FALL 2012 SCHEDULE
ACT Bible Course – PT New York City
Contact: pt@actministry.org
Aug 18: Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk
Sep 15: Jeremiah, Lamentations
Oct 20: Ezekiel
Nov 10: Haggai, Obadiah, Zechariah-Malachi
Dec 08: Joel, Daniel
ACT Bible Course – PT Asia
Location: Community Baptist Church, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Contact: yuenloong.ngui@gmail.com
Jul 15:Orientation
Jul 15: Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk
Aug 12: Jeremiah, Lamentations
Sep 09: Ezekiel
Oct 14: Haggai, Obadiah, Zechariah-Malachi
Nov 11: Joel, Daniel
Jul 15: Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk
Aug 12: Jeremiah, Lamentations
Sep 09: Ezekiel
Oct 14: Haggai, Obadiah, Zechariah-Malachi
Nov 11: Joel, Daniel
ACT Bible Course - PT San Diego
Location: San Diego International Church, San Diego, CA
Contact: andreongsd@gmail.com
ACT Bible Course - PT Online
Contact: Harrigan McMahon Bowman
projecttimothy.online@gmail.com
projecttimothy.online@gmail.com
August 24: Nahum, Zephaniah and; Habakkuk
September 21: Jeremiah and Lamentations
October 26: Ezekiel
November 16: Haggai, Obadiah and Zechariah-Malachi
December 14: Joel and Daniel
September 21: Jeremiah and Lamentations
October 26: Ezekiel
November 16: Haggai, Obadiah and Zechariah-Malachi
December 14: Joel and Daniel
Testimony Critique
The testimony critique is a signature feature of the ACT Bible course and perhaps the most daunting task or the most fun event. The goal of the testimony critique is to help you formulate and then articulate a responsible testimony with integrity. Think through how you came to believe in Jesus as savior, practice a summarized version that will make sense to an unbelieving friend, and remind yourself that as a child of Jesus, you have much to live well for. Sometimes, enthusiastic testimonies end up saying little about Jesus or the Holy Spirit. We tend to talk a lot about ourselves and little about Christ, so testimonies (a record of your witness to Christ) can quickly turn into autobiographies (a story about you). By keeping the focus on Christ and you, we can help guide the testimony to be something relevant for others as well.
Pay attention to how your listeners might make sense of what you are trying to say. Reduce Christian jargon as much as possible, or if unavoidable, explain the meanings. Consider why Jesus is unique in your story. Would a Buddhist or Muslim or Jew equally approve of your testimony if the divinity of Christ were not mentioned? For many of us, the hook of Christianity may be a special healing or a providential favor upon us, but what sustains our maturing faith often goes beyond good things from God. In particular, consider the draw of Christ, assurance of salvation, the signal and unique promise of Christianity among all religions. Finally, try to edit your testimony ruthlessly to 5-minutes and allow the piqued interest of your listener to invite you to tell more.
Assume your audience is at minimum a nonbeliever. If you want to make further qualifications, let us know when you deliver it who your intended audience is. Write out, edit, practice, and when ready, deliver a 5-minute testimony using ACT’s 3-point method.
1. What was your life like before you identified yourself as a Christian?
2. What were the circumstances that led you to trust Jesus, and not another faith?
3. How did your acceptance of Jesus change your life?
Listening to each other’s testimony is a great way for us to get to know each other, but the motivation is not primarily for the group’s benefit but yours personally. We want to help you craft your testimony to be most effective for evangelism. To give a testimony in a “real” situation is just plain hard, but if we practice and hone it among a friendly audience first, it will help us in the moment when we have just a few minutes to communicate something crucial. At PT, not only will we listen and celebrate your testimony, but we will also try to go a step further and offer you a sounding board to try and tweak it. Rarely will we be able to get honest feedback about our testimony and its effectiveness. Here are the basics:
None of us have “perfect” testimonies and for most of us, Christ enters our lives without high drama. That is okay – try to think about what kind of person your testimony is most ideally suited to and write for that audience. Write your testimony and send it to your study group for feedback. Then submit it to your tutor.
Below are the three ACT Bible Study Books available online at www.lulu.com. These three books, Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3 respectively, go along with the three sections of the PT Study Program.
(You can buy the books online at http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=1849837)
In addition, here are books available through The Academy for Christian Thought on lulu.com, written and published by Dr. Ron Choong.
Academy for Christian Thought Leadership
Ron Choong: ACT Executive Director and PT Sifu
Dr Andre Ong: PT-San Diego Tutor
Harrigan Bowman: Director for PT-Online
Suzy Spell: Administrator for PT Global
Ngui Yuen Loong, Director of PT Asia, Lead Tutor
Ngui Yuen Loong or Loong as he is commonly known is a Senior MIS Manager in a medical devices company. He has served in various capacity in the church including the pulpit, cell groups, worship and youth ministry. He can speak and write in 3 languages and has been doing interpretation and translation. He is among the first batch of tutors for PT-Asia which started in 2007. He is married to Kathleen with a son Jesse and they live in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. They worship at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church.
