The Rock Christian Fellowship
– our LPD Church of the Week
Thanks to Anna (Ben) Crumback at Sointula Community Church for producing the Church of the Week!
***
The Rock Christian
Fellowship meets in the Elks Hall in Ladysmith, each Sunday evening. Their
ministry is special among us, as it is volunteer led and has a really unique
outreach to the people of Ladysmith. They have recently introduced to Christ
some people who have been struggling with addictions, and this has opened
opportunity to, in the Name of Jesus, minister to others struggling with
addictions as well.
One of the couples leading in the church, Chris and Lisa Burness also have a
band, Skellig,
through which they have opportunity to share their faith. We appreciate their
music and their ministry. God is opening doors for both them and the
church family. Here is the website for Skellig: https://www.skelligmusic.com/
***
Good News at Richmond
Night Market!
Richmond Chinese EFC and Grace EFC partnered
with local churches in sharing the Good News at the Richmond Night Market this
summer.
Will (Christine)
Burgess, English Ministry Pastor at RCEFC writes, “One of the events that has been
really exciting for the brothers and sisters in our Chinese ministry recently
has been the Night Market Outreach. Working together with other churches, we rented
a space at the night market to pitch a “free psychology test” tent. A
couple of church members stood outside the tent, urging passerby to “come
see what your favourite colour says about you!” Once inside the tent, they
were taken to a table with an evaluator to provide them with their
psychological evaluation … Many of our volunteers had very good conversations
with people who were seeking or were willing to pray a prayer of acceptance
with them. As with any evangelistic tool there are strengths and weaknesses to
this one: I believe the main takeaway for many of our brothers and sisters was
to be willing and active in evangelism: as once you overcome the initial
awkwardness of talking to a stranger, you start to realize that you are more
afraid of them than you should be.”
Volunteers were
encouraged to experience a number of people giving their hearts to Christ.
Way to Go, Richmond
Chinese EFC and Grace EFC!
Please contact Pastor Will
at RCEFC for more information:
***
Sometimes
“formulas” just don’t seem to work. We work hard and do
our best, but results just don’t seem to come.
We may be discouraged. Why does what has “worked” in another
church not seem to work in our setting? What’s to blame?
Here are three questions to consider:
1. What’s our Method? One size doesn’t fit
all. We know that this is true. Recently, in purchasing some clothing, it was
hard for me to find anything that was not XLarge or bigger!
Same with churches, and the stories above reflect this – outreach to those
dealing with addictions or outreach in a public market – both are effective in
different settings.
What is God laying on the hearts of the people in your church? What
opportunities present themselves to your church in your community?
Rather than looking for a method or formula, seek the Lord, and open your eyes
to what God is doing in your community.
2. Where’s our Strength?
We can work hard in ministry, but we can’t change anyone. Our
job is to direct people to Christ who can both redeem and transform. What
fuels our ministry? On what do we rely, and on whose strength does our ministry
depend?
Lyle Schaller, who consulted churches for many years used to speak of the two
stages of ministry. Likening one’s ministry pathway to the launch of a rocket,
a pastor may well “launch” into ministry with the energy of a
“blast off.” After some years in ministry, one learns that energy and
effort alone will fall short – both in terms of one’s personal strength and
also in terms of the transformation of people. In this, if we are to continue
in ministry, we need to learn to lean on and trust the Lord, and to walk in
obedience to Him. I have learned, and relearned this lesson over the years.
I was again reminded of this in my reading yesterday morning in Oswald
Chambers, My Utmost
for His Highest. It reads:
“His disciples asked Him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ ” (Mark 9:28). The answer lies in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “This kind can come out by nothing but” concentrating on Him, and then doubling and redoubling that concentration on Him. We can remain powerless forever, as the disciples were in this situation, by trying to do God’s work without concentrating on His power, and by following instead the ideas that we draw from our own nature. We actually slander and dishonor God by our very eagerness to serve Him without knowing Him.
When you are brought face to face with a difficult situation and nothing happens externally, you can still know that freedom and release will be given because of your continued concentration on Jesus Christ. Your duty in service and ministry is to see that there is nothing between Jesus and yourself. Is there anything between you and Jesus even now? If there is, you must get through it, not by ignoring it as an irritation, or by going up and over it, but by facing it and getting through it into the presence of Jesus Christ. Then that very problem itself, and all that you have been through in connection with it, will glorify Jesus Christ in a way that you will never know until you see Him face to face.
We must be able to “mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31), but we must also know how to come down. The power of the saint lies in the coming down and in the living that is done in the valley. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and what he was referring to were mostly humiliating things. And yet it is in our power to refuse to be humiliated and to say, “No, thank you, I much prefer to be on the mountaintop with God.” Can I face things as they actually are in the light of the reality of Jesus Christ, or do things as they really are destroy my faith in Him, and put me into a panic?
3. Who is our
Adversary? We can have the best methods and trust God, but must also be
aware that we have an adversary, who at this point, is both alive and
“well.”
While our adversary is not likely to appear physically, his presence might be
seen in both personal and corporate sin, often evidenced in dissension,
disunity and broken relationships.
Paul lays out for us the characteristics of the Fruit of the Spirit in
Galatians 5:22,23, ” the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law.” This is a
powerful witness, as evidenced in a Dallas courtroom this week, as the
brother of a man murdered by off-duty Dallas police officer, Amber Guyger,
stunned the courtroom with his expression of forgiveness to the convicted
shooter, his wish that she would receive Christ, and his sincere hug and
embrace of her at her sentencing. amber-guyger-hug-forgiveness-courtroom-and-its-many-meanings/3851088002/
In contrast, the “acts of the flesh” are also evidenced, ” … sexual immorality,
impurity and debauchery; idolatry
and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” (Gal. 5:19-21).
While we might be
quick to identify witchcraft, sexual immorality, etc. as sinful behaviour, we
may find ourselves more tolerant of discord, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions, envy, etc. All are evidences of the work of our
adversary and damage our witness and ministry in the Name of Christ.
Dan Reiland presents a good article on recognizing the above questions, and dealing
with our adversaries five top tactics in a church ministry.
May we be mindful of
these questions and proactive in addressing these in our lives and churches.
David Suzuki is often quoted for the words of advice he received from his
father. “You are
what you do, not what you say.” How true as we live and share
Christ!
***
Vancouver Gospel Home
Church is a Korean church plant that meets in Coquitlam. We have
enjoyed coming to know Pastor Daeho Cho, and are working with them, as they
make application to join our district and the EFCC Family.
Sadly the facility their church rents was recently broken into, and all their
sound equipment was stolen.
If your church can donate either equipment or funds towards replacing what was
stolen, this would be a great blessing to these brothers and sisters in Christ.
Here is a list of what
is needed:Speakers 2~3(under 100W)
Speaker stand 2
Microphone 2~3
Sound mixer(up to 10chn)
Projector 1
Please contact me (Rob) for more information, and thank you for considering
this need. (rob@lpd-efcc.ca).
Update: One church has
already responded with a used soundboard – thank you! More equipment is still
needed.
Please pray for:
Upcoming Events:
Theology in Culture: Of God and Games Public Lecture
The first installment of ACTS’ new Theology in Culture series will explore what it looks like to think critically about God, faith, video games and gaming culture. With presentations from John Auxier, Ph.D. (Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy at ACTS Seminaries) and Kevin Schut, Ph.D. (Professor of Media and Communication and creator of the new Game Development program at Trinity Western University), this event will offer a chance to learn and discuss the interaction between faith and games.
The seminar will be hosted by SouthRidge Fellowship Church in Langley
on Saturday,
October 5th from 9am-3:30pm and the cost of $40 includes
lunch.
For more information, please check out the webpage at actsseminaries.com/culture.
Online registration is available through Event Brite.
***
LPD Pastor and Staff Cruise
a day of fellowship,
learning and encouragement with co-workers in Christ–
Wednesday, October 30
Pastors_Cruise_Oct._30_2019.pdf
Here are the details:
***
LPD Pastor and Spouse Retreat
Nov. 22-24, 2019
Hello LPD pastors, we’d like to invite you to join us on Nov. 22-24, 2019 for a Pastors’ retreat! We’d like to encourage you to take a breather in late November (before Advent begins) with your fellow pastors at Camp Charis in Chilliwack.
Registration is open
on our LPD Website. Please see:
https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/event/lpd-pastor-and-spouse-retreat/
