How can I thank God enough for you?

From the Pastor’s Desk (244)

The 15^th House Church Seminar for Pastors is coming to an end with today’s Sunday corporate worship service. And I am experiencing various different kinds of emotions. First of all, I feel a sense of relief because I don’t need to speak anymore. I am an introvert and I don’t enjoy speaking in front of people. Now, it’s finally over! J

I also feel very small and inadequate. What we are praying for and hoping to do by offering these seminars is to help local church pastors and lay leaders understand the kind of prevailing church that Jesus had in his mind when he said he will build his church. And we want to support them by doing whatever we can to build that New Testament church as we also continue to build ours. This task is too daunting and extensive. And I wonder at times, “Can we do this? Are we making any difference? Will we be able to see the fruit of our ministry? Will God’s churches change and transform through our humble service?” But I know that this is God’s domain and our role is simply to trust and obey Him. So, I move on from this type of thoughts and feelings without allowing them to overwhelm or discourage me.

The strongest emotion I sense, however, as we are about to complete the seminar is gratitude. Unlike previous years, we hosted two seminars almost back to back, one for the lay leaders and another one for the pastors. I don’t think this has ever been done by any house church seminar hosting churches. But we did it.

Last July, when I went to Sydney to speak at a joint retreat for English speaking congregation, I saw a great need and felt a corresponding burden in my heart. When the pastor who was in charge of the retreat shared with me that he and other pastors in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane would like to send their lay leaders to New Life to help them learn about house church, I was deeply moved. I couldn’t believe they really wanted to come all the way to New Life spending thousands of dollars for airfare just to learn about house church. That’s why when he asked me if New Life can offer another separate lay leaders’ seminar for their leaders due to the differences of school schedule, I couldn’t say no. So, I gave him my word trusting that New Life will once again step up and rise to the occasion.

After I returned home from Sydney, when I shared this plan with our Leadership Team, house church shepherds and seminar planning team, no one objected. We all decided to go for it.

Three weeks ago, we truly went out of our ways to serve those 30 plus Aussie lay leaders and 30 others who came from North America to learn about our house church. And this week, we served very sacrificially 20 plus pastors, pastors’ wives and missionaries that came from different parts of the world. I don’t think many churches will or can do this. But you did it.

All of you remembered and prayed for this seminar. A good number of you even fasted. A dozen shepherds opened up your homes and hosted. Several of you helped out with administration and provided rides for our participants. Some of you came out to church very early in the morning to prepare very delicious breakfasts, and also took some time off from your work to come out to make and serve lunches and dinners. You got your hands wet to wipe, clean and do the dishes. And some of you were called upon to prepare your testimonies prayerfully and come out and share them. I can’t name all of you, but many if not all of your faces are etched in my heart and mind.

So, how can I thank God enough for you? This is what Jesus is saying to you.

“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matt. 10:40-42)

Thank you, New Life! I am so very proud to be your pastor.

May God continue to bless and use us mightily for His eternal purpose!

Your pastor, Eric