My Bio
Academic Qualifications:
B. Surveying (Property Management), University Teknologi Malaysia
BA (Bible/Theology), Global University
MA (New Testament), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
PhD (New Testament), Wales
B. Surveying (Property Management), University Teknologi Malaysia
BA (Bible/Theology), Global University
MA (New Testament), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
PhD (New Testament), Wales
My Calling and Vocation
Trained as a property valuer, I started my career in the real estate industry with a property consultanty practice after graduating from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. I then moved on to project management and property development with a couple of large, public listed property developers. After earning my professional qualifications as a registered valuer and registered real estate agent, I felt led to pursue theological studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in the United States. It was in seminary that my passion for New Testament scholarship developed, and my concern for the church deepened. I was troubled by the lack of depth in much of the preaching and teaching in most churches I had visited in Malaysia.
After returning from the US, I served with the Graduates Christian Fellowship (part of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students movement) for a number of years, working among the young working adults. Subsequently, doors were opened for me to pursue my PhD in the UK when I was awarded a generous scholarship jointly offered by the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies and the University of Wales. I did my PhD, working on Paul's sufferings in 2 Corinthians, under the supervision of Dr William Campbell. My thesis was later revised for publication in 2007. I returned home after completing my PhD, and this paved the way for me to serve the church as a theological educator.
While I am primarily an academician, I had served as a Pastor of Petaling Jaya Evangelical Free Church, Malaysia. Currently, I am a priest with the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia, and also serve in St Paul's Church, Petaling Jaya. As such, I do not believe in the dichotomy between the academia and the church, and I remain committed to serving the church through the academia. In addition, I had served as a committee member in the Board of the Fellowship of Evangelical Students Malaysia. At present, I am a member of the Board of Trustees of World Vision Malaysia, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Bible Society of Malaysia.
Currently, I am a Lecturer in New Testament Studies and Director of Postgraduate Studies at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, an ecumenical theological college training pastors and scholars for Christian ministry. I also served as the founding Dean of STM-KL Centre. Occasionally, I teach some courses at Malaysia Bible Seminary, an evangelical and interdenominational seminary; Bible College of Malaysia, a Pentecostal college; and a number of other theological colleges in the region.
I am available to preach in churches, conduct seminars, and teach in Christian Education classes. I am also available for postgraduate supervision. My research interests can be found in my CV. Please feel free to contact me by filling up the Contact Form.
After returning from the US, I served with the Graduates Christian Fellowship (part of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students movement) for a number of years, working among the young working adults. Subsequently, doors were opened for me to pursue my PhD in the UK when I was awarded a generous scholarship jointly offered by the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies and the University of Wales. I did my PhD, working on Paul's sufferings in 2 Corinthians, under the supervision of Dr William Campbell. My thesis was later revised for publication in 2007. I returned home after completing my PhD, and this paved the way for me to serve the church as a theological educator.
While I am primarily an academician, I had served as a Pastor of Petaling Jaya Evangelical Free Church, Malaysia. Currently, I am a priest with the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia, and also serve in St Paul's Church, Petaling Jaya. As such, I do not believe in the dichotomy between the academia and the church, and I remain committed to serving the church through the academia. In addition, I had served as a committee member in the Board of the Fellowship of Evangelical Students Malaysia. At present, I am a member of the Board of Trustees of World Vision Malaysia, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Bible Society of Malaysia.
Currently, I am a Lecturer in New Testament Studies and Director of Postgraduate Studies at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, an ecumenical theological college training pastors and scholars for Christian ministry. I also served as the founding Dean of STM-KL Centre. Occasionally, I teach some courses at Malaysia Bible Seminary, an evangelical and interdenominational seminary; Bible College of Malaysia, a Pentecostal college; and a number of other theological colleges in the region.
I am available to preach in churches, conduct seminars, and teach in Christian Education classes. I am also available for postgraduate supervision. My research interests can be found in my CV. Please feel free to contact me by filling up the Contact Form.
Bible, Faith, Culture, Identity?
Why do I choose these four key words, Bible, Faith, Culture, and Identity to describe my site?
BIBLE describes my passion. I am a New Testament scholar by profession. I am very passionate about teaching the New Testament and imparting my love for the Scripture to those who sit in my class (hopefully!). I must admit I don't do this very well all the time, but I try to give my very best. I have always approached the New Testament as a seeker, hoping to hear the voice of God not only through the written word but also the rich tradition that spans more than 2000 years of church history and the community we are in. I do not believe the Scripture merely speaks to us as an individual. Instead, we should endeavour to read the text within a community. Instead of asking, "What does the bible speak to me?", we should be asking, "What does the bible speak to us a community, challenging us to live out our lives as citizens of the kingdom, and moving us to reach out to those in our neighbourhood?"
FAITH relates to what I believe in. I do not happen to be a professional scholar. I am also a confessional scholar. As a Christ-follower, I care deeply for the church, and I remain committed to the church and her mission. As such, I serve the church through the academia. My academic research is not an end in itself, and I certainly do not want to see my work end up only on the shelves of the library (if it ever ends up there!). I hope to translate my research into something that is useful, practical and engaging for the church.
CULTURE reminds me of the context I live in. I am an ethnic Chinese born in Malaysia. As a Christian, I live as a minority in a largely Islamic context. How can I express my faith in such a context? How can I contextualise the message of the Scripture and yet remain fully committed and rooted in the gospel of Christ? How do I engage a pluralistic society? How can I help others understand and make sense of the Scripture?
IDENTITY defines who I am. I am a Christ-follower. Many have asked me where I stand when it comes to certain theological positions, doctrines or views of how some of the passages in the bible are interpreted. My simple answer is that my confession of faith is rooted in the historic creeds such as the Nicene Creed. I find labels such as "evangelicals" or "reformed" (and even then there are different definitions to these labels) unhelpful as they are often used to segregate or create boundaries within the Christian circles. Those who don't seem to belong to these "groups" are often called "liberals". I believe the church is bigger than the "evangelicals", "reformed" or "charismatics". After all, whether you are an Anglican, Methodist, Pentecostal, Evangelical or a Baptist, we are all followers of Jesus.
BIBLE describes my passion. I am a New Testament scholar by profession. I am very passionate about teaching the New Testament and imparting my love for the Scripture to those who sit in my class (hopefully!). I must admit I don't do this very well all the time, but I try to give my very best. I have always approached the New Testament as a seeker, hoping to hear the voice of God not only through the written word but also the rich tradition that spans more than 2000 years of church history and the community we are in. I do not believe the Scripture merely speaks to us as an individual. Instead, we should endeavour to read the text within a community. Instead of asking, "What does the bible speak to me?", we should be asking, "What does the bible speak to us a community, challenging us to live out our lives as citizens of the kingdom, and moving us to reach out to those in our neighbourhood?"
FAITH relates to what I believe in. I do not happen to be a professional scholar. I am also a confessional scholar. As a Christ-follower, I care deeply for the church, and I remain committed to the church and her mission. As such, I serve the church through the academia. My academic research is not an end in itself, and I certainly do not want to see my work end up only on the shelves of the library (if it ever ends up there!). I hope to translate my research into something that is useful, practical and engaging for the church.
CULTURE reminds me of the context I live in. I am an ethnic Chinese born in Malaysia. As a Christian, I live as a minority in a largely Islamic context. How can I express my faith in such a context? How can I contextualise the message of the Scripture and yet remain fully committed and rooted in the gospel of Christ? How do I engage a pluralistic society? How can I help others understand and make sense of the Scripture?
IDENTITY defines who I am. I am a Christ-follower. Many have asked me where I stand when it comes to certain theological positions, doctrines or views of how some of the passages in the bible are interpreted. My simple answer is that my confession of faith is rooted in the historic creeds such as the Nicene Creed. I find labels such as "evangelicals" or "reformed" (and even then there are different definitions to these labels) unhelpful as they are often used to segregate or create boundaries within the Christian circles. Those who don't seem to belong to these "groups" are often called "liberals". I believe the church is bigger than the "evangelicals", "reformed" or "charismatics". After all, whether you are an Anglican, Methodist, Pentecostal, Evangelical or a Baptist, we are all followers of Jesus.