Prayer requests from Wuhan

Prayer requests from Wuhan

(From a pastor of an EE church)

In recent days, people in my circle of friends have been circulating various news reports. Some are rumors, some are so-called epidemic prevention methods, and some are chicken soup for the soul. People have become expressive, irritable, and afraid. Personally, I believe that as a Christian, this should not the case. I should show great faith in God and demonstrate social responsibility.  And also to wait quietly and prayerfully before God. I would like to list some items for your intercession:

1. I pray for my country, for Wuhan, for wherever you are, and for peace for our leaders and medical staff at all levels of the civil service! May God bless them and give them faith and wisdom, and seek the best ways to heal the disease and prevent it from spreading.

2. Secondly, pray for active cooperation with the government's current epidemic prevention work.  Pray for the believers, that they will seize the opportunity to preach the gospel and witness to God to their family members; ask God to have mercy on the believers.

3. Seek God ’s blessings, not panic or fear, and do not ask God to give to us greatness like other people without hope. Faith is a humble dependence on the Lord.

4. Ask God to heal those with viral pneumonia, comfort them, and give them confidence in life and the respect for life.

5. Pray that God will stop sin and plague, and let people leave evil deeds, know the true God and return to the Lord Jesus, and pursue holiness.

6. Ask God to inspire believers to desire God, to be close to God and to love God.

7. Ask God to prepare medicine and supplies needed to stop the epidemic. Yesterday, some believers reported the lack of food for poor believers.

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A pastor of an EE church from Zhengzhou started having worship services online so people don’t have to gather in the church building.

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Another sister asks for prayer because some of the hospitals are already full and the patients have no where to go.

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Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 

1 Thessalonians 5:25 NIV

#7 – Feasting in the Kingdom.

#7 – Feasting in the Kingdom.

Scripture: “Many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 8:11)

The king’s presence is often associated with feasting (Esther 1:3).  There is drinking and entertainment.  Joy is the operative word (Psalm 16:11).  Blessed indeed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God (Luke 14:14).

In instituting the Lord’s Supper, Jesus declared that He will not drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when He drinks it anew with His disciples in His father’s kingdom (Matthew 26:29).  Earlier He had said a similar thing regarding the Passover (Luke 22:16).

The fellowship aspect of the kingdom was highlighted when Jesus said, “I confer on you a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom …” (Luke 22:29-30).  And we will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:11).

Indeed, blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).

Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

 - Matthew 6:10

Prayer:  

1.     Pray that your relationship with the Lord will grow ever stronger. In the midst of the busyness of life and even serving Him, don’t forget to spend time to know and enjoy Him.  

2.     Pray for our church leaders, that they too will find the Lord more and more real day by day.  Pray that they will minister out of a relationship with Him.

High Quality EE Training

High Quality EE Training

EE Training has been around since 1962.  Its success is due to its ability to meet the following goals consistently:

a.    Those trained become soulwinners and are able to share their faith.

b.  Those trained progress to become trainers of other soulwinners.  They reproduce themselves in the other believers, thus multiplying themselves.

c.   Those churches who implement EE correctly and consistently will grow and keep on growing.

Full Gospel Tabernacle Seremban, like many other such EE churches grew from 5 members 30 years ago and many of those who were saved and trained since have gone on to be pastors, church leaders and church planters.

At the heart of the EE training is the “On-The-Job Training” (OJT) or “Connect Activity” (CA).  In order to ensure the success of the training which should result in multiplication of the congregation, the OJTs or CAs must be of a very high quality.  This is especially true for OJTs conducted in relation to clinic training for pastors and church leaders since they will go back to their own local churches to implement the EE training after their certification.  The pastors and church leaders will reproduce what they have experienced from the OJTs at the clinic.

Quality tends to drop over time and if we do not start with the highest quality, the OJTs at the end of several generations of reproduction will be ineffective.  In order to have high quality EE training that would meet all its goals, we must have high quality OJTs.

Some guidelines for high quality OJTs are:

1. An OJT team should comprise an experienced trainer with only 2 students.  Having more than 3 persons in a team will overwhelm the potential prospect. The team of 3 persons should preferably be of mixed gender so as to be involved in different topics of conversations.  By experienced trainer, we are referring to someone who has gone for at least 20 OJTs (2 local church semesters).  Trainers at clinics should have led teams at local church training for at least 2 semesters.
2. Each team member should recruit 2 prayer partners who will pray for them in private daily and together in a group on a weekly basis.  The team member will advise his or her prayer partners of items for prayer.  
3. Visitation guidelines for home visits and at other venues should be taught and adhered to.  Students should be taught how to make appointments with prospects.
4. Report back sessions are important teaching occasions and should be held after each OJT.  Lessons from the OJT experience should be shared with the whole group for instruction, intercession and inspiration.
5. Those who professed faith must be followed up quickly/diligently by the team or other believers who have been trained to do personal follow up and discipleship.
6. Students should be taught to reach out to their friends, relatives, family members, associates including sharing with strangers.

When these guidelines are followed, the local church implementing EE would grow strong and experience multiplication.  This will encourage all those involved to continue implementing the next semester and experience even further multiplication and reproduction.

When churches multiply using EE, they become important partners to the national EE ministry, often providing teachers, staff and financial support.

VYW:20200113

#6 – Inheriting the Kingdom.

#6 – Inheriting the Kingdom.

Scripture: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?” (1 Cor 6:9)

The church looks ahead to the kingdom as an inheritance (Matthew 25:34).  Believers are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ provided they also share in His sufferings (Romans 8:17).  This suffering arises from obeying His commands (1 Peter 2:19-21).  When we walk according to His commands, we will be ridiculed and persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). 

Like our King, our motivation is the joy set before us (Hebrews 12:2).  Fixing our eyes on Jesus, we can endure the cross and scorn its shame.  He who overcomes will have an inheritance (Revelation 21:7). 

Those who live according to the desires of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:21).  No immoral, impure or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God (Ephesians 5:5).

It is God our Father who qualifies those who would share in the inheritance (Colossians 1:12). Although the world may count us poor, we who live by faith and obey His commands can trust in His promise of an inheritance in His kingdom (James 2:5).

Those who suffer according to His will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God (2 Thessalonians 1:5). The King Himself says, “'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world (Matthew 25:34). And we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28).

“Well done, good and faithful servant!”

 - Matthew 25:21

Prayer:  

1.     Pray for the grace to suffer for doing what is right as we strive to live a life of obedience. 

2.     Pray for the church to be faithful to the Lord’s commands in the face of adversity and suffering.