Personal Narrative/Story; Your goals and dreams
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Benjamin Toh
May 30, 2012, 6:59:55 PM5/30/12
to west-loop-...@googlegroups.com
“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you...” (Phil 2:12-13).
Pre-Conversion: Uneventful and Meaningless. I was born in 1954 in Malaysia as the youngest and second son/child of my parents. My parents loved each other and their 2 sons. We were not religious. We were non-practicing Confucianists/Buddhists. I became a medical doctor at age 22. 2 years later, in 1980, I came to the Chicago to do a residency in Internal Medicine at Cook County Hospital. Though I experienced no tragedy or adversity, this statement by Thoreau best describes my pre-conversion life: “The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” In my restlessness and meaninglessness, I came to the U.S. to seek my American dream and to encounter American women.
Major Spiritual Influence: Samuel Lee. A few months later, I began Genesis Bible study with John Lee, a UBF missionary and doctor who was doing his Pediatric residency. 2 weeks later, while preparing for my third Bible study, God opened my heart through Gen 2:17 to see my sin, rebellion and depravity, and yet the love, grace and mercy of God was poured out on me. That night I became a Christian. I knew I had become a different person. When UBF founder Samuel Lee met me that week, he paid much attention to me. He asked me to share my life testimony at the Sun service, though I had barely become a Christian a few days ago. A few months later, he introduced me to my future wife from Toledo UBF at our 1981 Easter conference at Lake Geneva. Though we hardly knew each other, corresponded by mail just 3 times, never dated, and though I never proposed to her, we both independently decided to trust God and Lee married us a few months later in Aug. Surely this was the hand of God! After accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior, this was the best decision I ever made. God granted us 4 loving children who have all become Christians. Under Samuel Lee’s weekly mentoring and personal attention for the last 22 years of his life, God blessed my family to mentor numerous UIC students who have become Christian leaders in UBF and who married godly spouses. For the last few years, I’ve found blogging to fit well with my introverted and cerebral intellectual disposition. UBF and Samuel Lee planted in me a love for the Bible and a passion for mission and disciple making that has never waned.
Since planting West Loop church in Jan 2008, I began reading Reformed Theology/Calvinism. I realized I am a 5 (or 4) point Calvinist. Tim Keller’s books, Prodigal God and Counterfeit Gods, transformed my view of the Bible, as well as books on biblical theology by Graham Goldsworthy, Sidney Greidanus, and Edmund Clowney. Such authors changed my perspective of the Bible. I had taught the Bible primarily as moral teachings and as examples to be followed or avoided, while assuming the gospel. For the last few years I have attempted to study the Bible in a Christo-centric and Christo-telic way by showing how the Bible points to Christ (Jn 5:39, 46; Lk 24:27, 44). I began to rethink Genesis (my favorite book) and ask What is the Point of Genesis?
John Armstrong’s question in a sermon a decade ago at the Chicago center (How many non-Christians regard you as their good friend?) convicted me and helped me to restore some friendships and family relationships with non-Christians that I had intentionally broken off after becoming a Christian. Meeting and speaking with Armstrong over the past year has also spurred me to pursue reconciliation, unity, and ecumenism.
DREAMS/GOALS: My dreams and prayer in following Christ in my latter years:
Benefit of Cohort: Reading books and interacting intellectually and organically with others is inspiring, encouraging, and invigorating; forming friendships and partnerships in Christ for the glory of God.
Pre-Conversion: Uneventful and Meaningless. I was born in 1954 in Malaysia as the youngest and second son/child of my parents. My parents loved each other and their 2 sons. We were not religious. We were non-practicing Confucianists/Buddhists. I became a medical doctor at age 22. 2 years later, in 1980, I came to the Chicago to do a residency in Internal Medicine at Cook County Hospital. Though I experienced no tragedy or adversity, this statement by Thoreau best describes my pre-conversion life: “The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” In my restlessness and meaninglessness, I came to the U.S. to seek my American dream and to encounter American women.
Major Spiritual Influence: Samuel Lee. A few months later, I began Genesis Bible study with John Lee, a UBF missionary and doctor who was doing his Pediatric residency. 2 weeks later, while preparing for my third Bible study, God opened my heart through Gen 2:17 to see my sin, rebellion and depravity, and yet the love, grace and mercy of God was poured out on me. That night I became a Christian. I knew I had become a different person. When UBF founder Samuel Lee met me that week, he paid much attention to me. He asked me to share my life testimony at the Sun service, though I had barely become a Christian a few days ago. A few months later, he introduced me to my future wife from Toledo UBF at our 1981 Easter conference at Lake Geneva. Though we hardly knew each other, corresponded by mail just 3 times, never dated, and though I never proposed to her, we both independently decided to trust God and Lee married us a few months later in Aug. Surely this was the hand of God! After accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior, this was the best decision I ever made. God granted us 4 loving children who have all become Christians. Under Samuel Lee’s weekly mentoring and personal attention for the last 22 years of his life, God blessed my family to mentor numerous UIC students who have become Christian leaders in UBF and who married godly spouses. For the last few years, I’ve found blogging to fit well with my introverted and cerebral intellectual disposition. UBF and Samuel Lee planted in me a love for the Bible and a passion for mission and disciple making that has never waned.
Since planting West Loop church in Jan 2008, I began reading Reformed Theology/Calvinism. I realized I am a 5 (or 4) point Calvinist. Tim Keller’s books, Prodigal God and Counterfeit Gods, transformed my view of the Bible, as well as books on biblical theology by Graham Goldsworthy, Sidney Greidanus, and Edmund Clowney. Such authors changed my perspective of the Bible. I had taught the Bible primarily as moral teachings and as examples to be followed or avoided, while assuming the gospel. For the last few years I have attempted to study the Bible in a Christo-centric and Christo-telic way by showing how the Bible points to Christ (Jn 5:39, 46; Lk 24:27, 44). I began to rethink Genesis (my favorite book) and ask What is the Point of Genesis?
John Armstrong’s question in a sermon a decade ago at the Chicago center (How many non-Christians regard you as their good friend?) convicted me and helped me to restore some friendships and family relationships with non-Christians that I had intentionally broken off after becoming a Christian. Meeting and speaking with Armstrong over the past year has also spurred me to pursue reconciliation, unity, and ecumenism.
DREAMS/GOALS: My dreams and prayer in following Christ in my latter years:
- Study, preach and teach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:7) by focusing on the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24) and preaching Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:23),
- Love my wife,
- Empower the next generation of Christians,
- Be involved in church planting locally and overseas,
- Network with other pastors,
- Learn how to be involved/engaged in community, and
- Be a better blogger.
Benefit of Cohort: Reading books and interacting intellectually and organically with others is inspiring, encouraging, and invigorating; forming friendships and partnerships in Christ for the glory of God.
Joseph Raul Ramirez
May 31, 2012, 2:33:39 PM5/31/12
to West Loop UBF Cohort (June 2012)
2 Cor 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has
passed away; behold, the new has come.
Pre-Conversion: Checking things off the list
Finish high school. Get a girlfriend. Finish college. Get married.
Have a career in the medical field. Have a family, two kids, nice
house, nice truck and maybe even a dog was the plan. My goal in life
was to somehow check these things off the list. It’s been over 5
years…
and all I have is a high school diploma. I have a lot of work to do.
Major Spiritual Influence: InterVarsity and UBF
I was checking things off my list – girlfriend, car, job etc . A break
up in high school made me realize that there’s gotta be more than what
this world offered. So I started asking questions about my purpose in
this world and why does God, if he existed, would matter in my life.
Out of desperation, I ended up praying. Through this prayer, I
accepted God. I met a member of InterVarsity, a Christian Fellowship,
in UIC and decided to get involved. I went to retreats and seek for
answers. I was taught about the bible and the meaning of Christianity.
I met Benji Toh in InterVarsity and he invited me to UBF. UBF ministry
offered one-on-one discipleship. I met many solid friends here that
really helped me understand God and His church. I grew much through
this process and I am still growing.
Dreams/Goals: Serve God
I want to serve God. Over the years, my purpose has become clearer. I
want to focus on educating younger children about the Bible. The 66
books compiled by over 40 different authors, in three different
continents, written in three different languages in a span of over
1500 years… all pointing to Christ. That just amazes me. Other than
shooting zombies and playing basketball, I totally want to serve God.
1. Continually read the Bible with an open heart
2. Share what I read
3. Be humble
4. Be Christ-friendly
Benefit of Cohort: Accountability
Pro 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
As the members of the church, people need others to keep them
accountable. Correcting, supporting, helping, praying, and sometimes
even some words of encouragement can keep me strong through troubled
times.
On May 30, 6:59 pm, Benjamin Toh <benjamin...@gmail.com> wrote:
> “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works
> in you...” (Phil 2:12-13).
>
> *Pre-Conversion: Uneventful and Meaningless***. I was born in 1954 in
> is the Point of Genesis<http://www.ubfriends.org/2011/05/what-is-the-point-of-genesis/>
> ?
> 3. Empower the next generation of Christians,
> 4. Be involved in church planting locally and overseas,
> 5. Network with other pastors,
> 6. Learn how to be involved/engaged in community, and
> 7. Be a better blogger.
>
> *Benefit of Cohort*: Reading books and interacting intellectually and
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has
passed away; behold, the new has come.
Pre-Conversion: Checking things off the list
Finish high school. Get a girlfriend. Finish college. Get married.
Have a career in the medical field. Have a family, two kids, nice
house, nice truck and maybe even a dog was the plan. My goal in life
was to somehow check these things off the list. It’s been over 5
years…
and all I have is a high school diploma. I have a lot of work to do.
Major Spiritual Influence: InterVarsity and UBF
I was checking things off my list – girlfriend, car, job etc . A break
up in high school made me realize that there’s gotta be more than what
this world offered. So I started asking questions about my purpose in
this world and why does God, if he existed, would matter in my life.
Out of desperation, I ended up praying. Through this prayer, I
accepted God. I met a member of InterVarsity, a Christian Fellowship,
in UIC and decided to get involved. I went to retreats and seek for
answers. I was taught about the bible and the meaning of Christianity.
I met Benji Toh in InterVarsity and he invited me to UBF. UBF ministry
offered one-on-one discipleship. I met many solid friends here that
really helped me understand God and His church. I grew much through
this process and I am still growing.
Dreams/Goals: Serve God
I want to serve God. Over the years, my purpose has become clearer. I
want to focus on educating younger children about the Bible. The 66
books compiled by over 40 different authors, in three different
continents, written in three different languages in a span of over
1500 years… all pointing to Christ. That just amazes me. Other than
shooting zombies and playing basketball, I totally want to serve God.
1. Continually read the Bible with an open heart
2. Share what I read
3. Be humble
4. Be Christ-friendly
Benefit of Cohort: Accountability
Pro 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
As the members of the church, people need others to keep them
accountable. Correcting, supporting, helping, praying, and sometimes
even some words of encouragement can keep me strong through troubled
times.
On May 30, 6:59 pm, Benjamin Toh <benjamin...@gmail.com> wrote:
> “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works
> in you...” (Phil 2:12-13).
>
> Malaysia as the youngest and second son/child of my parents. My parents
> loved each other and their 2 sons. We were not religious. We were
> non-practicing Confucianists/Buddhists. I became a medical doctor at age
> 22. 2 years later, in 1980, I came to the Chicago to do a residency in
> Internal Medicine at Cook County Hospital. Though I experienced no tragedy
> or adversity, this statement by Thoreau best describes my pre-conversion
> life: “The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” In my
> restlessness and meaninglessness, I came to the U.S. to seek my American
> dream and to encounter American women.
>
> *Major Spiritual Influence*: Samuel Lee<http://www.ubfriends.org/2011/01/why-samuel-lee-was-deified-and-demon...>.
> loved each other and their 2 sons. We were not religious. We were
> non-practicing Confucianists/Buddhists. I became a medical doctor at age
> 22. 2 years later, in 1980, I came to the Chicago to do a residency in
> Internal Medicine at Cook County Hospital. Though I experienced no tragedy
> or adversity, this statement by Thoreau best describes my pre-conversion
> life: “The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” In my
> restlessness and meaninglessness, I came to the U.S. to seek my American
> dream and to encounter American women.
>
> A few months later, I began Genesis Bible study with John Lee, a UBF
> missionary and doctor who was doing his Pediatric residency. 2 weeks later,
> while preparing for my third Bible study, God opened my heart through Gen
> 2:17 to see my sin, rebellion and depravity, and yet the love, grace and
> mercy of God was poured out on me. That night I became a Christian. I knew
> I had become a different person. When UBF founder Samuel Lee met me that
> week, he paid much attention to me. He asked me to share my life testimony
> at the Sun service, though I had barely become a Christian a few days ago.
> A few months later, he introduced me to my future wife from Toledo UBF at
> our 1981 Easter conference at Lake Geneva. Though we hardly knew each
> other, corresponded by mail just 3 times, never dated, and though I never
> proposed to her, we both independently decided to trust God and Lee married
> us a few months later in Aug. Surely this was the hand of God! After
> accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior, this was the best decision I ever
> made. God granted us 4 loving children who have all become Christians.
> Under Samuel Lee’s weekly mentoring and personal attention for the last 22
> years of his life, God blessed my family to mentor numerous UIC students
> who have become Christian leaders in UBF and who married godly spouses. For
> the last few years, I’ve found blogging to fit well with my introverted and
> cerebral intellectual disposition. UBF and Samuel Lee planted in me a love
> for the Bible and a passion for mission and disciple making that has never
> waned.
>
> Since planting West Loop church in Jan 2008, I began reading Reformed
> Theology/Calvinism. I realized I am a 5 (or 4) point Calvinist. Tim
> Keller’s books, Prodigal God and Counterfeit Gods<http://www.ubfriends.org/2011/02/counterfeit-gods-and-the-bible/>,
> missionary and doctor who was doing his Pediatric residency. 2 weeks later,
> while preparing for my third Bible study, God opened my heart through Gen
> 2:17 to see my sin, rebellion and depravity, and yet the love, grace and
> mercy of God was poured out on me. That night I became a Christian. I knew
> I had become a different person. When UBF founder Samuel Lee met me that
> week, he paid much attention to me. He asked me to share my life testimony
> at the Sun service, though I had barely become a Christian a few days ago.
> A few months later, he introduced me to my future wife from Toledo UBF at
> our 1981 Easter conference at Lake Geneva. Though we hardly knew each
> other, corresponded by mail just 3 times, never dated, and though I never
> proposed to her, we both independently decided to trust God and Lee married
> us a few months later in Aug. Surely this was the hand of God! After
> accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior, this was the best decision I ever
> made. God granted us 4 loving children who have all become Christians.
> Under Samuel Lee’s weekly mentoring and personal attention for the last 22
> years of his life, God blessed my family to mentor numerous UIC students
> who have become Christian leaders in UBF and who married godly spouses. For
> the last few years, I’ve found blogging to fit well with my introverted and
> cerebral intellectual disposition. UBF and Samuel Lee planted in me a love
> for the Bible and a passion for mission and disciple making that has never
> waned.
>
> Since planting West Loop church in Jan 2008, I began reading Reformed
> Theology/Calvinism. I realized I am a 5 (or 4) point Calvinist. Tim
> transformed my view of the Bible, as well as books on biblical theology by
> Graham Goldsworthy, Sidney Greidanus, and Edmund Clowney. Such authors
> changed my perspective of the Bible. I had taught the Bible primarily as
> moral teachings and as examples to be followed or avoided, while assuming
> the gospel. For the last few years I have attempted to study the Bible in a
> Christo-centric and Christo-telic way by showing how the Bible points to
> Christ (Jn 5:39, 46; Lk 24:27, 44). I began to rethink Genesis<http://www.ubfriends.org/2011/06/rethinking-genesis-man-equals-mission/>(my favorite book) and ask What
> Graham Goldsworthy, Sidney Greidanus, and Edmund Clowney. Such authors
> changed my perspective of the Bible. I had taught the Bible primarily as
> moral teachings and as examples to be followed or avoided, while assuming
> the gospel. For the last few years I have attempted to study the Bible in a
> Christo-centric and Christo-telic way by showing how the Bible points to
> is the Point of Genesis<http://www.ubfriends.org/2011/05/what-is-the-point-of-genesis/>
> ?
>
> John Armstrong’s question in a sermon a decade ago at the Chicago center
> (How many non-Christians regard you as their good friend?) convicted me and
> helped me to restore some friendships and family relationships with
> non-Christians that I had intentionally broken off after becoming a
> Christian. Meeting and speaking with Armstrong over the past year has also
> spurred me to pursue reconciliation, unity, and ecumenism.
>
> DREAMS/GOALS: My dreams and prayer in following Christ in my latter years:
>
> 1. Study, preach and teach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:7) by
> John Armstrong’s question in a sermon a decade ago at the Chicago center
> (How many non-Christians regard you as their good friend?) convicted me and
> helped me to restore some friendships and family relationships with
> non-Christians that I had intentionally broken off after becoming a
> Christian. Meeting and speaking with Armstrong over the past year has also
> spurred me to pursue reconciliation, unity, and ecumenism.
>
> DREAMS/GOALS: My dreams and prayer in following Christ in my latter years:
>
> focusing on the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24) and preaching
> Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:23),
> 2. Love my wife,
> Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:23),
> 3. Empower the next generation of Christians,
> 4. Be involved in church planting locally and overseas,
> 5. Network with other pastors,
> 6. Learn how to be involved/engaged in community, and
> 7. Be a better blogger.
>
> *Benefit of Cohort*: Reading books and interacting intellectually and
Ben Toh
Mar 18, 2013, 4:18:00 PM3/18/13
to west-loop-...@googlegroups.com, Rem Corral
Hi Rem, If you are done with studying, can you email the invitation to
those who wrote down their email addresses? Ask them to share what I
asked of them:
- How are you following Jesus practically?
- What is your life goal in following Jesus? Write as clearly and as specifically as you can.
- If you have not done so, write a short personal narrative.
- Are you interested in joining an internship/mentorship program: http://westloop-church.org/media-center/video/latest/west-loop-mentorship-proposal-qfollow-meq-jn-21
Rem
Mar 19, 2013, 7:54:23 PM3/19/13
to west-loop-...@googlegroups.com
Hello Doc. I wonder how am I going too add them here.
Ben Toh
Mar 20, 2013, 5:47:37 AM3/20/13
to west-loop-...@googlegroups.com, Rem Corral
I added them in the Cc.
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