It is the inspiring story of Eugene Cho, a Korean-American Pastor of Quest Church, Seattle who challenged himself to live a simple life style. It may be easier if you are single, but he is married with children. Despite the material riches he had, he and his family were willing to give up all material things to live a simple life.
In this world people strive for upward mobility, but he strives for a downward mobility like what Jesus taught Christians. Be humble, you want to be first you must be last. This is totally the opposite to what our world demands.
Things are not important but relationships. he said "When we stayed with friends, we were reminded what was most essential in our lives: It was the people right in front of us. Faith and Hope in Christ. My marriage. My children. My community."
He also quoted G.K Chesterton:"There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less."
This lifestyle is a challenge to all Christians to live a simple life.
He is the founder of One Day's Wage, a movement to alleviate global poverty.
To read the full article click on the title of this post.
This was headline news all over the world about one week ago when a van ran over a 2 year old Chinese girl in Guandong China. In fact two vehicles ran over her. 18 people passed by the girl but no one helped until a woman came to her aid. This incident outraged the world. What have come to our humanity? People don't seem to care for fellow human anymore. I believe one ingredient that is lacking is the love Jesus prescribed for all humanity. Sadly not many come to know Him and follow Him as disciples.
Our follow man is our neighbor and Jesus taught: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31
Note: read a news article by clicking the title of this post.
Check this at You tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ke9XYk9zX8&feature=related
Last evening, a few brothers and a sister from FBC attended the Kuching Minister Fellowship (KMF) monthly prayer meeting at SIB Bau. For the past one year or so the monthly prayers meetings had been at Churches in Kuching city. It was given to understand that KMF wants to bless the churches outside of Kuching city, hence the first prayer meeting was held at SIB, Bau. Bau is a town about 40 minutes drive from Kuching.
The prayer was attended by Churches from Kuching such as Faith Methodist, Good News Fellowship, High Priest Church, FBC, Emanuel Baptist, Christ Baptist, Calvary and Anglican Church. From Bau we had SIB and Methodist Church Bau.
We witness the heart felt prayers of those who attended. People from various churches worshiped in unity for a common purpose of praying for our nation as well as for revival to start in Sarawak.
From the slide show you can see the first slide of a picture that resembles the map of Malaysia, Peninsula on your left and Sarawak & Sabah on your right. About two years ago a group of pastors gathered to pray at Lundu, during a break in the evening they saw this picture in the sky. It was vivid and the pastors realized that it was a revelation from God to pray for our country. Since then many wonderful and fervent prayer meetings had been held in Churches in Kuching.
Thank God for His leading. Let us continue to gather to pray in one accord regardless of denominations. In God's eye all His children are One.
Note : The next monthly prayer meeting will be on 20th Nov 2011 in Lundu.
Here is a true and inspiring love story of a couple who married for 72 years and died together in an accident holding hands. This is really what real love is about.
A recent poll by Life Way Research found that frequent Bible reading can turn you liberal on many societal issues like abortion, capital punishment,homosexuality and others. The researchers were surprised by this result. On the other hand it may not be so surprising because God wants us to follow His commands and He meant good for us if we obey Him. Liberalism here is not about anything goes, but about God's instructions for us to live a righteous life, thus living with consideration for others and upholding God's commands. As we discover the truth of God while reading the Bible, it some ways we become more liberal in judging societal issues. This phenomenon may be discovered in America, I suspect it applies through out the world.
"Frequent Bible reading has some predictable effects on the reader. It increases opposition to abortion as well as homosexual marriage and unions. It boosts a belief that science helps reveal God's glory. It diminishes hopes that science will eventually solve humanity's problems. But unlike some other religious practices, reading the Bible more often has some liberalizing effects—or at least makes the reader more prone to agree with liberals on certain issues. This is true even when accounting for factors such as political beliefs, education level, income level, gender, race, and religious measures (like which religious tradition one affiliates with, and one's views of biblical literalism)."
To read the full article click on the title of this post.
I was reading a fellow blogger's blog call seniorsaloud.blogspot.com where I discovered this touching story. Jesus commanded us to love one another. Without any word spoken this short film conveyed the message of love loud and clear.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34
This Sunday, our church was honored with a visiting missionary Dr. Lin Zhong Mu who was commissioned by Emmanuel Baptist Church, Kuching in 2007. Now he and his family is based in Hong Kong. His mission is in China equipping the believers for mission back to Jerusalem. He is the founder of Strategic Mission Alliance International (SMAI)and its main objective is to equip the saints in China.
There are two prophecies for China :
1. Back to Jerusalem - movement initiated by Mark Ma in 1942 with a vision of bringing back the Gospel to Jerusalem and its vicinity.
2. Renewal and emergence of broken down restructured churches A)The churches were broken down 1949 – 1979 (30 years)- the churches were in disarray B)The churches restructured ( house church) 1979-2009 (30 years)- during this period many house churches emerged as compared to the official church. Official churches are those approved by the Chinese Government. With the split of house church and official church, how are the Christians going to work together?
3.Reverse Flow – flow from China to Jerusalem. Recent prophecy of China for the next 30 years (2009 to 2039). This is exciting time as many in China are getting prepared for this reverse flow. Dr.Lin said we must take action now before it is too late.
Historic Perspectives 1889 to 1919 (30 years) – Republican revolution 1919 to 1949 (30 years) – Military revolution 1949 to 1979 (30 years) – Political revolution 1979 to 2009 (30 years) – Economic revolution 2009 to 2039 (30 years) – Faith revolution
Next 30 years is exciting even the Chinese government is secretly studying how to handle the rising Christian faith as to integrate it into the Chinese society. They recognized the importance of the Christian faith in their country. Dr. Lin said during the next 30 years dramatic changes will take place, there will be greater freedom to worship despite the present persecutions. He is looking forward to seeing large scale worship even at Tian Ann Meng Square! By 2035 China will become the greatest Christian nation on earth!
Three Money Principles for SMAI 1.Jacob’s righteousness ( Gen 31:38-39 2.Law and ethical up rightness 3.Faithfulness in smaller things
Your Response – 3 Ps 1.Praise and give financially 2.Prayers and communication with workers in the fields 3.People – visit the workers
Christians are fervent in their worship and they follow God's calls on their lives to the extend of relocating their families to new locations whenever God instructed them. Dr.Lin has met many of these young families and young people who are really hunger for God and His mission.
Let us pray for Dr.Lin and all the missionaries and Christians in China. May God be with them.
Our church had ran 4 Marriage courses since last year. The main organizers of The Marriage Course (TMC) are none other than Bro. Howe Tung and Sis.Chuei Lian. We are all very blessed by the work of this lovely couple. They are assisted by Bro.Arthur,Bro.Chew,Bro.Chai Say,Bro.Chin Luke, Sis.Amoi,Sis.Stella,and Sis.Teck Lan.
After the last TMC that was completed late last month, Bro.Howe Tung and Sis Cheui Lian felt the need to bless the local pastors with their own marriage course. Like any event that needed funding, they sorted and got about 6 sponsors from our church to finance the event. Bro.Fan Ngian and Sis Siang Li, the Advisors of TMC came from Kuala Lumpur to help conduct the 3 days session at Lundu, a seaside resort about 130 Km from Kuching. The National Director of Alpha Malaysia, Bro.Lei Wei was also there to launch the event.
The course was indeed encouraging and helpful to the pastors who work very hard and had not much time to relate to their wives. This course helps them to learn new ideas to build lasting marriages. There were 12 pastors and their wives attending. The TMC Advisor Bro. David and his wife also attended.
Sis. Chuei Lian said: "Thanks everyone for your prayers & support ! It is so heart warming to hear the testimonies ! Thanks for blessings our pastors in Sarawak!"
Thank God for all Bros. & Sis who supported this event in prayers.
It is well known that Steve Job claimed to be a Buddhist after his visit to India. His wedding was presided by a Buddhist monk.
But there was interesting facts about his earlier years. Ed Stetzer of Lifeway Research wrote "Steve Jobs was baptized and instructed in the Christian faith, so we can do a bit more than talk about "common grace," we can also hope that God, in His own ways, at times and places of His choosing, may have worked in Steve's life, at the last, a remembrance of the gifts from Christ He had received in His life. Unless you have been with a person in their last days, you have no idea what goes on in a person's heart and mind in the closing days and moments of life. Let us pray God brought back to Steve the remembrance of what he had been taught as a young man in a Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod confirmation class, taught by my friend Rev. Dr. Martin Taddey, now deceased."
Therefore, we do not know what was his mental condition regarding his belief in his last days. Only God knows. Let us pray for his wife and children to come to faith during their life time.
To read the full article by Ed Stetzer click on the title of this post.
The world mourns the passing of a great innovator recently - Steve Job. The world may see him as an iconic computer technologist, but evangelical Christians see him as an "evangelist". Calling him an "Evangelist" sounded odd because he was not even a Christian! Well, the work he has done at Apple Computer enabled the Gospel to be spread to places where it cannot reach with old technologies or methods. With advances in internet technologies and the devices like iphone, ipad which enable owners to have access to the Gospel.
Dr.Michael A.Milton of Reformed Theological Seminary commented "Through Apple’s technology, the Gospel has been getting through to what the professor dubbed the most hostile places on earth as well as the most hostile ideological places in the secularized Western world."
He said “In God’s common grace, He used this man’s innovation and creativity to build a new Roman Road to the world – a pathway through the extremities of a world still held in the tyranny of despots and dictators, poverty and radical religious fetters,”
We read many stories in the Bible where God made used of non believers to further his kingdom. Like the Romans in St.Paul's time built extensive roads systems that enabled the Gospel to be spread far and wide, indeed "to the end of the earth".
We pray for Steve and thank him for inventing devices that enable the Gospel to be spread to many unreached places on this earth.
It is indeed an amazing true story of a young woman just 22 years and yet she is a mother to 13 orphans in Uganda.
Kattie Davies is an inspiring Christians to all of us. Young people at her age would not give up the good life in any part of the world. No i phone,computers,rock music and many other modern "must have" of this young generation. She chose to serve the orphans and needy in Uganda. She is a matured Christian although she is just 22 years old. She is living a life commanded by Jesus for all Christians.
Matthew 25:40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Proverb 19:17 "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done."
To read the full article click on the title of this post.
Last night the Mothers' Union Choir from Diocese of Seoul Anglican Church performed at St.Thomas Cathedral, Kuching. It was a rare opportunity to witness these talented mothers performing classical as well as modern Gospel songs. This choir is entirely made up of mothers, hence the name. There were 35 mothers in the choir.
They have held performances in Japan,Philippines,St.Paul's Cathedral London,at Lambeth Conference and others. The conductor was Professor Gabriel I.H.Cho of Sungkonghoe(Anglican) university. The organist was Fides H.W.Lee of the same university.
Some of the songs performed were "Serve the Lord with gladness-composer George F.Handel, "God is with us allthe day"-composer J.M Martin,"Since Christ my soul from sin set free-composer J.M.Black, "Holy Spirit Revive Me-composer Geonyong Lee and others. They also performed a Mandarin song "Mo Li Hua" and a Korean folk song "Arirang".
St.Thomas' Cathedral's own choir also performed a few songs. (ladies dressed in black).
The performance was very entertaining and those mothers were indeed very talented. The conductor got everyone to join in to sing a Korean Gospel "Holy Spirit Revive Me" in Korean.
The Cathedral was packed, probably several hundred people were in there.
Praise God for a fantastic performance!
Click on the title of this post to read a news article of their visit.
Once again our Church had the honor of Pastor Ben Wong from Shepherd Community Grace Church Hong Kong coaching our leaders over the weekends.
On Sunday he preached at our Church and the main theme of his sharing was "Go Make Disciples". He said from his travel around the world most Christians leaders are that Jesus is coming back soon. In the last days there will be great harvest. Indeed now we are witnessing great harvest in the Middle Eastern countries. Like in Iran Christians are growing at 19.7% a year, Afghanistan is growing at 16.7%,and Saudi Arabia is growing at 5%. America is only growing at 0.8% per year.
The problem is that Christians are afraid and they let the gates of hell beat them. We must stand up and fight back. We have God in us, and we should stand and fight back to win souls for Jesus. The harvest is plentiful but workers are few (Matt 9:37). There is no problem with the harvest, but the workers. We stay in the comfort of our Churches.
Pastor Ben said he is afraid that we will be inward looking as we move into our new Church building at the end of this year. He said we must never be inward looking and do not be distracted by the new church building. Jesus did not say "Come to church", but He said "Go" make disciples. He said "the best defense is the offense".
The Great Commission is "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt 28:19-20
