“Theology Comes from Above, Not Below,”

Please remember,

Grace Hanin Community Church

– our  LPD Church of the Week.

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

It was a joy to welcome Grace Hanin Community Church into our LPD/EFCC Family at our conference in March. This church, located on King George Blvd. in Surrey ministers to generations of Korean-Canadians.

God has been prospering this ministry, and the ministry of founding church planter and pastor, Rev. Shin Il (Hyojin) Park and team. By God’s grace, they have been able to initiate services in Korean, English and Mandarin, They have also been used to give birth to several church plants and to send missionaries globally.
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Please note – this “Five Minutes on Friday” is coming early, as Karen and I are heading to the wedding of a nephew in Chattanooga Tennessee. It will be a quick, but important trip. We look forward to seeing many of you on the Cruise next week!

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“Theology should come from above, not below.” So stated former Regent College professor Gordon Fee, as quoted by Toni Dolfo-Smith of Journey Canada in our district’s recent Pastoral Approaches to Same-Sex Attraction seminar.

In saying this, he was addressing the situation that many churches and Christians find themselves in today. Having not developed a clear theology of sexuality or other current issues, and not having taught and equipped people to address these issues and to live biblically, people have been apt to “adapt their theology to fit their circumstances or individual situations.”

An example of this is a recent study of Americans by LIfeway Research, which found

• 44 percent of Americans believe the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual behavior doesn’t apply today.
• 51 percent of American millennials agree.
• 52 percent of Americans believe abortion is a sin.
• 57 percent of American millennials agree.
• 51 percent of Americans believe sex outside of marriage is a sin.

I find these stats informative, in that what the majority acknowledge as “sin” is practiced and accepted by many.

Here is the link to a short video highlights:
https://factsandtrends.net/2018/10/29/what-do-americans-believe-about-sex-and-the-bible/?ecid=PDM154973&bid=2143960350

Lest we be smug as Christians, a study of American Evangelical Christians today found that:

• 32 percent of those with evangelical beliefs say their religious beliefs are not objectively true.
• 51 percent of those with evangelical beliefs also believe God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
• 78 percent of those with evangelical beliefs also believe Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God.

There is a disconnect between what we preach and teach and what our churches actually believe.

Here is a link to the entire study that the videos highlight stats from: https://thestateoftheology.com/

I come back to the quote of Professor Fee, “Theology should come from above, not below.” What are we doing for equipping the people of  our churches to have a biblical understanding of our faith, and for how our faith makes a difference in our lives, worldview and behaviour?

Here is the link to video highlights :https://factsandtrends.net/2018/10/26/what-do-evangelicals-believe-about-god/

At our district conference at Vancouver Chinese EFC on March 1,2 of 2019, we will be addressing this need, as we consider the characteristics of an obedient disciple of Christ today, and what God may be calling our church to do as we “make” and grow disciples of Christ.
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Please remember Pastor Sammy Kabyemera, who is ministering at an Ugandan Refugee Camp, and returning to Vancouver this week:

In recent weeks, I have been updating you on the ministry of Pastor Sammy Kabyemera, who is on a two-month visit and ministry to the Kyaka Refugee Camp  in Uganda. Please pray for him and for the brothers and sisters in Christ who are in poverty. Please see the attached letter and photos from Sammy, and also how you can support these dear people.
ALL GIFTS ARE APPRECIATED and can me made by cheque or e-transfer or through Jesus Grace International Church in Vancouver. Would you and your church consider giving to these brothers  and sisters who are refugees?
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/433d3cb120e1cebbbc3b0c67c/files/4dd81000-2f75-4111-bf60-1cf1089dc68a/Ugandan_Refugee_Mission_2018.01.pdf

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Please pray for:

• Please pray for our semi-annual LPD Pastor and Staff Cruise on Wednesday. November 7. May this be a day of equipping, fellowship and celebration of God’s work in and through the people of our churches.
• Fort Langley EFC, as the congregation moves forward in their pastoral search.
• Pray for Nori and Shelley Anderson, as they have begun ministry as pastor of Nanoose EFC, after the retirement of Chris and Verna Wilson.
• 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.
• White Rock Community Church, in their search for a youth pastor.
• For Jorge and Emily Lin, new LPD Church Planting Missionaries.They are in a residency program at New West EFC, in preparation for planting a church to reach all nations.
• The Steveston Project Team – Allen and Hannah Chang and Daniel and Joyce Wong.
• 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.