Upcoming Connections

Please pray for this very special occasion. Invitations have gone out to Hokkien ministry leaders in Singapore. Join us as we desire to work together during these UPCOMING CONNECTIONS. It was before the Lunar New Year, we invited Senior Pastor and Leaders of Hokkien Ministry coming together for a time of fellowship. Everyone enjoyed the networking very much.

If you are a Senior Pastors or leaders in charge of Hokkien Ministry, Hokkien Harvest (Singapore) would like to invite you for a time of fellowship 3 April 2018 (Tuesday), 11:30am to 2:30pm. Lunch is included.

Rev. Oh Beng Khee, Advisor of Hokkien Harvest (Singapore), will be sharing his heart with us in reaching out to the Hokkien people. May we come for a time of fellowship and networking, your participation in this fellowship lunch will greatly encourage us.

Kindly contact/whatsapp Sister Sally Phang at HP 90813292 for any enquiries and let her know if you are able join us.

Thank you.

Looking forward to your participation.

Yours sincerely,
Rev Gilbert Sng
Chairman, Hokkien Harvest (Singapore)

Hokkien Harvest Singapore 新加坡福建丰收
农历新年前，新加坡福建丰收邀请了在教会服侍福建群体的主任牧师与领导们一起用餐。大家都很享受这个团契。

如果您对讲福建话的群体有兴趣也是教会的领导。我们诚意邀请您在4月3日，上午11点半至下午2点半一起彼此服事与团契。（午餐供应）

胡民气牧师，新加坡福建丰收的顾问会分享他心中对福建话群体传福音的负担。您的出席将会是对我们极大的鼓励。

要是您能参加这次的午餐团契，请在3月31日之前致电或whatsapp 9081 3292，与Sally Phang姐妹联络。

非常期待您的参与。

您的同工，

孙忠成牧师敬邀
新加坡福建丰收委员会主席

Missions – Connect

As missionaries what is our mission? We missionaries, especially from the WEST, have had a desire to take the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world for a long time. Our family for 35 years has viewed international missions from our own personal experiences. During this time we have seen soooo many strategies discussed, presented and applied and changes made. So what is our mission? Well, it’s pretty obvious that we all desire to connect with local people and communicate the love of Jesus Christ. We want them to know HIM.

Currently, a Taiwan friend and partner in ministry has been working on a doctorate in music in the US at one of our seminaries. As we read over the dissertation to be presented we enjoyed the opportunity to discuss the content of that study together. The paper talks about indigenous missions in which people work hard to partner with local partners and make sure that the gospel is presented in a way that Christ himself is shared in that particular culture. It should be shared in a completely BIBLICAL manner being sensitive to symbols and the language that communicates clearly with people in a way that they can understand.

Having served for so many years overseas, we are also aware of the challenge to allow Christ to reveal HIMSELF to the people in the culture with which people are working. We do not want to import our own personal worship styles, worship forms, etc. into another culture. We want it to be indigenous . . . shared in a way that allows Christ to reveal HIMSELF in that culture.

Christ is Lord of all and died for all people. We especially see this when the Apostle Paul made a point to connect with the people in Athens to share the gospel in a way in which the people would understand. This is a very BIG deal. We want the people to get it! We want to be true to the scriptures, and allow God to speak into the hearts of the people.

1. Please pray for our Hokkien missionaries and local partners around the world as they continue to search for local partners and discern ways to appropriately share the gospel in that culture with those particular people.
2. Pray for a spiritual awakening among the Hokkien so that every person has the opportunity to hear about the love, grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
3. Pray for local Christians across the Hokkien world to seek ways to cooperate and reach out to the people in their communities.

Thanks for joining us on the journey. Blessings to you all!

Whatever it takes!

I have just completed reading Steven Curtis Chapman’s book, Between Heaven and Earth. When I started reading the chapter about the accident that took the life of their five year old daughter, Maria, I just cried. I was especially touched as he recounted the scene in the emergency room when the doctors pronounced her dead. He continued to pray for a miracle, but soon realized that she was gone. However, with a broken heart he faced the doctors and nurses and told them that one day we all will come to this same point, the point of death. He then with just a few words shared his hope in Jesus Christ. It was a profound story. Even in this most difficult circumstance his life reflected the hope that is within him.

Since I made the decision to ask Jesus into my life, I have never had any doubts about Christ becoming my Savior. He has absolutely changed me and never abandoned me. I am so grateful. I do live with the passion that I want to make a difference in our world. I want to help those who hurt. I want people who think that have everything, to realize that they are missing an abundant life without Jesus. I want hope for families, peace for our communities and a healthy political environment for our country that will also bring hope to people everywhere. So practically speaking what are some ways that can work. Well, there are all kinds of ideas . . . millions of them. However, we have to be determined to make a difference! We can’t give up!

On one occasion one of our Hokkien teams traveled to a Taiwan fishing village in southern Taiwan. We knew that many in this particular area were not very well educated, so we prepared materials that would better relate to them. Sometimes we would share CDs or have public performances using different indigenous art forms. In this fishing village during the middle of the day, many people were sitting outside their houses. So we decided to distribute materials and just mingle with the people. As we began, we discovered that basically no person wanted to accept what we prepared to give them. However, one of our short term workers reached into our resources and pulled out some big-mouth puppets. She put one on her arm and began to use the puppet to talk to the people and distribute materials. It was AMAZING! They gladly took the materials. Oh we have some personal thoughts as to why they were willing to take them, but we really don’t know exactly why it worked. It was a fun experience.

So, what’s my point. Well, it is easy for all of us to get discouraged and walk away. However, we need to find ways around the discouragement. We need to be creative to seek ideas that will bless people and allow us to communicate Christ’s love. We need to allow God’s love and HIS unlimited ideas to work through our loves and seek ways to bless others.

Oh, there are a lot of ways just like this that God has used to share HIS love. It may be taking soup to a sick neighbor, repairing houses, building church buildings, caring for the poor, painting schools, cleaning community bathrooms, volunteering in our local schools, and EVEN going on international trips to do the same. So basically, we need to be willing to do whatever it takes to help people, love on them and share our love to bless those around us. No matter what the circumstances, we need to be SALT and LIGHT to reflect God’s LIFE and LOVE. I often rest and trust in these words from II Corinthians 4:7-10 (my favorite verses).

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

 

 

 

Friends, Partners & Family

Since we have lived in many different places, God has blessed our family with so many friends. When we first arrived in Taiwan, our major assignment was to learn the language. So for 3 1/2 years we were in full time language study.

We had NO idea what God was doing during this adventure. Of course we learned the language which was a miracle, but aside from that — God was at work in other ways. Two of our teachers accepted Christ and one, who had become a Christian in college, chose to follow Christ in baptism. WELL, believe it or not, two of those teachers along with one of their husbands became partners with us in starting our first church. NOW THAT IS DEFINITELY A GOD THING! Through the years our friendship with these teachers deepened and without a doubt God has blessed us with Chinese friends who are now FAMILY. This is true both in Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. Money cannot buy relationships like this.

This week we received word that Tan Chi-Kian (Ray), the husband of one of those teacher/partners, Melody, underwent major surgery. We ask you to join us in prayer as we support these close friends. Reports from his doctors have not yet been released.

We understand what it feels like to face physical challenges. We know the questions, turmoil, tears and anxiety that come with it. Please join us in prayer as we pray for our Taiwan Family and Friends . Ask the Father to give them strength and comfort during these anxious days. Pray for healing for Ray, and ask the Lord to strengthen him physically as he undergoes treatment. Also ask God to surround this family with people of faith who are loving and positive and can cover them with God’s unconditional love. The children, Jason and Julie, are married and have children. So these past few years have been precious times for grandparents to see the future of their family. Pray for their children as well.  Pray too for medical personnel to have wisdom as they oversee Ray’s care.

For more photos view the slide show below.

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