Richmond Chinese Evangelical  Free Church

– Our LPD Church of the Week.

Thanks to Anna (Ben) Crumback at Sointula Community Church for producing the Church of the Week!

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Are you and your church at a Tipping Point? What do I mean by that?
 

In 2000, Malcolm Gladwell influenced many organizations with his book, The Tipping Point.” In this, Gladwell defines the “tipping point” as: “the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point.” It is a crucial juncture, that signals a key moment of crystallization that unifies isolated events into a significant trend.

For a quick summary of his book, please see the following video link:
 

Tipping Point Summary

I do not write today to inform you about a book, but to raise the question of where we are at as churches – where “my” church is – where I am at. For the sake of mission, are we at a point where we are ready to retool, to recommit and to change?  Am I ready for this?

Thomas Rainer raises this question in his recent article, “Why American Churches Are at a Tipping Point.”

He, as a senior consultant, author and pastor is convinced that the American Church is at a critical point – a “tipping point.” He writes,
 

If current trajectories continue, American churches will pass a tipping point. Our congregations will begin a likely unstoppable path toward decline that will rival many European churches of the past century. If there is not a significant movement of revitalization, there will be an accelerated rate of decline and death.

I am pleased that Rainer does not write as a pessimist, but as one who believes that, by God’s grace, Christ’s Church can rise to the occasion and be used of him. He identifies and challenges us towards three “tipping points”

       1. THE THEOLOGICAL TIPPING POINT        

Need convincing? Check out this research:   https://thestateoftheology.com/

       2. THE ATTITUDINAL TIPPING POINT

       3. THE ACTIONABLE TIPPING POINT

Rainer concludes his article with the words,

IT IS TIME

Still, I am not discouraged. The tipping point is not inevitable. Our obedience may have waned, but God’s power has not. Many church leaders and members are recommitting themselves to a renewed and vibrant mission. Many of their churches are seeking and seeing revitalization…

With whatever years God gives me, with whatever breaths I have remaining to breathe, I ask God to use me in my church to serve Him and others with unwavering commitment.

And then, and only then, may I dare to whisper, “I have not lived in vain.”

Here is the article:   AMERICAN CHURCHES ARE AT A TIPPING POINT

I relate to Rainer’s concerns and to his hope. I also echo his commitment to mission in my ministry. How about you?

At our LPD Conference, we will be reflecting on both mission and serving to this end, as we consider, “Discipleship that Transforms.”

Here is the info:
 

LPD Annual Conference:

March 1,2 at Vancouver Chinese EFC.
“Discipleship that Transforms”

Please plan to join us for this annual gathering, and to attend with your leadership team!

Please mark your calendars and see the attached  letter and brochure.
 

Conference Letter:
Conference Invitation Letter

 

Brochure:
LPD Conference Brochure

Please also see our LPD Website for registration

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AROUND THE LPD
 

Last Sunday, Karen and I had the chance to be at Nanoose EFC, where preached, and oversaw the installation of Nori and Shelley Anderson as lead pastor. We are thankful for the fifteen years of faithful ministry of Chris and Verna Wilson at the church, and we pray for a revitalized ministry in the church for the future.
 

On Wednesday of this week, we held our first LPD Advisory Committee meeting for the “new” New Westminster EFC. This was a rewarding meeting that was composed of leaders of , New West EFC and our district, and included Church Planter Jorge Lin, New West Transitional Pastor Ralph Hardy,  and Consultant/Coach Steve Sharpe. In its history, New West EFC was instrumental in the birth of both Town + Field (Langley EFC) and Fort Langley EFC. We are excited at this joint venture of faith, and look forward to following the Lord in this rebirth of this church. Please pray with us to this end!
 

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Please pray for:

• Our upcoming LPD Conference, March 1,2 at Vancouver Chinese EFC. We look forward to seeing your church leadership team at this important time of growing and learning together.
• The Church of the Sent for Life Proclamation – This is our first Korean Church in the LPD. Please pray for Pastor Namgyu (Heejoung) Lee and the congregation. The church building they have been renting has been sold, and they will need to relocate by the end of April.
• White Rock Community Church has called a youth pastor. Josiah and Martha Wall are coming from Winnipeg.
• The Steveston Project Team – Allen and Hannah Chang and Daniel and Joyce Wong.
• Grace Ethiopian Evangelical Church. This church meets at New West EFC and will be joining the LPD/EFCC at conference.
• New Westminster EFC. Pray for Transitional Pastor Ralph (Karen) Hardy and Church Planters Jorge (Emily) Lin this church family, as they seek the Lord for the “New” work as they begin 2019. I look forward to joining them this Sunday.
• Fort Langley EFC, as they as the congregation seeks the Lord in their search for a lead pastor.
• Tom and Sandy Ford and family, as he awaits transplants, made necessary through the impact of his diabetes. He has gone onto long-term disability as he awaits further treatment.
• Please pray specifically with me for Quadra Island Bible Church and Christ Community Church (Ucluelet) in their pastoral searches. Both are in need of Pioneer, Bi-Vocational pastors.
• Carl Lindstrom, a faithful member and volunteer at New Westminster EFC, who has aggressive prostate cancer.
• LPD Board. Board members are Randy Lemke (Allana) – Chair, Patrick Chan (Sarah) – Property and Finance, Ben Crumback (Anna) – Island Liaison, Charles Labun (Carolyn) – Church Board Liaison, Rob Stewart (Karen) – DS, Tim Stewart (Emily) – Innovative Ministries, Kenneth Tsang (Mabel) – Chinese Church Liaison; Paul Yang (Jin) – Korean Church Liaison; Phil Yung (Grace) – Church Planting and Josephine Papp, LPD Office Administrator – Recording Secretary.
• North Delta EFC, in their search for an Associate Pastor for youth.
• Grace EFC, in their search for a part-time youth pastor.
• Steve (Gillian) Sharpe, in his ministry as LPD Missionary of Church Planting Development, serving both our LPD Missionaries and Church Plants, and church planting in the EFCC.

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Upcoming Events:

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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.
 

Please set this date aside and watch for details early in the New Year,