Events

April, 2003

Good Friday and Easter Sunday
We will have a Joint Fellowship on April 18 (Friday night) to commemorate the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. On the following Sunday, we will have a Joint Worship at 11:00 to celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior. During the worship, there will be an Infant Dedicating Prayer, if needed. In the afternoon, a Baptismal Service will be held at Pastor Larry’s home at 3pm. We will probably have eight to ten new members (four being baptized) this time. We thank God for adding new people to our church.

JV / Youth Spring Retreat
As I’m writing this newsletter, I received bad news that Seri’s, the guest speaker for the JV/Youth Spring Retreat, grandmother had been admitted to a hospital in Japan. In light of that event, she would have to change her plan to return to Japan, which meant she wouldn’t be able to come to the retreat. During the church prayer meeting, the counselors prayed for Seri and her grandmother, and also worked up a back-up plan. Since we can’t secure a speaker in such a short notice, they decided to take on the challenge and shared the responsibility to speak. Sitting in the meeting with the counselors, I see their genuine care for the youths, in which I praise God. May God bless them and continue to use them to help the youths to grow in Christ.

Events

April, 2002

Welcome to the Family!
We would like to welcome the following new family members:
Paul Leung, Mandy Leung, Kings Tsang, and Mandy Cheung: to be baptized on Easter Sunday.
Howard Wong and Amanda Wong: via transfer.
Michael Lam and Hien Tran: via application.

Welcome on Board
We welcome Sister Pinnie Wu as the Associate Minister, commencing April 1, 2002. The church will have an inauguration ceremony on April 7, 2002 during the worship service. You are cordially invited to attend.

Annual Missions Conference
Our Annual Missions Conference this year is fast in approaching. It will be held on April 19 through April 21. This year, we are honored to have Dr. Roy Low as our speaker. Dr. Low is an Old Testament Professor at Western Seminary. He is also planning to go the Singapore Theology Seminary as a missionary/Bible teacher. Marvin Mings, one of the missionaries we are supporting, will also share with us his ministries with the Native Indians. Please join us . . .

Basketball Game
Our youth basketball team is competing in a tournament with three other churches on Saturday (04/13/02) from 10:00am-2:00pm at Fremont Community Center. Come and cheer them on! For details, write Gary Quan at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Events

April, 2001

Church Activity
On April 13, we will have a special joint program to commemorate "Good Friday" at church at 7:30pm. Brother Ming Ng will head up this special event. We invite you to come and join us in remembering the Lord’s suffering and death.

On Easter Sunday, we will have an "Infant Dedication" during the Joint Worship, and at 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon, you are invited to go to Pastor Larry’s home to witness the baptism of three new believers: Clifton, Quy, and May. Fellowship and food following the Baptismal Service.

We will have a special Cantonese Praise Night on April 20 (Friday). We take this opportunity to sing praises to God to glorify Him.

Mission Update
We thank God for leading the Annual Missions Conference last month. We thank God that we’ve surpassed our goal of $50,000.00. May God bless everyone who participates prayerfully and financially.

The date for two church sponsored trips has been set:
July 24 through August 4 to Jonesboro, Arkansas
December 16 through January 6 to Cambodia.

Congratulations!
Marianne and Andrew for their wedding on April 21. May God bless their marriage with His unceasing love.

Scripture of the Month

September, 2004

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”--I Peter 4:10

As we have studied from last month, one of the major themes in the epistles of Peter is suffering. During times of persecution, Christians need to maintain a positive attitude, like that of Jesus. Having a positive attitude is more than passively enduring the pain; it involves contributing to the church body.

How can we effectively contribute? First, spend our time wisely. Peter reminds Christians to not waste time doing inappropriate things such as debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry (4:3). Second, know the time we’re in. Peter reminds us “The end of all things is near” (4:7). The curtain of the world will soon be drawn. Knowing the time we’re in should affect what we do. There is a sense of desperation to re-prioritize our life.

Peter, in this passage (4:7-11), gave us three exhortations: First, pray with a clear mind and self-control. Praying with a clear mind is to know exactly what you want and why you want it. The ultimate prayer is to pray within God’s Will so that we can truly ask God to replace our preferences with His purposes. There is a couple of interpretations to “being self-controlled so that you can pray”. One, to be restrain from asking beyond what we need, and the other, to restrain from the activities as described in v.3 so that our prayers will not be hindered. It serves well for us to remember that sins always hinder prayers.

The second exhortation is to practice love. Peter said “to love each other deeply” and “to offer hospitality without grumbling.” The two descriptions are important to remember: love deeply and without grumbling. This is so unnatural for us! We just don’t have this kind of capacity. About the only way to do that is to keep focusing on the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to keep having faith in His Return, putting everything in order and under His control.

The final exhortation is to serve others. God has given every Christian spiritual gifts (charisma) to serve (the word for deacon) others. “Faithfully administering” means “being good stewards.” What God has entrusted us we must faithfully discharge. No one has all the gifts to do everything, and no one has zero gift to do nothing. All of us must be good stewards, contributing to building the church in preparation for the Lords Coming. Having the right motivation is important—so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ!

Scripture of the Month

September, 2003

“But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
II Cor. 8:7

In order to have a clearer understanding of this verse, we need to know its background. At that particular time, the church in Jerusalem was struggling with poverty. In his pursue to help the needy brothers in Jerusalem, Paul collected donations from the more affluent churches and brought them to Jerusalem.

When Paul asked the church of Corinth to participate in this event, he tactfully began with an example, not a plea. He told them the Macedonian churches, such as those at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, had contributed generously in spite of their own lack. Not only did they give financially, they did more than expected because they kept themselves aligned with God’s will. Their dedication to Christ involved supporting His servants’ needs. The example of the Macedonians (v. 1-5) encouraged Paul to make arrangements for Titus to bring the completion of the Corinthian’s offering to Jerusalem.

The conjunction “But” in verse 8 indicated that unlike the church at Macedonia, the church in Corinth wasn’t facing persecution, nor were they in desperate financial difficulties. How willingly they should contribute to get with the program! Paul reminded the believers that they excelled in spiritual maturity—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in earnestness, and in love. Our faith in God, communication with others, knowledge of the Scripture, passion in God’s Kingdom, and love for mankind are Christian virtues and should diligently be developed. But on the same note, let us also be aware that “the grace of giving” is another sign of spiritual maturity.

From what I have noticed, many Christians have difficulty in giving. Even if they did, they are willing to “give” talents, and even time, but when it comes to money, somehow, not many are faithful. I believe the spirit of generosity can only be developed when Christians begin to realize the quality and quantity of the “grace” of God given them. Our God is a generous God, therefore, as His children, we also want to excel in this grace of giving. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Have you check your wallet lately? Be generous, especially towards God’s ministries.

September, 2002

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Withdrawing from the crowd, Jesus spent the last evening before crucifixion with His disciples in the Upper Room. After the Passover meal, Jesus girded himself with a towel and washed His disciples’ feet. It was an unfathomable act of humility. No master would ever wash his disciple’s feet! Not in a million years! But Jesus did!

Now, the time for Jesus’ betrayal was approaching. He painfully told His disciples that one of them was going to betray Him (13:21); that they could no longer follow Him to where He was about to go (13:33); and that Peter, the leader of the pack would defect his loyalty at the most critical time (13:38). The disciples couldn’t go with Him to the place (13:33, 36) because Jesus was going there to prepare a place for them and for every believer who comes along later. No one could assist Him, in completing this mission. In Him alone is Salvation completed. When Salvation is done on the cross, He would return to take them to be where He would be. The natural reaction of the disciples was a state of confusion and troubled. Seeing their troubled hearts, Jesus reassured them that He was going to prepare a place for reunion. Throughout His ministry, Jesus had been showing them the place and the way to get there, but Thomas indicated that they did not fully understand.

Thomas’ question (14:5) prompted Jesus to respond with His sixth of the seven “I AM” statement in this gospel. “I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Let us not forget that the “I AM” is how Jesus referred Himself as the Almighty God. Jesus is the Way because He is the Truth and the Life, just as God the Father is the Truth and the Life. Contrary to what many people think and hope for, Salvation can only be obtained through one way, and this way must come from God so that He may pave the Way for people to return to Him. If people try to find their own way to God, they would be lost because they would not know the place, nor would they know the requirement.

If you follow the exegetical principle, you would realize that this statement is not evangelistic in nature. Jesus was speaking with the disciples (believers). This assurance of Jesus is always the way and the truth and the life, even in times of trouble. Like the disciples who were confused and troubled, we will face uncertain times too, but remember Jesus is still the way to the Father, who will provide us with more than we need to combat our difficulties. Trust in Him!

Scripture of the Month

September, 2001

“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Luke 16:13

Written between the pages of Luke 14 and 19, there are many parables. Jesus used parables (stories) to bring out a truth that would make it easier for listeners to identify. However, if the listeners weren’t interested in his teachings (like that of the Pharisees), they would not seek the “moral” of the story and therefore, miss the golden opportunity to learn from the Master. Whenever we read parables, we need to realize that there is only one major theme within one parable.

Many misunderstood the teaching of the parable of the “Shrewd Manager” (Luke 16:1-8). Jesus wasn’t praising the unfaithful manager for mishandling his master’s money. He was saying that it’s a shame that “the people of this world” understand the purpose of having money better than “the people of the light” (v.8). The major theme of this parable, then, focuses on Christians understanding what money is and how to handle their worldly possession.

From this parable, the people of the light need to at least learn the following lessons: First, exercise wisdom to use worldly wealth from an eternal perspective. No doubt that money is of this world, for there is no need for money in eternity, yet Christians can use temporal possessions to benefit people and thereby reap eternal reward (v.9). We must not look at money as a tool of buying one’s way into Heaven. The context tells us that they were the people of the light. In other words, they were “saved.” When they enter Heaven (by the grace of God), they will be welcomed with applaud.

Second, Christians need to exercise faithfulness on what they possess. The amount is irrelevant. The principle is that if we are not faithful and trustworthy with little things, such as worldly wealth, we would not be faithful and trustworthy with true riches (v.10-12). What has more value than people’s soul? If we can’t take care of money from God’s perception, how can we take care of people’s soul? Maybe that explains why so many Christians only “talk” about Evangelism instead of having the passion of witnessing.

Third, Christians must exercise devotion to God as their fulltime Master (v.13). Jesus demands His disciples to treat God as their master every day of the week instead of only Sundays. “Living for money” six days a week will put God at a distant second. It is a good reminder that whoever takes God seriously doesn’t look upon making money as his chief end of every day activity.

Scripture of the Month

October, 2004

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”--I Peter 5:8

Since February of this year, we’ve been studying the epistle of I Peter. We’ve come to the end of this great book in which Peter not only touches on various doctrines, but he also has much to say about Christian life and duties. In the midst of severe persecution (a fate of the early churches), Peter reminds Christians to be submissive under authorities, as exemplifies by Christ.

In chapter 4, Peter reminds us that the End Time is near (4:7-11). Then, in the reminding epistle, he shows us how to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord. He has messages for all believers, ranging from developing self-discipline in prayer life and serving one another based on love to being elders to shepherd the flock. They should model themselves after Christ so that they can be models for others as well. He also charges the young men (women also) to be submissive under the guidance of the elders (shepherds) so as to bring out the dynamic and functions of the church body.

Finally, in the passage before the final greetings, Peter asks every believer to do two things: be self-control and alert. I remember when I preached on the downfall of King Solomon. There were two very important characters we, as Christians, should develop—obedience and self-control. The message of Peter echoes this importance. Submission is an outward behavior of an inward obedience. It carries an implication of doing the desirable things which we don’t necessarily want to do. Self-control, on the other hand, carries an implication of not doing the undesirable things which we want to do. Both are vital in keeping the spirit of Unity in a church body. Peter also wants us to be alert, meaning to be sober or to have a clear mind, as opposite to being drunk with either wine or self-centeredness. The reason for having obedience, self-control and alertness is that our enemy is readily available to tear us apart, either as an individual or as a church. Having seen so many Christians fallen prey to the temptations of the roaring lion and many churches spilt should remind all of us to be all the more watchful.

Scripture of the Month

October, 2003

“But, ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.’”
II Cor. 10:17

Paul devoted half of this chapter talking about one common flaw of men—boasting. It seemed that the church of Corinth continued to have this unresolved issue because Paul mentioned the same message to them more than once. The first mentioning was in I Cor. 1:31. The context was a little different. In that verse, the emphasis was that no one could boast of his salvation. No one can “out-smart” God, who chose the seemingly foolish cross to reveal His infinite wisdom and power. Who would have thought of the humiliating cross as a tool of Salvation? Christ, therefore, has become for us wisdom. From Him, we graciously received our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. Since these are given by the grace of God, what can we boast about? Absolutely nothing! Therefore, if there were to be boasting, let him who boasts boast in the Lord.

It might be true that no Christian could boast about being saved. All of them know within their hearts that Salvation belongs to the Lord, and that there is nothing they can do that will contribute to them being saved. But similarly to the believers in the church of Corinth , Christians boast about everything else, especially being holier than others.

This brings us to this verse in II Corinthians 10:17. The context allows us to see that boasting is a way to compare ourselves to others. It has to do with the pride of our achievements because boasting has to do with self-promoting. Make no mistake about it: Paul wasn’t trying to commend himself to the church of Corinth . He wanted to silently work for the Lord in places where no one had plowed the field before. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to share the glory; it was that he didn’t want people to compare “his” work with others. He thoroughly realized that all he did wasn’t his achievement. It was all God’s. To him, boasting is illegitimate, whether it be of one’s own accomplishments or status.

For Christians, only “boasting in the Lord” is legitimate. What it means is that we “boast” of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us, or through us, or can do through us. There is only a “fine-line” difference between drawing people to admire us and causing people to adore Christ. Are you bridging people to God? You can say a lot of things about God, and all those things could be doctrinally sound, but can people around you see God? Boasting is not needed for that!

Scripture of the Month

October, 2002

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.”
John 15:1

The Upper Room Discourse (John 13:1—16:33) is probably the most extensive teaching on discipleship. In the section regarding the Vine and the Branches, Jesus conveyed three vital relationships for the disciples to cultivate. They needed to rightly relate to Him (15:1-10), to each other (15:11-17), and to the world (15:18—16:4). Though they might not have captured all the in-depth instructions at that time, yet the Holy Spirit continued to teach them during Jesus’ absence (16:5-16).

In the monthly scripture, we have come to the last of the seven great “I AM” statements. This statement is particularly Jewish in flavor. In the Old Testament, Israel is known as God’s choice vine, which was to receive lavished care and attention so that it could bear fruits to bless other nations, but the vine (Israel) became rotten and produced bad fruits.

Therefore, when Jesus proclaimed “I am the true vine,” He was making the contrast between the “rotten vine” and the “true vine.” He would fulfill what God had intended for Israel to do—bless the nations. It is helpful to know something about vine growing in order to understand the significance of this proclamation. The vine (trunk) doesn’t bear fruit. The branches do, but the branches can’t bear fruit unless they are truly connected with the vine; and they must receive enough sunlight and be removed from the ground before they can bear good fruits. The only way for disciples to bear fruit is to remain in Jesus (15:4). “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” If the branches are connected with the vine, the Father will enhance the fruit bearing process.

The word “cut off” in the next verse has been debated by biblical scholars. In Greek, this word also means “to lift up.” One view saw that God will remove the branches that don’t bear fruit, while the other view saw that God will change the position of the branches so that it could bear fruit. The former emphasizes on God’s divine punishment, while the latter emphasizes on God’s patience. Regardless of which position you take, there is no confusion about the seriousness our Father looks at fruit bearing as part of discipleship. To bear much fruit is to glorify the Father (15:8). What fruit was on Jesus’ mind? The fruit of Love—love one another and love the people in the world (15:9-17). As disciples of Jesus, we need to learn to love as Jesus loves.