so full of life and love, may become as cold as those that went before it, or as those from which it separated.

It is not uncommon that, when a church has lost the ardour of its first love, it may suffer decline, until "the candlestick is removed" - until either the church becomes wholly extinct, or until vital piety is wholly gone, and all that remains is the religion of forms.

The sin that Christ charged this church with was their decay and lack of love and zeal: Thou has left thy first love; not left and forsaken the object of it, but lost the fervent degree of it that at first appeared.

(1.) The first affections of men towards Christ, and holiness, and heaven, are usually lively and warm. Those days were so happy that our memory will never forget them, and therefore we can easily return to that first bright spot in our history. Oh, what love was that which I had to my Saviour the first time he forgave my sin.
(2.) Over time these lively affections may abate and cool if great care is not taken, and diligence used, to preserve them in constant exercise.
(3.) When that happens, Christ is grieved and displeased with his people when he sees them grow remiss and cold towards him.

The advice and counsel given them from Christ: Remember therefore whence thou hast fallen, and repent, etc.

Those that have lost their first love must remember from where they have fallen; they must compare their present with their former state, and consider how much better it was with them then than now, how much peace, strength, purity, and pleasure they have lost, by leaving their first love - how much more comfortably they could lie down and sleep at night - how much more cheerfully they could awake in the morning - how much better they could bear afflictions, and how much more they enjoy the favour of God - how much easier the thoughts of death were to them, and how much stronger their desires and hopes of heaven.

They must return and do their first works. They must as it were begin again, go back step by step, till they come to the place where they took the first false step; they must endeavour to revive and recover their first zeal, tenderness, and seriousness, and must pray as earnestly, and watch as diligently, as they did when they first set out in the ways of God.

This good advice is urged,

(A.) By a severe threatening, if it should be neglected: I will come unto thee quickly, and remove thy candlestick out of its place.
(B.) By mentioning what was yet good among them: This thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate, v. 6. The Nicolaitans were a loose sect who sheltered themselves under the name of Christianity. They held hateful doctrines, and they were guilty of hateful deeds, hateful to Christ and to all true Christians; and it was mentioned to the praise of the church of Ephesus that they had a just zeal and abhorrence of those wicked doctrines and practices.

We can never employ our faculty of hearing better than in listening to the word of God: and we may lose the crown of glory if we do not employ it to this purpose.

Ps 81:11-14,
11 "But My people would not heed My voice,
And Israel would have none of Me.
12 So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels.

13 "Oh, that My people would listen to Me,
That Israel would walk in My ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies,
And turn My hand against their adversaries.

We have a promise of great mercy to those who overcome. The Christian life is a warfare against sin, Satan, the world, and the flesh. We must never yield to our spiritual enemies, but fight the good fight, till we gain the victory, as all persevering Christians shall do; and the warfare and victory shall have a glorious triumph and reward. That which is promised here to the victors is that they shall eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God. All who persevere in their Christian trial and warfare shall derive from Christ, as the tree of life, perfection and holiness and happiness in the paradise of God; not in the earthly paradise, but the heavenly.

Has our love for God turned cold? "...because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved." Matthew 24:12
"...you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment." Mark 12:30

Loving from the heart involves an inner feeling of wanting to please Him seeking God’s grace and mercy and in doing good. With all our soul, our very being is to give attention to matters of spiritual importance and regard for its destination. With all our mind is to put on the mindset of Christ, a transformation from the old and to put on the new, a repentance from the worldly. With all our strength involves the overcoming of all evil influences and the ways of the world, preaching despite adversities, persecution, trials and tribulations.

2 Cor 5:14-15, For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Love towards Christ is reflected upon our nearness to him. It is just like the planets and the sun. Why are some of the planets cold? Why do they move at so slow a rate? Simply because they are so far from the sun: put them where the planet Mercury is, and they will be in a boiling heat, and spinning round the sun in rapid orbits. So, beloved, if we live near to Christ, we cannot help loving him: the heart that is near Jesus must be full of his love.

John 14:21-21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.... If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words...."

So translating one's love for Christ is to be actively serving him and keeping his commandments, preaching and encouraging as well caring for the needy? Keeping God’s words require us to be hospitable to guest, to preach the word and to fellowship with one another. How else do we know the concerns of members and help them in their time of need? How else do we express our love and concern for one another? How do we encourage one another?
Matt 28:19-20

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Yet sometimes we are too preoccupied with matters of administrative nature (housekeeping as it is usually termed) than to do the will of God. Like the early apostles we should not be pre-occupied with serving tables alone?

Acts 6:2-4, Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

Sometimes the priority may be distorted and we focussed on housekeeping matters. Martha in Luke 10:40-42 thought that her sister Mary was not sharing in the house chores and she was solely burdened with this task. “But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha , Martha , you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Let us chose the good part; the teachings of Christ are clear.

SEEK TO GET YOUR FIRST LOVE RESTORED.

"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Philippians 1:9-11

DESTINATION CHINA

A MUST VISIT

When I first made plans to travel to China it was intended for business purpose with two extra days thrown in for sight seeing. We booked a booth at the Franchise China Expo 2006 held at the World Trade Centre in Beijing an event sponsored by Matrade, a division of the Ministry of Trade entrusted to promote Malaysia to the world.

While we do not know what to expect having received mild success in Shanghai last year we nevertheless hope for the best. The exhibition spanned over 3 ½ days and was participated by some 200 companies, mainly Chinese organizations. Most of the companies exhibited the franchise of consumer products. Our booth drew much interest and we have a couple of serious enquiries with one making a visit to KL mid May to see first hand our business model.

The experience nevertheless left me with an even greater impact of what China has to offer in all aspect of our life. We have always known that China is big and the diversity it provides makes for interesting visit. But it is only until we see first hand do we understand the meaning of BIG. For those of us who are western educated, it is normal to place China last in our travel plans, and only when we have seen most of the western world do we make a beeline for China. This will however change when you step foot on the middle kingdom. Whether you are there for sight-seeing, business, education, shopping, a taste of its culture, food, art or sports, China does not cease to amaze you. And if affordable holiday is what you are looking for, then this destination is the one for you especially given the increasingly higher cost of airfares, the result of higher fuel prices.

There was a time (about 20 years ago) when Malaysians were not allowed to visit China without approval from the government. This makes China rather intriguing, especially when we have read so much about the history and geographical attractions of China. Now that there is no restriction in travel, we tend to think that it can be deferred. But procrastinate no further.

If you are one who is attracted to its rich heritage and history, then the visit to the Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Great Wall is sure to inspire you. A journey to Beijing is not complete without visiting these places. I am not one for history, but it will help if I had read before hand or viewed the many movies depicting Chinese history.

The Forbidden City, lying at the center of Beijing (also called Gu Gong in Chinese), was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is now known as the Palace Museum. My colleague Allen was so taken in by the sight that he made the most of his entry into the Forbidden City reading the many notices placed outside the exhibits.

A Tang Dynasty poet wrote a line about the royal palace of his time, which says "Without seeing the magnificence of the royal palace, one can never sense the dignity of the emperor."

To illustrate the vast expanse of the palace ground which covers 74 hectares; Allen told me there are altogether 8000 over houses in the compound which would mean that a day’s visit would not be sufficient for those who intends to catch all its attractions. As he made his way around the city he related portions of the rich history of the past, the rise and fall of each emperor, their wisdom and legacy. There are unique and delicately structured towers on each of the four corners of the curtain wall. These afford views over both the palace and the city outside. Until 1924 when the last emperor of China was driven from the Inner Court, fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty and ten emperors of the Qing dynasty reigned here. It houses numerous rare treasures and curiosities. To Allen it was like reliving the past, from what he has read in books and seen from movie reenactment of the rule under various emperors by directors who preserved much of what was recorded. It was interesting but for those of us who are hearing it for the first time it was rather a lot to digest. Now that I have been introduced to the subject and have seen it personally, I am more inclined to read the history books.

A short walk south of the palace lie the Tiananmen square, the location of students protest and government crackdown where the army fought its way past barricades in June 1989. All around are magnificent buildings housing the China National Museum, the Great Hall of the China National People’s Congress and Chairman Mao's mausoleum where his body lies in a crystal coffin. Here as well as in many parts of China, tourists of all nationalities throng the places of interest numbering tens of thousands each day bringing with them large sums of foreign exchange; significant contribution to the country’s economy.

The Great Wall of China thought to be visible from the moon is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This makes the visit almost mandatory if one is to claim having been to Beijing. The Great Wall of China was built over 2,000 years ago, by Emperor Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China during the Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty (221 B.C - 206 B.C.). In Chinese the wall is called "Wan-Li Qang-Qeng" which means 10,000-Li Long Wall (10,000 Li = about 5,000 km). During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Great Wall was enlarged to 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles) and renovated over a 200 year period, with watch-towers and cannons added. We visited the Badaling Great Wall located 70km northwest of Beijing, the earliest section to be open to tourists. Built from the end of the 14th century until the beginning of the 17th century, during the Ming Dynasty, it protected China from raids by the Mongols and Turkic tribes. The top of the wall can permit five horses to be ridden abreast. There are arched doors at the inner side of the wall with very little distance between each two doors. It was an awe-inspiring experience to walk along the top of the wall which meanders along the hills and one wonders how early day Chinese were able to construct without modern day equipment and technology. The coolness of the air makes walking along the wall a delightful experience, with breathtaking scenery and lots of photo-taking opportunities. Certain portions of the journey are rather steep and the exercise is good for the body.

A visit to Beijing must include the shopping experience of the Silk Street market much like the flea market at Xian Yang street in Shanghai, only more comfortable (with air-conditioning and clean floors) minus the touts. The market housed over four floors is located close to the world trade centre and embassies. It is a shopping paradise for those seeking designer brands but not the price. Bags, garments, shoes, ties, belts and many others of famous brand name like Versace, Nike, Channel, Swiss Army, Adidas lined the shop fronts. But the most memorable experience is the bargaining which one learns as he moves from shops to shops. And it takes a very disciplined shopper not to over-spend as the items on display are tempting to the eyes and the retailers very skilled at persuasion. Never mind if you do not have luggage space as the luggage bags shops are plentiful with modern designs and are inexpensive. And if this is insufficient for your appetite, there is the Wanfujing and Xidan street where rows of shops on both side of the street invites you to part with your Rmb.

Well I have taken some time to introduce Beijing, the rest is up to you. If you need a travel guide, buy me a ticket and I am on the plane with you. Cheers!

OUTSIDE THE BOX

Never, never, never, never give up! Make a success of living by seeing a goal and aiming for it unswervingly. You never really lose until you stop trying – Secret of Success,

The FIFA World Cup tournament has finally arrived and many millions from around the world stayed up late with their eyes glued to the TV screen watching their favourite teams compete in Germany. As we watch, let us not forget the trainings and hard works, often with accompanying mental and physical exertions necessary to make it to the tournament. Such is the demand of a world class team that any aspiring individual or company that seeks after meaningful success will likewise need to experience and overcome.

Last month, I introduced you to a new book written by two distinguished management guru (W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne) who did extensive researches on how companies succeed in overcoming competition and creating new markets. Blue Ocean, the title of the book examines what strategies are effective in creating brand equity that lasts for decades.

Blue oceans are created by untapped market space, demand creation and the opportunity for highly profitable growth. Companies need to go beyond competing. Instead of focusing on beating the competition, one focuses on making the competitors irrelevant by creating a leap in value for the customers and the organisation, thereby opening new and uncontested space. Value innovation places equal emphasis on value and innovation.

In the case of CEFL, by looking across the market boundary of the industry, we offered non-traditional English language training in the form of preparing students using an international context rather than a local context. Its innovation takes the form of a delivery programme that can be duplicated throughout its network and is student-centred and value is provided in the form of an internationally recognised qualification as well as vast improvement in the students’ studies. By offering unprecedented utility in the form of acquisition of relevant language skills and an internationally recognised qualification at the end of each course, CEFL has created a blue ocean and has designed a new programme for English language learning; one that is markedly different from traditional providers of English language education.

Creation of blue oceans is about driving cost down while simultaneously driving value up for the customers. CEFL’s strategy embraces the entire system of company activities. From economies of scale in cost of materials and promotions to student fees, CEFL has been able to remain competitive despite the high rate of inflation happening in the market place led by higher fuel cost, utility and manpower costs. Student fees have remained unchanged throughout the years and we are improving this to another level by removing the upfront placement tests fees.

Our success has prompted many others to come into our field and we need to continue to differentiate ourselves from these players. Thus we continue to train and retrain our staff and teachers, we designed new courses and provide holiday programmes as well as PTMs, essay competitions, award presentations and seminars. Quality delivery and students’ interest continue to be our focus. As the book suggests imitators may enter but they will find imitating a whole-system approach an uneasy feat. And so they will have to spend large sums of money just to create awareness, often to the advantage of the original creator. Experience shows that even the most expensive marketing campaigns struggle to unseat the original blue ocean creator. We have a loyal following and shall continue to build on their loyalty.

The mid-year exams once again have come and gone with more students sitting than previous years. In fact we are the only ESOL centre that enrolled students for mid-year exams. The Academic department as usual has been busy with this task and the production of new courses. Thus we now have in addition to the intensive Holiday English courses various products that meet the needs of additional demands.

Market conditions, I understand have been sluggish and the general public is feeling the effects of the cut-backs in government spending. With the implementation of the 9MP, everyone is hopeful that conditions will improve with corresponding benefits to all. For our organisation, as we enter the second half of the year, let us continue to provide quality delivery towards students’ success in the year-end examinations while maintaining our presence in the market through various promotions and write-ups. We will also conduct the annual parenting seminar by Professor Goh which is slotted for 26th July 2006 entitled "Communicating Positively and Constructively With Your Children".

We intend to use our coming Licensees meeting as a platform to discuss future plans for the group. This is because we recognise every participant as valuable to the group and can contribute positively in terms of ideas and suggestions. We will share the findings of our survey and also the improvements that come about from these findings. Where we have fallen short we will overcome and where changes are necessary, due regard will be given. Let us use this platform to the maximum benefit of everyone and I look forward to seeing you all.

May I on behalf of my colleagues take this opportunity to wish you all many Happy Days ahead!

Eng
22-06-2006