Weddings are always special as they symbolise the love and commitment that two people are prepared to give to each other till the end of their days. Of course, it becomes even more special when the groom is one's brother, and the bride, a close sister-in-Christ. For both Eunice and Sebastian, I believe weddings are also about the community of friends and relatives. Most of you would have heard Eunice inviting you to her wedding tomorrow. If you didn't, know that you are! (from Eunice) Join me in sharing in their joy and celebration tomorrow. :)
Cheers,
Joshua
Friday, April 17, 2009
Eunice's Wedding 18 April 09
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thank God It's Good Friday
As we celebrate Good Friday,I am very blessed by the sacrificial love of God for us. Heard this song during a baptism service this morning. The lyrics of the song aptly told of the love of Christ for us.
=) May the Lord open our hearts and embrace the love of God afresh.
Ps San
* I have translated the lyrics into English, hope it does not dilute the meaning.
在十字架上，你為我捨命，On the cross of Calvary, you sacrificed your life for me
受鞭刑，使我得醫治， Received the lashes, so that I can be healed
所有的罪惡，你為我擔當，For all my sins, you paid the penalty
受刑罰，使我得平安， Received the punishment, so that I can find peace
何等犧牲的愛， What a sacrifical love!
聖潔神子成為贖罪祭。 Holy Son of God to become a sin offering
何等能力，勝死亡權勢 What power demonstrated! Overcoming the dominion of death
今我屬你永活的真神， From now onwards, I live for you, o living God
在這個時刻，我心只有你，At this moment, there is only you in my heart
我的主，我唯一的愛。 My Lord, my only love.
Session 9: Paradigm Shift -> How to do evangelism? (PART 1) (Ps Lawrence Khong)
1. Map – Do I have a map?
People come to Christ through a process of change:
2. Strategy – How do we get there?
The cell group church believes in:
Community Evangelism
- The community an individual is in affects one’s decision. Therefore, it is crucial to provide the community to the individuals.
- Jesus did not just die for one individual , Jesus died for a church – a community of us!
Relationship Evangelism
- Oikos = you spend at least 1 accumulated hour per week with them on a one to one basis. Because nobody will be comfortable to trust and to follow a stranger (You, Jesus, etc.) recommended by another stranger.
- PERFECT 10 PRAYER STRATEGY = People engaged regularly for effective community transformation, Zechariah 8:23
Servant Evangelism
- H E A R T evangelism = when I serve (a need), I touch hearts.
- Steve Sjogren, 1993, Conspiracy of kindness – “If the heart is the centre of focus of man’s personal life, the spring of all his desires, why not we aim for the heart right at the beginning? … The exciting thing is that the heart is not unreachable … People’s hearts are most easily touched by acts of kindness.”
- Show God’s love in a practical way, with no strings attached.
- DO IT CONSISTENTLY, because you really love, because God first loved you.
- If not, come on, then you ARE doing it with strings attached.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Session 8: Key to multiplication -> Power of Group Evangelism (Ps Lawrence Khong)
Key to multiplication
- NOT to just find 12
- but to find 144 = train up spiritual fathers / harvesters!
Best group dynamics?
- Socio-scientifically proven that a group with self-generating GROUP DYNAMICS = magical group of 8!
Body/ group evangelism
- Forming a family and community
- Much more effective than one-to-one!
- When a few groups come together, the stronger leaders can also support the weaker ones!
- Results in increased excitement! Woo hoo!
Session 7: Reaching For the Stars (Ps Claudia Castellanos)
Matthew 2:10 “When they see the star, they were filled with exceedingly great joy.”
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Psalm 51:9-10 “Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
How to hear God? How to desire what He wants for you?
- Until you surrender your natural/logical mind to the cross, you’ll never get to hear God!
- If it’s your own natural mind and not God’s, your motivation will be your own, not God’s!
- Romans 12:1 “…you have to surrender your minds to the altar…!”
- Tell the Lord, "Give me a heart that can hear You!"
What do you do when you do God’s work?
- When you can hear God, you can speak God’s words to people and help them!
- The 3 wise men brought gold, myrrh, wisdom = offering, moments of tribulation, our talents
- Let yourself hear God + be used by God = Be a shining star for God to everyone!
What’s your star?
What’s in you?
Follow after your star and you will SHINE, to bring glory, praise and salvation to the house of the Lord.
Session 6: Life Through the Spirit, Live In the Spirit (Sarah Castellanos)
Moving in the spirit = to die to your own desires
3 things the Holy Spirit give us:
1. Purpose
2. Strength
3. (eh, not mentioned?)
Romans 8:9-10 “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.”
When you go through hard times, just rest in God -> then you’ll see the miracle.
Rest in God = trust Jesus = knowing He has everything under control!
You might feel discouraged and feel like giving up = this is normal! However, you should NOT really give up! Press on NOT depending on your own strength but on God's strength.
3 issues that prevent us from going in the Spirit and doing God’s work:
1. Thinking that God will use someone else better, not me!
2. Thinking that God will never use me given that I am nothing at all!
3. Using my own strength instead of depending / resting in God!
Know that God’s love and blood NEVER FAILS, because IT IS DONE at the cross…
Session 5: Not Just Pure Blessings, Those Who Can Do It Really Do Have Skills! (Ps Lawrence Khong)
The Cell Group Agenda
1. To love one another (part 1)
Inside cells we must minister (EDIFY)
- That we see God’s answered prayers
2. To love one another (part 2)
Outside cells we must multiply (EVANGELISE)
- If not we’ll just keep focusing on our own problems, or worse, we start focusing on others' problems i.e. gossiping!
3. To train each other to love
Cells must mobilise (EQUIP)
There are 3 levels of learning:
a. Cognitive (Knowledge) - you have to KNOW HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO WORK
b. Psychomotor (Skills) - you have to KNOW HOW TO DO IT
c. Affective (Values) - your heart has to be transformed and WANT TO DO IT!
You impart it not by sending people to class. You need to create a culture in the cell that everyone in the cell does it! Then when new people join, they see that it is the only value/option that everyone does, therefore they will do the same too!
John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Reason for cell gatherings
MINISTRY AND EDIFICATION must be the explicit, main reason of cell group
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