19 Feb 2013 by Donna Uning CM –
Kuching, February 16, 2013 – What is success? In the second part of Goal Setting for an Abundant Life workshop, Dr. Wong Hong Meng continues with this question. Although many equate this to money, possessions or titles; Dr. Wong puts it by quoting Paul J. Meyer, “Success is the progressive realization of worthwhile predetermined goals.”
“Even in the church, people see how rich the church is by their buildings,” said Dr. Wong. For Christians our goals must be in line with the will of God in our lives.
Success is a progressive realization, meaning it is progressive. It is worthwhile, “Worthwhile to you,” he mentioned. He talked about the time he wanted to take his doctorate even though others thought he was crazy. “But, it is worthwhile for me,” he continued. “Don’t criticize people’s dream.”
God is sovereign. The Lord Almighty has sworn in Isaiah 14:24, “Surely, as I have planned so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.”
The third is to have predetermined goals. Why solutions never work was because we didn’t predetermine it. If you do the wheel of life and master dream list, you can think your goals through, he said.
“Thinking is hard work. Most of us don’t like to think. That’s why we go through life without thinking,” Dr. Wong pointed. He quoted Selwyn Hughes, “Success is knowing the will of God and doing it.
“Spend time seeking the Lord for guidance and direction before setting your goals. Some people don’t think we should do goal setting; we are Christians.”
“For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, … everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him,” Colossians 1:16.
“Don’t plan without praying. Planning doesn’t mean you don’t have faith.” He further said that most of us just don’t have the methods or tools. Daniel 7:1 – 12:13 show the role of praying and planning in leadership. Obedience is a reflection of faith.
He illustrated a person sent to a new mall to buy a pair of specific shoes. The first thing to do was to find the directory. But before going to the desired store, a person must know where they are from the indicator, “you are here.” Goal setting is like that. Before you go to where you want to go, you must know where you are.
“In any goal you set, you must know where you are,” he said. Financially or spiritually, do you know where you are? You need to know where you are to get to your goals, and be able to track your steps.
After the break, the participants get to work on their goals with their ministry groups. “Write down your goals so that your thinking will crystalize. When your goal is not clear, you cannot do anything about it. The reasons we don’t achieve goals is
because it’s just good intentions,” said Dr. Wong.
Using the FGBMF GPS, members prepared their SMART goals – specific, measurable, achievable, recorded and time bound. The SMARTER version includes enjoyable and rewarding.
Is your goal consistent with Christian principles and values? “Don’t try to rationalize your goals. Just say yes or no,” he said.
Ask Jesus about your mission here. Think about your role.
“When you set your goal, you have to believe you are there as affirmation,” he said according to Romans 4:17, “ … the God who gives life to the dead and calls on things that are not as though they were.”
You also need to visualize. “If you can see the invisible you can do the impossible,” David Cho Yonggi.
Having a goal planning sheet gives a slight edge. “But really, we have the big edge as a follower of Jesus Christ,” Dr. Wong ended.
In the workshop, participants get to work with a simplified version, compared to the much elaborated corporate version.
The Vicar of St. Faith, Venerable Canon Nelson Ugas Bulang closed the event. The workshop was held at the Parish Hall, St. Faith’s Church, Kuching. It was attended by ministry groups and church leaders; and organized by the Mission and Evangelism Ministry and FGB Kuching.
Dr. Wong telling participants how to set their goals.
Mdm. Grace Lee from Intersession Ministry presenting their group’s goals at the seminar.
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