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Influence in the Domains Series VIII:Influence in the Media (Luke 1:1-4; Ezekiel 33:1-6)By Senior Pastor Dr Daniel Ho

Once upon a time, there was an old couple who were happily seated in their living room enjoying each other’s company. After some time, the husband lovingly turned to his dear wife and said, “Darling, over the years, I’ve found you tried and true.” Unfortunately, due to old age, his wife was hard of hearing, and she responded by saying, “Yes, I’m tired of you too!”

This is an amusing anecdote, but it draws attention to the crucial need for all of us to ensure that we communicate rightly and properly in the course of our everyday lives. This is especially important because our God is a communicating God – He is not a God of silence – and likewise, He has made all of us communicating beings. We not only need to communicate with one another all the time, but also with God.

Common Forms of Communication1. Visual (Exekiel 4:1-3; Mark 10:16)

1 “Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it. 3 Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the people of Israel. (Ezekiel 4:1-3)Oftentimes, we communicate through images, pictures, drawings or actions. For example, in this passage of Scripture, we read that God was asking the prophet Ezekiel to act out the siege of Jerusalem. Further on in the passage, we find that Ezekiel was asked to first turn to his left side, and then to his right side, to indicate visually to the people of Israel what God wanted to communicate to them.

This is a common form of communication, where we demonstrate visually, through imagery or through actions. We see this also in the life of Jesus.

16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and

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blessed them. (Mark 10:16) In this passage, we read that many parents were bringing their children to Jesus, but the disciples were pushing the children away, telling them that Jesus did not have time for them. However, Jesus communicated a very different picture – He took the children, placed His hands on them and blessed them! By doing so, Jesus communicated very powerfully to us all that every child is important in the sight of God.

2. Verbal (Genesis 2:16,17)16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:16, 17)Another form of communication we all use is verbal – speaking with words. For example, in the beginning after God created Adam and Eve, he verbally told them exactly what he expected them to do and not do. God speaks – and likewise, he has also made us speaking beings.

3. Written or print form (Habakkuk 2:2,3)2 Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it..' 3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:2, 3)Another common form of communication is written or printed form. We see this likewise in Scripture, where we read in this passage that God wants His word and His revelation to be written down. That’s why the Bible is the greatest book on earth – because it is the revelation of God’s heart and mind to the world.

4. VirtualThere is also a fourth form of communication which is especially true for us living in the world today – virtual communication. This is communication through electronic means or through social media. In the early days, we began with radio or television, but today, we have many types of virtual communication available through the internet.

When we consider all these different forms of communication, we clearly see that in the world we live in today, essentially, it is the media world that lies at the heart of communication. And, the media is tremendously influential because of its huge reach. Two simple examples serve to underscore the media’s vast reach:

an event such as the World Cup could be watched live by over a billion people at the same time all around the world.

even a simple Facebook post or Twitter tweet by an individual could spread rapidly all over the world through the internet.

The Media is Powerful Because:

1. It can influence people’s perceptionThe media is not limited to just electronic media, but also collectively includes the printed media such as newspapers, magazines, journals and books. The media holds a tremendous power in its ability to influence people’s perception, understanding and view of things.

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mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Pr Daniel played two videos which clearly showed an example of the power of perception and how the media could influence it – either negatively by perpetuating wrong perceptions, or positively by exposing wrong perceptions for what they are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk

In the first video, we saw within a minute how an average-looking girl was completely transformed. This is an example of something we see everyday on billboards all around us – where the media is communicating a perception that this is what a beautiful woman should look like.

The second video, reminded us that our perceptions sometimes need to be corrected. What we saw reminded us how easy it is for us to pre-judge people by their looks, height, background or skin colour – and these prejudices are something we all need to repent of.

2. It can control people’s hearts and mindsThe media also holds the power to control people’s hearts and minds. This is why every government in the world wants to control the media – especially the main media (radio and television) and the print media (newspapers). By controlling these channels, the government can control what people see and read – in the process, thereby, being able to control their minds and their hearts.

This is an extremely frightening situation – therefore, we need to thank God for virtual access to the alternative media so that we can all see also the other side of the picture – so that we will not be confused, and will not be going around blind or ignorant to what is really happening around us.

3. It can produce a certain desired responseThe media is also powerful because it can cause us to respond in a particular way – either positively or negatively. This is why when the media is manipulated; it can cause certain groups of people to respond in certain manner – just as we have seen in the last General Elections. For example, the main media was sometimes used to put fear into people – and because of this fear, some people led to respond in a certain way as desired by the powers that be.

Therefore, it is important for us all to recognise the place and power of the media in the world, and how to ensure there is proper course correction so that power may not be abused or misused in any way.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk



In the case of the government of the day, there is the need to exercise checks and balances to ensure that no one in power misuses that power. That is why in the government, there are three separate branches (estates).

The 3 Branches (Estates) of Government are:1. The Executive

Represented by the Prime Minister and his cabinet, who will carry out policies for the nation.

2. The LegislatureRepresented by the Parliament, where laws are enacted.

3. The JudiciaryRepresented by the Judges, who as an impartial body, play an important part as a check and balance to ensure that the Executive branch does not become arrogant and misuse their powers. For example, when people are unhappy about certain things done by the government (i.e. the Executive), they could even take the government (i.e. the Executive) to court.

Ideally, these 3 branches should work as a check and balance for each other. Tragically though, in many parts of the world, the Executive wants to control not only the Parliament, but also the Judiciary. Therefore, this separation of powers is not functioning the way it ought to be functioning.

The Fourth Estate in Ensuring Good Governance:That’s why the proper role and function of the media is so crucial – it plays a powerful role as the Fourth Estate in ensuring good governance of the nation.

Therefore, it is important to ensure that the media (collectively, the print as well as electronic – our email, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc) reports correctly.When the media communicates in the right manner:

It helps in making informed responsible choices. For example, if we have been fed with only lies, then our choice would obviously not be a responsible or good choice. Therefore, the media needs to be impartial, so that the people are given a full and complete picture of everything there is to know – allowing them to make right and proper choices in life.

It helps in making checks on all those in power.For example, when there is good investigative reporting, it will expose all those who are involved in abuse of power and position (whether it be the Executive of the day, or even among the top management of companies or corporations).

Tragically however, in many places of the world (including Malaysia), the level of investigative reporting is almost at zero – nothing happens! In most of the news around the world today, all that is reported is merely sensationalism – accidents, fires, tornados, typhoons, and the like.

This is unlike the early days of the media, when people would have forums to discuss policies and issues of the government (for example, on television) – to debate whether those policies were good, or bad, and how should they move forward as a nation in resolving those issues.

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The media as a fourth estate can be really powerful in ensuring good governance, and in ensuring that things are carried out properly and responsibly for the benefit of the people and the nation. Pr Daniel played a video which showed an example of the media functioning as the fourth estate – and how it was able to expose the lies of an administration, and how the media ultimately brought the whole administration down.

This triumph of investigative reporting was immortalised in this movie "All The President’s Men" which depicted the real events transpiring in the United States administration under President Richard Nixon. Just before his second term of being re-elected, he was revealed to be involved in a scandal that happened in the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Republican Party (under President Nixon) used various illegal methods to steal information from the Democratic Party to sabotage them, and was involved in cheating and lying in order to cover up the situation.

This scandal was eventually exposed through the efforts of two young reporters from the Washington Post. These two journalists persevered in pursuing the truth in spite of threats to their lives as well as the danger of losing their jobs. Eventually, the whole truth was exposed, and this went down in history as the Watergate Scandal. Under enormous public pressure, and threat of almost certain impeachment by the US Senate and probable imprisonment, President Nixon resigned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0btcCmK0xsY

This is the true power of the media, when it is involved in investigative reporting to expose those who are involved in abuse of power and position. This helps to ensure that in a society such as United States (and also, prayerfully, here in Malaysia too), everything would be done in a proper manner, with truth, justice and righteousness.

TestimonyPr Daniel invited two dear friends to share their own experiences about being involved in the media world, so that we could all be enlightened as well as challenged.

The first testimony is from Soo Ewe Jin, Deputy Executive Editor of The Star newspaper.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0btcCmK0xsY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0btcCmK0x%00%E5%A1%B9%EF%92%81%E1%B4%BB%E4%A1%BF%E2%B2%AF%E5%B6%82%E8%97%84%E6%8C%A7%00%00%EA%AE%A5



What are the joys and blessings of being a Christian journalist?We should be able to experience joy in whatever God has called us to do. In my case, I thank God that he called me into this vocation at an early age, straight out of school. This is because my faith resonates with the basic fundamentals of what this profession is all about. I have thus been able to live out my faith as a journalist with a lot of joy and blessings, despite issues and problems. I have also been privileged to write a weekly 500-word column published in the paper every Sunday which God has used to encourage people.

Continued on following page…

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What are some of the challenges in being a Christian journalist?There are many challenges – not least of which is in dealing with the way the media and the industry has evolved, not only in Malaysia but also worldwide. At one time, I was in the United States for a press fellowship – it was an eye-opener to me that despite our perception that they are the epitome of press and media freedom, the truth is that they also operate under many constraints and agendas. However, what was surprising was that even though our group consisted of many journalists from “closed” countries such as Argentina and China who have to operate under very difficult conditions, it was very encouraging to learn that all of us were united and shared the same desire to do the right thing regardless of the circumstances. For a journalist who is a Christian, this is not just about doing what is right and good, but also what is Godly. Many people only see what we write (and which gets published), but do not realize what a struggle it is sometimes behind the scenes as we try to do what little we can to be an influence for the better. As the Micah Mandate puts it, we have to act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with God. The ways of the world are not in sync with the ways of heaven, but we still have to operate in it and remain salt and light of the earth through what we say, do and write – this is the biggest challenge of all.

What is one word of challenge you have for all us as Christians, and how can we pray for you?Try not to make too much distinction between mainstream and alternative media – it’s not about who is good and who is bad. As Christians, we should pray for good journalism to thrive everywhere. Journalism is a profession that allows us to make an impact even with small numbers. So let us pray for good journalists to rise up in all forms of media so that society will be the ultimate beneficiary. Pray for all of us journalists and don’t judge us too harshly. People, not just institutions are fickle. More often than not, their complaints, criticisms and praise are ill-informed. God alone knows us fully and what the future shall bring, and when. We cannot control the institutions we work in, but we can control to a good extent our own role in it. So therefore, continue to pray for us – because if we think that an institution is gone and we no longer want to have a part in it, then theologically speaking, if the sins are the only criteria, then all good Christians should eschew and leave this fallen world. But we are here! We are here not by accident or design, but

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The second testimony is from Loh Foon Fong, who worships with us in DUMC. She works for one of the major media companies in Malaysia, has been a journalist for 21 years – writing mainly on health and social issues.

What are the joys and blessings of being a Christian journalist?I love what I am doing, despite the many challenges we journalists face on a daily basis. I enjoy exploring new ideas and challenging people to do things differently for their own health as well as the health of the nation – whether in the physical, social or political realm. It is a blessing to be in the forefront of knowing all these things, and to be able to lay it out on a plate for the general public, thus enabling them to think through the issues and take action if needs be. One example of how the job of a journalist can make an impact is from my own experience during the Malaysian financial crisis in 1997-98. At that time, some pensioners couldn’t get their dialysis regularly because they did not have enough funds, as the government’s scheduled monthly reimbursement to them was delayed by up to a year in some cases. I wrote about their suffering, and approached the authorities asking them to pay directly to the dialysis centres, saving them the hassle of making claims and awaiting reimbursement – which was causing a lot of difficulties for low-income pensioners. Happily, this suggestion was taken up by the Malacca state government, whilst at the federal level, reimbursements were expedited.

Continued on following page…

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What are some of the challenges in being a Christian journalist?Faith and work is not separated – therefore a Christian journalist should rightly be an ethical journalist. These challenges in maintaining an ethical position range from the mundane (what do you do when someone offers you an angpow or hamper during festive seasons) all the way to how to remain ethical in high pressure situations (such as the recent General Elections). There have been instances where photographers or journalists were beaten up in the course of doing their job. Another challenge is getting the writing out in the midst of editorial and political pressures. Unlike some other countries such as the United States, in Malaysia, one of the key challenges we face is the lack of a Free of Information Act, which allows public documents to be released to the public. This should be an imperative, because when public funds are being utilized, the public has a right to know how it is being spent. The situation has started to improve in recent years as the government and the ministers become more accommodating and press-friendly. However, there are still many pressures and limitations, particularly given that Malaysia is a multi-racial country. It is therefore not easy to juggle the demands and interests of so many different groups.

What is one word of challenge you have for all us as Christians, and how can we pray for you?Parents sometimes tend to discourage their children from becoming journalists because there is no money in it. However, God has certainly blessed some people with a gift of speaking and writing – and this can be used to contribute significantly to national transformation. Journalism is one place where they could play a big part in with their gifts. We also need more objective journalists in Malaysia, whether in the mainstream or the alternative media. There are not many objective journalists around, as most people would tend to report based on their emotions, or even according to hearsay. And because there is so much confusion out there these days, its becoming very difficult for even objective journalists to comb through the facts and determine what is the truth. Therefore, pray that more journalists can be trained and will do their job well and objectively in this manner. Pray also for more space and transparency in public affairs, and also wisdom for myself to overcome the many obstacles in my job.

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4 Tests for the Media in Communication:1. Is it the truth (cf. Luke 1:1-4)?

Whatever we communicate, we need to make sure it is the truth – else we would be communicating lies! Unfortunately, in the media world, words are played around with – so instead of lies, we call it gaps in credibility; instead of saying forced repatriation, we call it relocation. We need to be very cautious of this – are we still communicating the truth?

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2

just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4)The passage in the Scriptures, written by Dr Luke gives us a fantastic example of right communication. Dr Luke examined everything and studied it all carefully, to ensure that he could write an orderly and accurate account about Jesus Christ.

Likewise, we should also study and examine things carefully – making sure that we have all the facts right – so that all we say and write would be truthful.

2. Is it fair?Are we sometimes too quick to pass judgement on certain matters? Besides being truthful, we also need to be careful that what we say and write must be fair.

3. Is there relevance?That which we communicate (whether in speech or print) must be relevant to life and living. We certainly can (and must) learn from the past, but we cannot dwell in things and times past which have no relevance today.

4. Does it promote well-being?All that we write and communicate must promote well-being, wholeness and health.

ConclusionAll these 4 elements of communication are embodied in one person – Jesus Christ.6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)In the life of Jesus, he tells us that:

“I am the truth” – Jesus stands before us, and all that Jesus says and does is the truth to every human being on earth.

“I am the way” – Jesus is telling us that whatever He communicates is relevant for life and living. Jesus shows us the path ahead for all of us in all we are seeking to do.

“I am the life” – Jesus comes to promote life and well-being, bringing healing and wholeness to all of us.

Fairness – In spite of the fact that Jesus Christ is the creator of the whole universe and He made us all, He never forces us to be His followers. He doesn’t compel or arm-twist us into obedience.

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With amazing fairness, He stretches out His arms and asks “Would you follow me?”

In Jesus Christ, we can see the full embodiment of what perfect communication ought to be.This is the challenge before all of us today. What is our communication like?Is there truth in our communication? Is there fairness? Is there relevance?Most of all, does it promote well-being, health, healing and wholeness?Will it bring to us and those around us the promise of a purposeful life ahead, with a hope and a future?

Sermon summary contributed by Stanley LeeJournal and Prayer Points contributed by Fong Yee Yee

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* Weekly Reflection *

Act Justly. Love Mercy. Walk Humbly.-- The Micah Mandate --



Wisdom SeekerScripture:

Observation: We know that the words of God are the fountain of wisdom and understanding. Hence, we must closely attend to His words so that we will have wisdom as we meditate on His words. We should turn our ears to Him and open up our hearts to understand the wisdom of God. We must hide His words within our hearts, as if they are our treasures. We must lodge His words in our hearts, so that they are always ready for us, particularly in times of difficulties. A man who is fearful of the Lord God will be inclined to listen and obey God. A man who has the wisdom of God knows how to react / respond to challenging moments in life, for instance temptations.

Application: It is extremely important and relevant that God’s words alone provide us wisdom about life. They not only bring us wisdom when we face challenges in life, but also help us to know who God is and why we believe and trust in Him.

Response: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me of the importance of seeking Your wisdom through Your words. Before I can be a transformed person and be the salt and light for you in society, Lord please bestow on me an open heart and eager ears to seek Your wisdom. Lord, give me the strength to spend time with You and re-align my focus on You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!

Result: Despite busy with my daily routine, I tried to spend time in God’s words before sleep and whenever I travel. Although I am struggling to spend time reading His word consistently, I am thankful to our living God that He speaks to me through His word and prompts me to meditate in a deeper manner about wisdom in life.

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Turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding – indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for

hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:2-5)



MINISTRIES & EVENTS: Cambodia Mission Trip (3 June 2013 to 11 June 2013Pray:

God will be the shield and protector for the missionary team and they will be safe and have good health before, during and after the mission trip in Cambodia.

Family members of the missionary team will be well protected and well provided for when the missionary team is away.

Missionary team will be able to build a good working relationship, be united and have joy throughout the mission trip.

God will bring salvation and hope to the Cambodians that the missionary team reach out to. Pray also for the burning desire for the unreached Cambodians to come to know God and His great love.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)

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SERMON: Principles of Influence in the MediaPray:

Christian parents will encourage their children to rise up and accept the challenge to be objective journalists and be engaged in jobs related to the media industry.

God’s blessings and wisdom upon Christians who are working in the media industry to have perseverance and boldness to live as ethical and righteous media workers.

Media tools will be transparent, used for good and bring blessings to our nation. Christians to be truthful and honest communicators so that we will bring wholeness, well-being, life

and future to the nation and all those around us.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)



MALAYSIA MY NATION: Capsized Express Boat in SarawakOn 25 June 2013, an express boat sank at Giam Bungan in Batang Balui near Belanga. Of the 205 passengers in the overloaded boat, 200 survived while four are still missing and one is dead. Search and rescue operations have been in place but are unsuccessful to locate the missing four due to swift currents and insufficient equipment like heavy duty cranes to lift up the sunken boat. (The Star, 1 June 2013).

Pray: The demised will rest in peace and God’s love and peace to be with the

family through this season of their lives. God will protect and safeguard the search and rescue team so that their

safety will be well taken care of and the necessary equipment will be provided lift the sunken boat.

God’s will to be done in searching for the four missing passengers. Boat operators in Sarawak, particularly at Belanga, will strictly adhere to

standard operating procedure so that safety of passengers can be assured. Sarawak Government and the relevant authorities to monitor closely on boat

operators over their code of conducts and to explore alternative modes of transportation in the interior of Sarawak.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

A TRANSFORMED WORLD: Turkey ProtestsOn 1 June 2013, Turkey entered a second day of violent protests, with fresh clashes between police and demonstrators in Istanbul and the capital, Ankara. The unrest began on a small scale, with peaceful protests to protect Gezi Park, one of the few remaining green spaces left in Taksim, but escalated after police used tear gas. Pray:

God’s intervention to stop the unrest and that peace will be restored in Turkey. Safety and protection over citizens and tourists in Istanbul and Ankara. God will use Christians in Turkey to bring blessings and comfort to the citizens in Istanbul and

Ankara. God will burden the hearts of Turkish leaders to take necessary measures to restore peace and

stop violence without bringing further injury to citizens.

No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. (Isaiah 60:18)

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