Sunday Corporate Worship Service in Response to COVID-19
Praying and preparing for the next house church seminar
From the Pastor’s Desk (260)
October 17, 2021
When I think about the lay leaders’ seminar that we hosted last weekend, all I can say is, “Praise God and thank you, New Life!” Thirty-three shepherds responded to the invitation to open up their homes and house churches to host sixty-six participants who came from all over the United States. Every one of us, especially those of us who served in the frontline, has experienced the blessings of God in an amazing way. And these blessings of God came to us in various forms: experiencing joy, getting to know and ...
Giving full-time devotion to college house churches
From the Pastor’s Desk (259)
September 12, 2021
Pastor Sang will transition out from his house church to give his full-time devotion to our college house churches starting from October. In order to help his house church to go through this transition well, the members have been informed of this and encouraged to pray to see who should serve as their next shepherd. They unanimously chose Andy Liufu to serve as their shepherd. The single house church members will remain, but two married couples will find and join other house churches for practical reasons.
I ...
In regards to officiating a wedding
From the Pastor’s Desk (258)
August 1, 2021
Years ago, I was made aware of a New Life house church shepherd who officiated his own house church members’ wedding. When I heard of the incident, it didn’t sit well with me because something that should not have been done was done. I left it at that because it was or seemed like one isolated incident.
Just recently, however, I was made aware of another incident where not a house church shepherd but a member officiated one’s own family member’s wedding. I was happy for the couple who got married but not the ...
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 ...