Sunday Corporate Worship Service in Response to COVID-19
We are fully opening from June (PD257)
A member of New Life asked me if I wanted to join him and his house church members to do the Spartan Race in Austin. Thinking that I am in great shape, I confidently said, “Sure, I am in!”
The race will be on Saturday, May 15. I have about 50 days to train and prepare myself for the race. This past Thursday, I ran 3.3 miles and I nearly died! What happened? In the past, I ran and finished both half and full marathon! I have also been doing T25 occasionally during the pandemic to keep me in shape. And I do it pretty well, especially compared to the rest of the staff ...
More information regarding a possible relocation
I had a very encouraging and informative meeting on Friday with two members of New Life who have been in legal and real estate profession for many years. They approached me to share and discuss about our possible plan to relocate the church to a more strategic and central location.
They started out by saying that they trust me as their pastor. They don’t want to trust me just in small matters because trusting me in small matters that they feel comfortable about doing is not trusting at all. Rather, they felt they are truly trusting in me when they are presented with ...
Dealing with COVID-19 and George Floyd
From the Pastor’s Desk (251) June 14, 2020
It’s been three months since we went into lockdown due to COVID-19. Through many citizens’ participation, we have been able to flatten the curve. Even though we are hearing stories of coronavirus flaring up in certain parts of our nation and around the world, it appears that the situation is not as dire as it was a few months ago when the virus that was new and unfamiliar seemed to spread rapidly.
As we have been going through the lockdown, we have been made aware that social distancing, though it was necessary ...
Gradually reopening the church building
It has been six weeks already since we have resorted to YouTube livestream for our Sunday worship service. This has been a new experience for all of us especially for me who is not technologically inclined at all. However, we have managed to worship God virtually together as one body of Christ.
At first, it was awkward for me to be in the sanctuary with a small group of Magnification Team members praising God and preaching to them. I felt like I was in a recording studio. But as weeks went on, all of us who came out to church to provide worship service for New Life ...
My Sabbatical Plan
In about a month from now, I will
be taking my first sabbatical ever. Since I have never done this before, I
don’t know what to expect or what will come out of it. But because it is in our
pastoral staff policy and the Holy Spirit seems to be leading me to this, I am
obeying His guidance.
At first, I thought about
completely staying away and resting from church ministry. So, I planned not to
come to church for any reason even when I am in town. Instead, I thought about
attending different churches to experience different styles of worship and
learn from them. After ...
Ruth and Boaz
Dear Parents,
Only
two books in the Old Testament bear the name of a woman: Ruth and Esther.
Ruth’s story occurs at the time when judges ruled over Israel. God’s people
were characterized by rebellion and immorality. At a time when the Israelites
desperately needed a king to lead them back to God, Ruth’s story of
faithfulness points us to Jesus Christ, a coming Redeemer who will make all
wrong things right again.
Ruth
was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, a woman from Bethlehem who settled in Moab
with her husband and two sons to escape a famine. Naomi’s husband ...