Can a godly person be an independent thinker?

Employees in Singapore feel that their leaders could do more to challenge employees to be independent thinkers.

That was what a study commissioned by the Ministry of Manpower has revealed. Many employees in Singapore are feeling that their employers are teaching them how to think. I'm afraid that the church is also in a similar state, except that many of us aren't even aware about it.

Just this afternoon, in the tribe meeting (which incidentally, I may not be a part of soon), we were discouraged from asking 'why?', but instead, told indirectly, just to follow and be limited just to asking the 'what' and 'how'.

I left the place rather disturbed. Have I been told to just follow whatever I'm told without questioning why I am doing it? Have I been told how to think?

This is in stark contrast to what I've learnt from Ps Seng Lee, that I should never be satisfied with whatever that he teaches, nor should I assume everything he teaches to be the truth, because the only truth in the world is the Word of God, and I should always refer to the scriptures to discern whatever messages that I receive.

That lesson from Ps Seng Lee had since taught me to never assume any sermons to be completely true until I check it against the Bible. I made a mistake actually by assuming that those words that he said is true. Fortunately, it turned out to be a safe assumption.

In Acts 11:17, 'Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.' In this verse from the Bible, the Bereans, who have been described as a noble people, checked against the Word every day to be sure that whatever that Paul - the person that wrote the most in the New Testament - was true.

If there's one lesson that I've learnt from Ps Seng Lee's dismissal by the church is that my faith should never be built on the faith or experiences of others. I have a direct connection with God.

God was there to see my formation in my mum's womb. God was there when I was depressed and down. He never leaves me...

Ps Seng Lee always made it a point to meet up with us - his tribe, his family - on a regular basis, no matter how busy he was. He was committed to us, his people. Whatever that I've learnt from him has made up the foundation of my faith.

Ps Khong is the leader of this church and who preaches great sermons every Sunday. I've learnt alot from his messages. I see him on the big screen or on stage, and have never interacted with him.

In the three years that I've been in youthnet, today's tribe meeting was the first time that Ps Eugene spoke to us.