Christian Involvement in Education

Bro Lim Boon Chye
President of Penang Christian Fellowship
and Chairman of the Board of RGBC

I am going to share in the form of video and PowerPoint, so it will be a little different from what you're used to. I am glad that your church is very active with student work. TOP have sponsored two buses for our event  last year and this year TOP is participating too.

PCF has a membership of more than 100 and we partner with LPN and I am involved in the Education Sphere. TOP is the first church where we are sharing about these spheres and it will be followed by the other LPN churches in Penang.

The two key areas I am sharing about are:

1. Christian involvement in Nation Building
2. Christian involvement in Kingdom Building

This video is produced by PCF and Malaysian Teachers School Council, made up of Mission Schools in Malaysia.

This video will give you a good overview of education in Malaysia. Education can also be very political. Years of hard work can be destroyed by a political decision. Like Science and Maths being no longer taught in English. Also many are sent to teaching when they fail to make it in the other disciplines so they produce teachers who are non committal.

Teacher's Christian Fellowship PowerPoint. 

Would you like to become a Teacher?

The Great Commission

Matt 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,  baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. 

Why are the schools excellent places for Christians to be witnesses of Christ?

because 5.3 million students in our schools today. 

Pastors cannot reach them

Missionaries cannot reach them

But TEACHERS can and daily!!!
[tent makers & missionaries all in one]

85% of people make a decision for Christ when they are between 4 and 14 years old

Dr. Bryant Myers - World Vision

50% of Malaysian population < 23 yrs. old. 

[Statistical Dept]

The Harvest is plenty... but where are the workers?

Teachers are the workers.
The school is your mission field.
They are God’s missionaries.

Total number of teachers in Malaysia = 340,000

Estimated number of Christian teachers in Malaysia = 10,000 [<3%]

Christian teachers are called by the Lord into the teaching profession,        

sent by Him to different towns & kampungs in the country, BUT

paid by Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. 

Paid Missionaries
Mt. 28:19  Great Commission -  ‘Go….
Mk. 16:15  ‘Go ye……. 

BUT

Teachers are becoming an endangered species. Look at the age groups. Almost half are in the 51-60 bracket.

Our
"Paid Missionaries"
[Our unsung heroes]

There have been many teachers, posted in various parts of Malaysia who have been fulfilling their call to missions and have borne much fruits. No names are mentioned here but here are some of their achievements.

Teacher A
250 students in CF
50 baptised in 10 years

Kayan, Kenyah, Lumbawang, Kelabit, Penan, Iban, Berawan, Kiput, Chinese
Total: 13 tribes!

CF Activities:

Sun  – Worship & testimonies

Mon  – Scripture Memory

Tue – Sharing of the Word

Wed – Paired prayer

Thu – Praise & worship

Fri  – Group prayer

Sat  – Learn new songs

Teacher B
In another school, another unsung hero.

- No official CF
-  Small Sunday meeting 7 pm for hostel students [50 Christians]
  ● Reading of the Word
  ● Sharing - 10-15 minutes
  ● Closing prayer

Teacher C
And here is another where 3/4 of the students here do not know Christ.

 

Current reality … a crisis situation

- < 3% teachers are Christians

-  Majority above 40 yrs old

Invasion
into the Christian heartland
of Sabah and Sarawak.

Will the children still be Christians in 5 years time?

Touch the Future

If you touch a rock, you touch the 

Past

If you touch a flower, you touch the

Present

If you touch a child, you touch the

Future

  TCF agenda

1. Kingdom Building
2.  Nation building

Christian Teachers
play a very important role in the kingdom of God

WHERE to get the next generation of CF Advisers ?
YOU ???

WHERE to get the next generation of
BB/GB Advisers ?
YOU  ???

WHERE to get the next generation of
Church Leaders in small towns ? 

YOU  ???

Would you like to be

the next generation

Christian teachers?

“ Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”  Matt 1:19

What are factors that discourage the young from going into teaching?

Summary
* Glamour
* Rural posting – TCF network
* Low pay – no more
* Promotion – sure vs fast
* Medical
* Stability – iron rice bowl
* Holidays -  long hols. & weekends
* Paid missionary
* Stress

Will your children go hungry or die of starvation?

DG41 [Graduate starting pay]
Basic   2222
ITK   300
Special cola   300
Housing   210
[in Eng]   222
----------------------------------
TOTAL      3254 
Hardship allowance : + 1500

DG52   [Senior Time Scale]
Basic  7144
Cola   300
Housing   700
Entertainment   600
[In Eng.]   375
----------------------------------
TOTAL    9119
Hardship allowance : + 1500

DG54   [Form 6 Academic Teacher]
Basic   7597
Cola   300
Housing   900
Entertainment   800
[In Eng.]   380
-------------------------------
TOTAL   9977
Hardship allowance : + 1500

Retirement at 60 but optional retirement at 45 or 50
1.  5 years EPF contribution
2.  Gratuity
3.  Golden handshake [Max : 3 months salary]
4.  Pension  – 60% basic pay for life and spouse takes over when pensioner died. 
     Children up to 18 yrs old.

Hardship allowance for interior posting   – RM1500
Scared?  -TCF network

In Isaiah 6:8, Isaiah heard God asking,

“ Whom shall I send?

  And who will go for us?”

   “Here Am I. Send me!”

 

To teach in secondary school
1.  STPM
2.  Local Univ.

To teach in primary school
1.  SPM
2.  Teacher Education Institute

What if cannot get into a teaching course in college or local univ?

Get a degree from private College/University,  then teach as a lecturer in
i.  Private schools
ii. Colleges
iii. University
opportunities to share still there

Schools are excellent mission fields. It is an excellent opportunity to reach out. To parents, you can counsel and advice your children regarding their career but if God call them to teaching, let them go.

Bro Lim Boon Chye
President of Penang Christian Fellowship
and Chairman of the Board of RGBC

TOP teachers being prayed for by TOP students

Bro Allan Tan praying for all the teachers at TOP