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This document provides a report from missionaries Patrick and Chantelle Swayne about their work in Singapore from May-August. It includes their contact information, the church that oversees their work, and pictures from their time. The report discusses Chantelle teaching ladies in Kuala Lumpur and Patrick speaking at a teachers' training day. It also recounts Patrick witnessing a man fall on the bus while using his phone and reflects on how phones can enable sin if misused.
This document provides a report from missionaries Patrick and Chantelle Swayne about their work in Singapore from May-August. It includes their contact information, the church that oversees their work, and pictures from their time. The report discusses Chantelle teaching ladies in Kuala Lumpur and Patrick speaking at a teachers' training day. It also recounts Patrick witnessing a man fall on the bus while using his phone and reflects on how phones can enable sin if misused.
This document provides a report from missionaries Patrick and Chantelle Swayne about their work in Singapore from May-August. It includes their contact information, the church that oversees their work, and pictures from their time. The report discusses Chantelle teaching ladies in Kuala Lumpur and Patrick speaking at a teachers' training day. It also recounts Patrick witnessing a man fall on the bus while using his phone and reflects on how phones can enable sin if misused.
Overseen by the Leonard St. church of Christ: Leonard St. church of Christ 2730 Leonard St. Pensacola, FL 32505 (850) 432-3727 www.ls-coc.org Elders: John Heflin Brian McCown W.C. Rabren Public transport is almost always crowded here in Singapore, meaning that generally all the seats are taken and people have to stand, whether on the bus or on the train. Thankfully, the bus that we take most commonly (from our house to school) starts its route near our house, so we almost always get a seat. On one particularly rainy day, I decided not to ride my bike to school and take the bus instead. I was especially thankful to have a seat that day, as the rain had made the floor slick and standing difficult. While riding public transport, Singaporeans usually have their eyes glued to a small glowing screen (aka a smartphone). This particular trip was no different; with one hand on a grip and another on their phone, the standing riders attempted to keep up their favorite transportation pastime in order to pass the time. One young man was not giving the more earnest heed while he was riding (cf. Hebrews 2:1, KJV); whatever he was doing on his phone required two hands. It wasnt long before the inevitable happenedin a rather spectacular fashion, both of his legs flew out from under him and he landed flat on his bottom. To his credit, he never let go of the phone. In typical Singaporean fashion, everyone did their best to ignore him as he did his best to get up and pretend as though nothing had happened. He continued to do whatever he was doing on his phone, thankfully without further incident. Upon reflection, the thought occurred to meI wonder how many people are falling for their phones? No, I dont mean falling for in the literal sense of falling over or in the figurative sense of falling in love with. I mean, how many people are falling away from the grace of Christ because of their phones (cf. Galatians 5:4)? The danger of course does not lie in the phone itself but rather in the use of the phone. On another public transportation trip recently, I was sitting on the top of a double decker bus. A young man was sitting at the top of the stairwell. In one fluid motion, he pulled out his phone, appeared to take a picture down the stairway, and then put his phone away. What was he taking a picture of? A young woman in a low cut top then appeared at the top of the stairs, totally oblivious to the fact that he had just taken her picture. The two did not know each other at all. Voyeur photography is just the tip of the iceberg. Modern smartphones can be used to access the internet and therefore the vast amount of pornography it holds. Phones can also be used for sexting, which is the sending of sexual messages and pic- tures through text messages. Many Christians are breaking their covenant with their eyes (cf. Job 31:1) through the power of these phones. Whats more, websites are available that can locate people near you who are interested in starting a relationship. Specialized apps can do the same thing, even telling you how far away someone is through their phones GPS. Rather than assisting Christians in fleeing fornication (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:18), smartphones are helping them to find it. Sexual sins are not the only sins accessible via smartphones. Gambling is a very common problem online, with both websites and apps assisting people in stealing from others, a forbidden activity for Christians (Ephesians 4:28). (continued on p. 5) Volume 3 Issue 3 Chr oni cl i ng t he Wor k of t he Swayne Fami l y t o Spr ead t he Gospel f r om Si ngapor e t o t he Lands Wi t hi n t he Four Seas Falling for a Phone PAGE 2 VOLUME 3 I SSUE 3 This Period In Pictures THE FOUR SEAS I NFORMER We got to spend a bit of time with my Mom and a bit less time (unfortunately) with Chantelles parents, also reporting in the US. Some of our favorite peoplethe Murrells and the Hayes. Above, the brethren at Gonzales who have been behind us since day 1. The wonderful brethren at Leonard St. gave me a birthday party. A lovely picture of the Meachams from Morrison (with me in the background). Above, Chantelle teaches the ladies at Kuala Lumpur. The men got the PPT projector. Babys are precious whether they are from Singapore (well, his parents are Filipino's)... ...or the USA (at De Gaulle Dr., New Orle- ans). Chantelle had one of the girls from LAP over to teach her how to bake the fruit of their labors, or rather, rolls. FYI, salsa was not involved. The Graves family visited Singapore and Malaysia. PAGE 3 VOLUME 3 I SSUE 3 This Period In Pictures THE FOUR SEAS I NFORMER Every now and then we have to show some- thing that makes Singapore seem exotic and cute. I took these photos on one of our brothers at walk sessions. The Jones family from Central in Cleveland, TN surprised us with a BBQ dinner. Teachers Training Day @ Lim Ah Pin Rd. Each year, Lim Ah Pin Rd. has a teachers workshop and at the same time a luncheon and award ceremony to honor those who taught during the year. This year, I was asked to be the speaker for the workshop. I delivered three lessons entitled, Qualities of an Effective Bible Lesson, Qualities of an Effective Bible School Teacher, and Qualities of an Effective Curriculum. As Chantelle and I had done some teaching at LAP ourselves, we were also given presents. Chantelle received hers from sister Baby Tan, who some of you might recognize. From the first time I heard Charles teach, I was incredi- bly impressed by his ability to teach, his enthusiasm, and his great wealth of knowledge. I enjoyed his classes immensely, as his knowledge, quick wit, and easy man- ner made for great class discussions and an excellent listening experience. He truly was someone who took joy in his walk with the Lord and was practical in his approach to Scripture. He didnt simply rattle off Greek or Hebrew words or histori- cal facts as so many intelligent teachers do (though he occasionally demonstrated that he was more than capa- ble of doing so)he was more interested in helping us to apply the Scriptures we read and digest the infor- mation so it was useful. I came to appreciate more and more the fact that this man not only knew the Scriptures, but also liberally applied them to his life. Though he was smart, he was full of humilitythe characteristic of a man who is Christ-like. In March, when he first was going in and out of hospital (but didnt yet know the full extent of his condition), he was in a lot of painbut to see and listen to him you would never know. He was always bright, positive, smil- ing, eager to teachand never once complaining about the state of his health. Just knowing he was going through so much and yet still taking the time to teach us was humbling, and a great lesson within itself. I was so sad when he had to rest and he stopped teach- ing us! Of course, I totally understand that it was neces- sary and I wouldnt want him to struggle, but I really missed his teaching us. When I heard the news that he had passed, I was shocked at the suddenness and the finality of it weighed heavily on me. We had been expecting to see him in just a few weeks time when we travelled to Michigan, but had just barely missed him. I was devastated, but at the same time looking forward to seeing his wife and the congregation that he used to work at. I dont think I ever appreciated him as much as when I went to go visit his home congregation in Michigan. This man, with his great knowledge, ability, and experience, chose to live and work in a remote area of Michigan and work with a very small church. While he could have cho- sen to work in any number of larger and more comforta- ble congregations, he chose thereand they loved him. His example of humility and selfless service will stick with me forever. Here are some of the quotes I wrote down from the clas- ses I took with him, which really show what a great man and teacher he was: There are a lot of things you could complain about, but when we look at our example (Jesus), then we can see what attitude we should have. Paul was not always in the best of situations (right now he is in jail) yet he was a preacher of contentment. Contentment is making the best of the situation you are in. In the battle over your mind, when you are content, then that contentment will triumph over all complaints. Many people spend all their time trying to get out of a situation and complaining about it, rather than making the most of itbut Paul al- ways took advantage of where he was. If Christ died for us, then we should live for Him. Our life IS Christ. Deal with your anger and deal with it now. Dont let it continue. Make music with the instrument God made (the heart). Think about this concept and ideaThere is none elsethis relates to God himself. There is none else. The whole earth is full of His glory. God is the one to be feared. He is the one who creates us, sustains us and judges us. If we could ever get it into our heads that we are not Canadian-Christian, American-Christian, or Filipino - Christianthen that will be a great step towards unity. We are all simply Christians. If we could ever get that in our heads and get away from our national pride, remem- bering that the church is a special entity, not governed by political feelings we would find unity. Remember that we live in this world, but not of this world. Remembering Charles Coats A Great Soldier of the Cross
By Chantelle Swayne PAGE 4 THE FOUR SEAS I NFORMER VOLUME 3 I SSUE 3 PAGE 5 THE FOUR SEAS I NFORMER VOLUME 3 I SSUE 3 Sins of the tonguemurmuring, complaining, gossiping, lying, and so on are common and perhaps even increased due to the falsely perceived anonymity of the internet. Many smartphone users pursue the pride of life through their quest for Facebook likes and Twitter followers (1 John 2:16). However, the problem for some Christians relative to their smartphone use is not the quality of their usethey avoid sinful websites and apps as well as sinful uses of social media and the various other capabilities of the phones. Instead, it is the quantity of their use. Some Christians are like the majority of Singaporeans I see on public transport hopelessly addicted to playing games, checking their social media accounts for updates, and in other ways frittering away their time. Remember, no servant can serve two masters (Luke 16:13). The problem of quantity can easily become a problem of quality, as the proper but excessive use of a smartphone can keep a person from his other duties or responsibilities. Have you ever seen a Christian sitting next to you at church quickly flick from his Bible app to his Facebook app and then back again? Have you been guilty of doing so yourself? Its hard to worship God with the right kind of spirit (cf. John 4:24) when your affections are clearly set on things of the earth rather than those things which are above (Colossians 3:2). How can I avoid the pitfalls of smartphones? Its very important for any internet ready device to be installed with a filter. Although I havent person- ally shopped the market to see what else is out there, I am both a big fan and a user of Covenant Eyes (http://www.covenanteyes.com/), a program which com- bines filtering with accountability reports which can be mailed to the person of your choice. The accountability aspect is extremely important, as most online sins thrive in secrecy. Filters are of course not perfect even when used in conjunction with an accountability report. The main thing is keeping the phone an accountable itemparents should check their childrens phones as well as each others phones. Phone use should be discussed openly and freely. The goal is not to create an environment of distrust, but rather an environment of openness, which is vital in keeping our advantage over Satan. Darkness hates light (cf. John 3:19-21). How can I tell if I have a quantity problem as relates to my smartphone use? Smartphones are tools of the modern age. As such, it is only natural to expect that many people will use them daily. However, there are sev- eral tells when their use as stepped over the line. Is the phone the first thing you reach for in the morning and the last thing you look at before you go to bed? (Note: this doesnt apply if youre only looking at it for the sake of setting or turn- ing off an alarm.) Do you find yourself looking at your phone when having face to face conversations with friends or loved ones? Can you block out significant periods of your life from phone use without suffering withdrawals (e.g. no phone on vacation; no phone use on Sunday; etc.)? Smartphones are good provided you dont use them like a fool (cf. 1 Timothy 2:8). Three principles ought to guide your use of these devices. 1) Dont allow the liberty of smartphone use to be tainted by using your phone to serve the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:13); 2) Dont allow yourself to be brought un- der the power of the phone, even if for lawful use (1 Corinthians 6:12). 3) Proac- tively use your phone to build up both yourself and others through proper use of Bible apps and social media (1 Corinthians 10:23). At the end of the day, if you find that your smartphone is hindering your relationship with God or others, its time to cut it out of your life. It would be bet- ter to enter into life with a dumb phone (i.e. a non-internet ready one) then to face eternal damnation with a smart one (cf. Matthew 18:8-9; Mark 9:43-50). Dont fall for a phone! Falling for a Phone (continued from p. 1)
Name: Je Ann Tabujan Age: 25 From: The Philippines Q. How did you become a Christian? A. I was baptized in the Philippines, but in the first year of my biblical studies in FSC I realized that my baptism was not Scriptural. So, I decided to be baptized Scripturally on September 2, 2013. Q. How has Four Seas helped you? A. FSC helps me to challenge my life. It helps me to acquire biblical knowledge and grow as a Christian. It helps me to change my attitude, realize my lapses in the past, and strive to change myself to be better. It helps me to be more convicted that it is important to seek God first than anything else. It also helps me to see the importance of teaching and sharing the gospel to the lost. Moreover, it helps me to trust more in God. Q. What are your plans for after graduation? A. I am planning to help [the] Arapal congregation. I am planning to or- ganize and teach children and ladies classes. I will be involved in Bible studies and any activities of the church. If I have an opportunity, I will be involved in medical and relief missions. I am also planning to share the gospel to my siblings and relatives. Spotlight on Our Students Chantelles Space Contact Chantelle personally at shonzie.swayne@gmail.com or add her on Facebook: Chantelle Marie Swayne PAGE 6 THE FOUR SEAS I NFORMER VOLUME 3 I SSUE 3
God Has Always Wanted Your Heart Today we have a much more difficult law. You cant even look at a woman to lust! God now requires that we worship Him in sincerity of heart. The Old Law was one of the head, the New Law is one of the heart. Have you heard people say things like this be- fore? There have been many times that I have heard a preacher or teacher say something like this, often quot- ing that verse on lust from Matthew chapter 5. Is it really true? Are we really under a more difficult system today? If our God in fact never changes (cf. Hebrews 13:8; Psalm 102:27), wouldnt it also be true that He has al- ways been Spirit, and has always wanted His people to worship and serve Him in spirit and in truth? (John 4:24). Contrary to popular belief regarding the Law of Moses, God has always wanted the heart to be at the backbone of service, driving and motivating His people to serve Him. He has never heard those that keep iniqui- ty in their heart (Psalm 66:18), and would rather have someone not serve Him at all than to serve Him hypo- critically (Isaiah 1:13-15). He cannot accept the things anyone does right until they deal with the wrong in their lives (vv.16-17). During the time of Isaiahs prophesying, the Isra- elites were still worshipping the Lord. They still brought Him sacrifices and observed all the feast days. It may have seemed strange to them that Isaiah was bringing them messages of doom, gloom, and the need for re- pentancewhen so far as they were concerned they were already doing as the Lord had asked. As we find in this passage, their sacrifices and offerings were not enough (Isaiah 1:11). The Lord did not want their vain oblations as He called them (v.13). The people in Haggais time had a similar prob- lem to the Israelites (Haggai 2:11-19), which provides a good illustration. The people were told that part of their lives was holy, while another part was unclean (vv.11- 14). They were told that the unclean part of their lives made the holy part unclean. They could not enjoy bless- ings while the sin was left undealt with, but if they would cleanse themselves and make themselves clean they would enjoy future blessings (vv.15-19). Just like the Israelites, they needed to make sure they were serving God fully as He desired. Today we are faced with the same charge. Our worship is in vain if our actions are not consistent with our words (Matthew 15:8-9), just as our prayers are in vain if our attitude is wrong (Luke 18:11, 14). The Lord requires us to worship Him both in truth (in the right way) and in spirit (with the right attitude) in order to be ac- ceptable to Him (John 4:24). We too must cleanse our lives and make our heart pure to make our worship ac- ceptable to Him. We must have the right attitude of heart, because He wants us to serve Him with every part of our being: mind, body, soul and strength (Mark 12:30). It is impossible to give any part of ourselves to serving something or someone else and still be fully dedicated to God (Luke 16:13). God would rather have us not try to serve Him at all than have us stay serving Him half-heartedly (Revelation 3:15-16). In short, the book of Mark sums up the whole situation perfectly: [] to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices (Mark 12:33). Yes, God wanted the sacrifices then, and He wants the sacrifice of our lives now (Romans 12:1, 2), but to give anything to the Lord begrudgingly, insincerely, or hypo- critically is not at all pleasing to Him. -Chantelle PAGE 7 VOLUME 3 I SSUE 3 THE FOUR SEAS I NFORMER Gospel Meetings at Subang Jaya, Section 17, and Kuala Lumpur The below photos are pretty self explanatory and are in order from top to bottom. Just a quick reminder that Chantelle is speaking for an all female audience :) Excerpts from an Email Received from Bob Xiang, class of 2013
Editors Note: Bob is working in Shanghai, China (which he refers to as SHA) alongside of brother Kwan Tai Choom (Bro. K), a former instructor for Four Seas College who has been a missionary in Shanghai for some time now. After leaving school, he married Rebecca, a Four Seas Graduate from the same year (as per Asian culture though, occasionally shes Sis. Rebecca). Working underground, the church now has two congregations in Shanghai as well as a Bible School in a rural area which Bob men- tions in the note below.
June was a very busy month for us. Bro. K left SHA for Singapore on 31, May, and then he left Singapore for Ma- laysia to attend the Chinese Asia Bible Lectureship (CABL) as one of the speakers and as visiting preacher in KK congregation from 2-11, June. He then came back to Singapore to renew his Singapore passport and visa for China, so he came back to SHA on 21, June. So when bro. K was away, I taught Bible classes (6, 13 and 20, June) and did Sunday preaching on 1, 8 and 15, June at PX (Pu Xi) congregation; I also did the preaching for PD (Pu Dong) congregation on 1, 8 and 22, June, and on 1 and 8 June when I did the preaching, I also had to lead songs, lead the opening prayer, gave thanks to the Lord's Supper and offering, and lead the close prayer since I am the only bro. who can do this, and bro. Mao was left for CABL too. The theme of CABL this year was Trusting God in Times of Adversity. Next year, the CABL will be held in Johor Bharu, Malaysia. Rebecca and I plan to at- tend this lectureship next year. We are excited about to meet all the brethren on the lectureship.
While the time I was not in SHA, I traveled to Zhejiang Bible School from SHA at 6:00AM to teach the students (2-5, 9-12, 16-19 and 23-27, June). There were about four full time students, and three auditing students in the school. Next year, more full time students will join the study. I taught them 1and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timo- thy, and Titus in June. After the finishing of each book, I gave them a test about the learnt book. Sis. Rebecca was with me in the last three times travelling, very thankfully, she helped me to check the testing papers of the stu- dents; and she also communicated with the female stu- dents to encourage them in study and live a better life for the Lord.
I think one of the benefits for the students was that they have a better understanding about these books. They know what it meant to be a preacher. Sis. Liu Yong, a PX congregation member, who attends the school full-timely shared that she never knew that to be a Christian means that every minute of her life belongs to God, and that our life should be balanced with our new identity (1 Thessalo- nians 2:12(cf. Philippians 1:27); 1 Timothy 4:12,16 etc.). She was a member of PX for one and half year before she attended the school, and she said her life out of church and our faith was not balanced, after the study of these books, she decided to be a better Christian to live out the word of God, to live a balanced life. We are en- couraged to hear that. I renewed my knowledge about these books while I was preparing and teaching. It was a good reminder what a preacher should do in his life (2 Timothy 4:2), it was not only to preach and teach Bible class publicly, but also have to find opportunities to set Bible studies with people to develop them in the knowledge of God.
In the next half year of 2014, I will also teach in the ZBS from 10-21, Nov. for Old Testament Survey; and 8-19, Dec. for the New Testament Survey. So, I will try to use the time I have to prepare these lessons before I go to teach.
Two new souls were added in the Lord's body on 22, June. They are sis. Li Sheng Nan, and bro. Chen Gang. We are happy for their decision to be God's Children. Please keep them in your prayers that they can continue to grow.
Bro. Mao is still in his recovery from bone fracture. Now he does not need a wheelchair, but to walk on crutches. Please also remember him in your prayers. Thanks a lot.
PAGE 8 VOLUME 3 I SSUE 3 THE FOUR SEAS I NFORMER Graduate Updates Through his email updates, James Williams (class of 2013) has informed us that he has helped to start a new, English speak- ing congregation in his home town of Bangalore. Here is a picture of the members currently meeting with James. These four months have been filled with so many experiences of every imaginable kindso much so that it is overwhelming to even think about how to begin writing about it all. There has been such a large serve of blessings and opportunities from the Lordpeppered with small dis- appointments, discouragements and heartaches along the waythat I really cannot do it all justice. We have been challenged by the many opportuni- ties to teach and serve the Lord both here in Singapore and in Malaysia. Patrick held a gospel meeting at Section 17 on marriage and dating from the Song of Solomon. By the way, you can see the whole series as he did it at Jurong onlineits linked on our Swayne Missions blog. It is really worth taking the time to watch these. He has done many other lessons at other congregations in Malaysia too. It is such a joy to hear him speak so often and so well! As for me, I have taught several ladies classes on various topics as they are assigned me, as well as some childrens Bible classes, and lessons in the Holiday Bible School. Ladies can see the lessons I taught at Lim Ah Pin Road (Blessed Are They That Mourn from Matthew 5:4) and Jurong (Self Control and Maturity from 1 Corinthians 7) online also. Unfortunately one of my friends listened to me and congratulated me on my American accentso I apologise to all my American friends if I disappoint with my lack of an Australian accent there! Really though, I am so thankful to be here among such Scripture-hungry people. I know for sure that I wouldnt get so many opportunities to teach were I in Australia or America! God is so good. We have enjoyed the blessings that have come through the generosity and friendship of our Asian breth- ren. Though at times living in Singapore is difficult, the thing that keeps me contented here (and keeps me sane!) is the love and appreciation of the brethren. They are al- ways looking out for us, and it always happens that when- ever I am feeling down a little present, card, or coffee date will come along. Every lesson and effort is met with praise and appreciation. When we came to the milestone of our two years of service here, a group of the brethren even gave us a coffee machinesomething we had had our eye on for years. I am so grateful to God for His blessings through these beautiful servants of His! We have experienced tragedy and heartache with the loss of our dear teacher Charles Coats. He found out about his cancer late and succumbed to the terrible disease so quickly, that it left us all shocked and mourning the loss of such an excellent Bible student and teacher. I truly do not know many other men so knowledgeable, balanced, friendly, genuine, and humble. He will be sorely missed. I have written a short arti- cle about his example he left behind for you all to learn from (see page 4). We have been able to reunite with both of our fami- lies and spend precious time together. My sister came to stay with us for a while, which was lovely! We were also able to spend time both with my family and Patricks mum while we were in the States. Since we live overseas such time is rare and so all the more special. My siblings are growing up so fast! I got to see my family in Middle Tennes- see, where we enjoyed eating at the Rainforest Caf and Cracker Barrel and running amok at the Family Science Museum. We have enjoyed the company, hospitality, and encouragement of many of our American brethren. Report- ing trips are always tiring, but the one thing that makes them worth it is the overwhelming generosity, encourage- ment, and support we receive as we travel. We got to spend time with so many encouraging people I cant even name them all. Fellowship is truly one of the Lords greatest blessings. Our work wouldnt even be possible without the many people who have sacrificed for us to be over here. It is extremely humbling, and a great motivation to continue and do well! I have felt the accomplishment of finishing my course at Four Seas College. I am so thankful for the op- portunity to learn at Four Seas Bible College. It was cer- tainly a big challenge juggling all my wifely duties and travel along with the 7-courses-a-term workload at Four Seas, but I am so very glad I did it. I have such a great appreciation for Gods word now, and I can construct lessons and exe- gete with much greater confidence. I know that what I have learnt over my two years there was a great beginning to a life of learning, so I have now enrolled in the Memphis School of Preaching Online Spiritual Training classes (M.O.S.T) for credit. The first course I am taking is Chris- tian Evidences with brother Dan Cates. Its very interesting! I recommend the program to anyone wanting to expand their Bible knowledge! We have officially managed to serve 2 years on the mission field. It feels like such a short time, and yet some- times it feels like a lifetime. I am so thankful to all the breth- ren that give us encouragement and supporthere in Asia, in the States, and in Australia. Through it all, I am ever grateful to the Lord for His guidance and blessings that have allowed us both to come this far. I know that without His guiding hand we both would not be where we are today and enjoying so many good things. I look forward to the next two years and the opportunities they will bring! Thank you all for your support and encouragement. You are greatly appreciated. Much love, Chantelle From Her Perspective Chantelles look at the last two months It was nice to have my sister stay with us for a while! Here we are on the Light Rail Transport after a day out. PAGE 9 THE FOUR SEAS I NFORMER VOLUME 3 I SSUE 3 Greetings from Singapore! I hope this newsletter finds you well. As far as I can remember, Ive never had occasion to say, Its just one of those years. I know Ive said, Its just one of those days before, and possibly even, Its just one of those weeks, but I cant remember it having gone any further than that. Well, at the two-third mark of year 2014, I feel comfortable saying, Its just one of those years! I suppose thats a pessimistic way to begin, but its the only way I can explain how weve once again let this newsletter go from a bimonthly to a tri-annual . Sorry! Nev- ertheless, as went the first four months, so went the sec- ond four monthseven though weve found ourselves very busy, weve also found ourselves very blessed. When I say, its just one of those years, its not from the standpoint of, Tempted and tried, were oft made to won- der, why it should be thus all the year long, to borrow from the hymn. Its from the standpoint, There is much to do, theres work on every hand, to borrow from another. We appreciate so much your continued support and un- derstanding. So, Im once again tasked with the burden of bringing you all up to date on four months. Ill do my best! Our Work at Four Seas April through August was our second term at Four Seas. For this term, I taught 1 Thessalonians-Titus, Homi- letics I: Sermon Design and Delivery, Minor Prophets, and English II. It was my first time teaching 1 Thessalonians- Titus and Sermon Design, so it was an enjoyable chal- lenge getting the material together. Two students finished their studies as of the close of the first term, Jaslyn Chan and Alvin Lin. We were blessed to have both of these students with us, and are looking forward to their future work in the kingdom. Jaslyn is from Malaysia but is going to be continuing her studies at a secular school in Singapore. Alvin is from Singapore, and is continuing his full time work as the church adminis- trator at Lim Ah Pin Rd. (Alvin took our program over four years on a part time basis). At the start of the second term, Eden Halili joined our student body. Eden came to work in Singapore from the Philippines as a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo, a large and cult-like Philippine denomination. She came into contact with the church at Lim Ah Pin, and studying there came to realize that this denomination fell short of the Bi- ble and that she had not really obeyed Gods plan for sal- vation as laid down in the word. After putting on Christ in baptism, she decided to give up her job and commit two years to studying the Bible. We think its commendable that she both saw the need to obey the gospel and the need to mature in Christ. The second term was a lot like the first in that medical complications continued to cast a shadow over the schools operations. The term began with both Eddy Ee and Charles Coats (an online instructor) on the roster to teach four classes between them. Eddy had been expe- riencing a variety of medical problems, and it was decided about halfway through that he would need a leave of ab- sence to get his health right. Thankfully, as of this writing he is back up and running again. Sadly, the story is not the same with our dear brother Charles Coats. Charles had been hospitalized and had to step down during the first term, but had hopes of coming back on. However, very early on in the term we learned what had caused the first hospitalizationCharles had mesothelioma and would have to step down. Charles lost his battle with this dreadful disease in August and went on to be with the Lord. While I did not know brother Coats as well as did my wife who had the privilege of stud- ying under him (see p. 4), I know him well enough to say that he was a great soldier of the cross and that he will be sorely missed. All of this once again meant more work for the schools full time workers, brother Peter Chin and me. We were greatly helped by Phillip Vanwinkle, a missionary in Malaysia, who agreed to take one of Charles classes and the two that brother Ee had to step down from. May-August Report PAGE 10 THE FOUR SEAS I NFORMER VOLUME 3 I SSUE 3 I FINALLY got around to giving out the completion certificates to those who took the Four Seas Extension Course last year. Note: Not everyone was present for the presentation (no pun intended). Chantelle made a little friend at Subang Jaya, Malaysia. It never ceas- es to amaze us how tiny and adorable Asian kids are. Not only did we have more work at school, but this year we once again ran our Four Seas Extension program. While we decided to divide up the workload this year (last year I taught at Jurong and Lim Ah Pin Rd; this year I took Jurong while Peter took Lim Ah Pin Rd.), it was still a chal- lenge preparing to teach yet another new class for me. The subject for this years extension course was, How We Got the Bible, and at Jurong we had 24 people enroll to take the course for credit. It was my first time teaching this subject and was definitely a challenge, but I benefited from teaching these classes. I divided up the course into four segmentsInspiration, Canonicity (how our 66 books came to be acknowledged as the Bible), Transmission (how the books were passed down to us), and Translation (how the Bible found its way into English and a review of the English translations). The term got even more complicated and difficult when our family suffered the loss of my grandmother, Shirley Hinds. While my grandma was not a young woman at 82 years of age, it was still quite a shock as she died due to an adverse reaction from her medication. After hav- ing missed my grandfathers funeral and having regretted it, I decided to come back and be there for my Mom and family. It ended up being a good thing that I did, as I end- ed up conducting the funeral. It was a very strange feeling for me, as it was both my first time conducting a funeral and a family members funeral. Its at times like these that you really appreciate having gone to preaching school, and having received training relative to funeralsthe train- ing more or less kicked in and things went fairly smoothly. After less than a week in the US, I came back to Singapore and to a heavier workload as I had to make up the classes I missed. What a term! With the help of God though, we made it through. Our Work Outside of Four Seas Needless to say, our plans for 2014 were made in happier, less busy times. Little did we know how the year was going to unfold! As a consequence, we had a very busy schedule outside of Four Seas to accompany our very busy schedule at Four Seas. In May, we made two trips to Malaysia. On May 9- 11, we went to Subang Jaya. I was scheduled to preach for them on Friday and Sunday night, but due to a major flight delay we arrived at the congregation just in time to catch the end of the lesson of the brother who had to take my place (!). As it stood, Chantelle was able to hold a la- dies day honoring mothers (it was mothers day weekend) and I was able to preach twice on Sunday. The following weekend, we went to Johor Bahru, where I taught on Friday and Sunday and Chantelle taught the ladies on Saturday. My workload for Sunday was a bit greater this time, as JB has started a Sunday evening Bi- ble school hour and also a worship hour. For those of you not aware, the churches over here almost always opt for having one longer Sunday morning service than having two services as is prevalent in the USA. In fact, Johor Bahru is the only congregation I know of that has two ser- vices for the same groupother congregations have an afternoon or evening service, but usually for those who speak a language other than English. While I would like to say that the additional Bible class and worship hours were for the sake of additional periods of edification, the fact is that they were started because the Malaysian state of Johor has made Sunday a working day in order to make Friday, the worship day of Muslims, a day off. This means that all of those in public school or who work in government jobs are expected to work on Sunday. It is incredibly unfortunate that the habit of many American Christians has influenced the way the congrega- tion here has set up these two services. Members at JB have been instructed to basically pick one like they do in America. Of course, faithful Christians in America do not pick one, but instead make every effort to attend every service of the church. However, the actual practice of may in the church in America concerning Sunday night is what has influenced these brethren. Though we were happy to help out for both services (meaning four lessons on Sun- day for me), we relayed our fears to some of the leaders at JB that this policy was going to create in effect two con- gregations, which fears some of them shared. Please keep this situation in your prayers, and remember to pray that the government of the state of Johor, Malaysia will restore Sunday as a day off. In June, we were away from our home congrega- tion teaching on two Sundays. On June 15, we headed across town and I was able to preach at the congregation at Lim Ah Pin Rd. The following weekend, we travelled to Section 17, Malaysia, where I held a weekend seminar on dating and marriage from the Song of Solomon (by the way, these lessons were based on the lessons I originally delivered at Jurong; they are available on YouTube if you are interested). The seminar spanned Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and was very well attended by both brethren from Section 17, visitors, and brethren from area congre- gations. The building was absolutely packed on Sunday May-August Report (continued) PAGE 11 THE FOUR SEAS I NFORMER VOLUME 3 I SSUE 3 Above, the completers of last years Four Extension Course from Lim Ah Pin Rd. The group from LAP was smaller, but to be fair there were also two missing from this photo. Congregations And Individuals That Made Our Work Possible By Contributing This Period morning, which was very encouraging. In July, we headed back to Malaysia to do a weekend meeting at Kuala Lumpur. The meeting was only two days, with sessions on Saturday evening and Sunday after- noon in addition to Sunday morning worship and Bible School, but it was great to catch up with the brethren there. For the Sunday afternoon session, the men and the women split up and As some of you know due to our email or Facebook updates, in August we took the first leg of our reporting trip. Due to space, Ill limit the account of this time to a list of the congregations where I was able to speak or report on the work: Tompkinsville church of Christ, Mt. Gilead church of Christ, Central church of Christ (Bedford, IN), Gonzales church of Christ, De Gaulle Dr. church of Christ, Leonard St. church of Christ, St. An- drews Rd. church of Christ, Newport church of Christ, Central church of Christ (Cleveland, TN), Sequatchie Valley church of Christ, Morrison church of Christ, Benton Harbor church of Christ, and Webberville church of Christ. Whew! A special thanks to Ken and Barbara McAfee, George and Joy Jenson, Jim and Jennifer Murrell, Mike and Gwynne Krieger, Randy and Inez Garland, Brooke and Wes Garland, and Doris Blythe for their generosity and hospitality, as well as the many others who helped us along. Ill say a few more things in parting. As far as our personal Bible studies are con- cerned, we did have some more studies with Charlene during this time, but then she went on a long holiday and before we could meet again we went to the states. All this time away has cooled her off, and she now reports that shes too busy with work. We havent had any success either with Tammy and Chee Hoe since their baby was born, as Tammys been suffering from postpartum depression. During this time, we also were vis- ited by my father and sister in law, Chris and Brittany Herd respectively. Brittany stayed with us for about two months. Of course, theres certainly more that could be said about this period, but well leave it there! Thanks for your interest and support. We love you very much! -Patrick Overseen by the Leonard St. church of Christ 2730 West Leonard St. Pensacola, FL 32505 PATRI CK & CHANTELLE SWAYNE, MI SSI ONARI ES
Antioch church of Christ Avondale church of Christ Benjamin Bruce Benton Harbor church of Christ Betty Wedgeworth Bobby & Sue Redd Brookway church of Christ Central church of Christ - IN Central church of Christ - TN Central North church of Christ church of Christ at Tomp- kinsville Conyers church of Christ David & Sue Riley Dennis & Brenda Woods Forest Park church of Christ George & Joy Jensen Gwen Glenn Gonzales church of Christ Highway 9 church of Christ James & Rosalinda Whitmire Jim & Jennifer Murrell John & Margaret Welton Kara & Sheri McAfee Ken & Barbara McAfee Larry & Joyce Speight Lisa Deems Morrison church of Christ Mt. Gilead church of Christ Nesbit church of Christ Newport church of Christ North Cobb church of Christ Sequatchie Valley church of Christ St. Andrews Rd. church of Christ Scot McAfee Teresa Harrell May-August Report (continued)