How Did All This Happen?

New Life is a strange church.

We just finished “Six Day Dinner Fast & Early Morning Prayer.” We did this in order to prepare our hearts for the revival meeting that begins from this Thursday. We fasted from 3pm to 6am the following day. We did this for six straight days. We also came out to church at 5am to pray for an hour. We prayed individually for the first 45 minutes and then corporately for the last 15 minutes. We did this also for six straight days. I don’t know how many participated in the dinner fast, but on average there were about 70 to 80 people that came out to church to pray. And I am sure that there were many others who got up early in the morning and prayed at home to join us in spirit. Our KSC does “10 Day Three Strands Prayer” in January to which about 600 to 700 members come out. But I wonder how many English speaking churches do what we do.

This past Wednesday was our monthly House of Prayer when we also do our Lord’s Supper. A lot more than usual number of people came out probably because Roca Blanca and Vietnam Mission Teams were scheduled to share their testimonies. And many of them were also at Early Morning Prayer. I was thinking to myself, “Aren’t these people tired? Why are they here tonight?”

This past Thursday, my first son, Enoch, came into my office at 5pm after his student teaching at Monarch School. He came to church to take Class 201. I decided to stay at church to work some more and then go home with him after he is done with the class. While I was working, I noticed that a good number of people were coming into church building to take different classes. Daniel Lim is teaching Class 201, Peter Jung 301, Caleb Richers 401 and Mia Yoo “Living at Your God-given Potential.” All these instructors are very busy people with their own family with several children, work and other ministries including shepherding. I don’t know how they do it.

Even as I am writing this on Thursday night, I am hearing praise team members practicing in the sanctuary. They always come out on Thursday night to practice for several hours to prepare for our Sunday corporate worship. These are faithful and sacrificial servants that we need to appreciate sincerely.

Last weekend about 60 men came to men’s retreat that was held at Holy Wild Camp in New Caney. We all had great time praising God, learning from Kevin Nguyen, eating, playing games, talking late into the night, putting up with those who snore incredibly loud, bonding and sharing our stories with each other. And all these were taken care of and run by Maturity Team under Tony Nguyen’s servant-leadership. In many traditional churches, retreat planning and execution are usually done by hired pastoral staff members, but not at New Life. As a result, I was able to rest my body that wasn’t feeling well since I came back from CA after speaking at a church retreat.

This past Sunday at 2pm, I went to David Lim’s house to attend John Park’s Town meeting. We have two towns that are made up of several villages and town meetings are attended by village leader couples to eat, share and pray for one another. As I looked around the table during sharing time, I felt like I was sitting at a table with fellow soldiers for Christ to encourage, inspire, challenge and strategize with one another to win wars for God’s Kingdom. During the meeting, one village leader said, “At times I get tired from doing many different ministries at church. But I would much rather be tired from doing God’s work than not doing anything and wasting my life.”

Through our house church, 100% of members are doing 100% of ministry. And through various different ministries at New Life including Sunday refreshment ministry, intercessory prayer and 3G Sunday, again, 100% of members are doing 100% of ministry. This is unheard of.

How did all this happen?

New Life is a strange church. And I think I like this!

Your pastor,
Eric