For this month’s Growing Closer, we catch up with bro Reuben Lim – an active member of the church serving in various ways. We find out what is going on with him and his approach to his faith and evangelism.
Farand:
Hi Reuben, thanks for your time in advance, how have things been for you?
Reuben:
Life wise, I've been doing alright. Am currently in the midst of transitioning from one job to another (from TTSH as a pharmacist, to NYP as a lecturer in pharmaceutical science). Am thankful to God for granting me this opportunity for a switch. Sok Ting and I have been married for nearly 2 years now (time flies!), and we have pretty much gotten used to staying on our own away from our families. I'm grateful for Sok Ting's parents and siblings (she has 4 others), who have wholeheartedly accepted me as part of their family.
Farand:
That’s an interesting transition. When are you starting in NYP? Any reason in particular that triggered the change?
Reuben:
I'll be starting work at NYP end Oct. I thought I'd try making the shift for 2 main reasons - I was provided with opportunities to teach and mentor during my time at TTSH, which I enjoyed, hence I thought I might try moving on to being a full time educator. Secondly, I was looking for a job which would give me more predictability in terms of when I would be able to take leave.
Farand:
Anything that you’ll miss about being a pharmacist?
Reuben:
Yup definitely. I chose to be a pharmacist because I wanted to do patient care, so I'll miss certain aspects of that. I'll also miss my colleagues, many of whom I've known for quite a number of years.
Farand:
All the best in your new career! In a recent men’s class, I recall you showed your Bible knowledge in scoring top of class! Could you share your Bible studying approach?
Reuben:
Truth be told, I really don't think my Bible knowledge is good - for that particular quiz, I remember that many of the questions involved quite notable verses and events which happened in the Bible, which I was able to recall. I have to say that I could definitely use more discipline in Bible study. Then again, I've found a good method to be scripture writing - which involves copying out individual verses of a text and then writing notes about the verses one by one, with the aid of a reliable commentary. This should not be a rushed process.
Farand:
I think we could all always do better :) but the fact you can recall the notable verses and events is already very admirable and something to look up to. You have been known to have been successful in bringing people to church. How has your approach been in general? Could you share any successful and/or unsuccessful stories or experiences?
Reuben:
I don't really have a specific approach actually. But I think one common thing amongst those whom I've invited, are that they were my friends outside church to begin with. For these friends (e.g. Shermin and Gavin), they already showed some baseline level of interest in Christianity, hence this made it easier for me to reach out to them.
As for unsuccessful stories, there have definitely been a number as well (more than the successful ones). But I believe the key is to be persistent in talking to them about it (at the right times of course), and to balance it out by not being overly pushy. It may take a long time, but we remember that God's Word is powerful and sharp.
Farand:
That’s very encouraging. Speaking for myself, the worry has always been the fear and sometimes assumption of rejection. How do you navigate that?
Reuben:
Thanks Farand. As for rejection, I don't think I've found a way to navigate around that per se. I think we all have to accept that we are sometimes going to face rejection especially when speaking with our friends and loved ones about religion. I too also fear being rejected - I guess one way we can attempt to overcome this would be to ask ourselves what is the worst that can happen to us?
Farand:
I think approaching friends is indeed something many could do, but not all do. Is there an approach where you think about it proactively or it happens organically?
Reuben:
At this stage, I have to think about it proactively, so it does take an effort and some preparation to reach out (e.g. religious background of the person; knowing the character of the person and perhaps anticipating some of the questions that person might have).