connect issue 06 (jul 2011)

12
WITH GOD WITH ONE ANOTHER The Newsletter of Covenant Evangelical Free Church JULY 2011 ISSUE NUMBER 6 MICA 214/07/2010 “I will not believe that thou hast tasted of the honey of the gospel if thou can eat it all to thyself.” CHARLES SPURGEON OMG EVENT Reaping A Harvest! 1 Another Step In Our Faith Journey 4 Competitive Youths Take Centre Stage 6 Men Turn Up In Force! 8 Arise To The Call Of Missions 9 CLOSE UP From A “Nobody” To God’s Man 10 RECENT & UPCOMING EVENTS 12 GOD AT WORK A Leap Of Faith 12 Reaping A Harvest! I t was entertaining. It was funny. It was touching. Simply put, it was “magical”, said Si Hao, a guest who hails from Zhejiang, China. “OMG—Back from the Dead!” was a show that struck the delicate balance of being funny, yet poignant. Comical, yet moving. It presented the gospel in an engaging way that did not come across as being “preachy”. The story of Sarah Lyn and how she came back from the dead was nothing short of a miracle. It is a story that moves people. It is a story that says miracles do happen, even in our modern day. It is a story that says God is on the move, “OMG—BACK FROM THE DEAD!” made history in the life of Covenant with the many who came to know our Lord Jesus. Chan Sue Ming zooms in on the action and reports this event. 10 page CONTENTS

Upload: covenant-efc

Post on 21-Mar-2016

219 views

Category:

Documents


2 download

DESCRIPTION

Newsletter

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

1 • CONNECT JULY 2011

W I T H G O D W I T H O N E A N O T H E R

The Newsletter of Covenant Evangelical Free Church

JULY 2011 ISSUE NUMBER 6

MICA 214/07/2010

“I will not believe that thou hast tasted of the honey of the gospel if thou can eat it all to thyself.” CHARLES SPURGEON

OMG EVENT

Reaping A Harvest! 1

Another Step In Our Faith Journey 4

Competitive Youths Take Centre Stage 6

Men Turn Up In Force! 8

Arise To The Call Of Missions 9

CLOSE UP

From A “Nobody” To God’s Man 10

RECENT & UPCOMING EVENTS 12

GOD AT WORK

A Leap Of Faith 12

Reaping A Harvest!

It was entertaining. It was funny. It was touching. Simply put, it was “magical”, said Si Hao, a guest who hails from Zhejiang, China.

“OMG—Back from the Dead!” was a show that struck the delicate balance of being funny, yet poignant. Comical, yet moving. It presented the

gospel in an engaging way that did not come across as being “preachy”.

The story of Sarah Lyn and how she came back from the dead was nothing short of a miracle. It is a story that moves people. It is a story that says miracles do happen, even in our modern day. It is a story that says God is on the move,

“OMG—BACK FROM THE DEAD!” made history in the life of Covenant with the many who came to know our Lord Jesus. Chan Sue Ming zooms in on the action and reports this event.

10page

CONTENTS

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 1 11/07/11 10:30 PM

Page 2: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

CONNECT JULY 2011 • 2 3 • CONNECT JULY 2011

OMG Event

that His ear is not too dull to hear, nor His hand too short to save. In short, it speaks of the glory of God.

The same can be said of Raynard Heah’s testimony. It is encouraging to see how he takes everything in his stride, and does not stop living life to the fullest, even when diagnosed with a rare blood condition from young. When faced with a near death experience, God showed Himself faithful, and today, he lives to tell his story.

“Attending this event was an enlightening experience,” shared Adrian, a first-time visitor to Covenant. “Not often do we hear about near death experiences and how God works miracles in our lives.” “Sarah Lyn’s real life story and how the

whole family knows God is very moving,” said Du Fang, another visitor.

Darren Koh, a guest at Woodlands Centre, also shared that God used the show to touch him, and he re-dedicated himself to God. “God really worked a miracle,” he said.

Pei Ern, a pre-believer, thought that it is good “to believe in a god”.

Ps Chung Kai shared that OMG is really about inviting people and watching God do the miracle in

their lives. With 70 salvations, 154 re-dedications, 46 seekers and 136 children praying to receive Christ, it is nothing short of a miracle. Once again, it spoke of the glory of God.

While we rejoice as we reap this great harvest from God, we also marvel at the wonderful talent and creativity that made the talkshow what it was. Many guests commented that they loved the characters on stage, especially Lazarus and Lady Gaga. “Lady Gaga and her chickens are pretty memorable,” said one young lady. “Lazarus is comical,” Jessica, another lady said.

“It is amazing how the actors and actresses fit into their roles so well,” remarked Mike Wong, who is the creative director of the show. Mike and his team wrote the script before the actors and actresses were chosen, and it took the team less time than expected to get it right before they performed ‘live’.

“The talent showcased in the talkshow is indeed fantastic,” shared Senior Pastor Edmund Chan. “Another thing I’m thankful for is the teamwork. People came together to participate and serve, and the volunteers’ enthusiasm is simply wonderful. This is what church is all about.”

THIS PAGE FROM TOPCast of OMG posing together after the show; Emcee for Woodlands show, Stanley Leong

OPPOSITE PAGECovenanters coming together to serve the Lord in OMG

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 2 11/07/11 10:30 PM

Page 3: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

CONNECT JULY 2011 • 2 3 • CONNECT JULY 2011

“Faith sees the invisible,

believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.”

CORRIE TEN BOOM

Pastor Edmund Wong, the person overseeing this whole event, echoed the praise. “It is wonderful to see how Covenant as one church, two centres, came together to advance God’s purpose.”

Volunteers who gave of their time to serve had a good time too. “I’m enjoying myself tremendously,” befriender Corinne enthused. Kaye, another volunteer, said her heart was filled with thanksgiving and joy. They have indeed shown what “a certain kind” means.

SP Edmund Chan was also thankful that it was the third generation of pastors giving leadership—pastors like Pastor Edmund Wong and Pastor Matthew Lo. “I trust the Lord will continue to bless Covenant, its leaders and their teamwork.”

Besides raising up a new generation of leaders, Outreach Pillar overseer Pastor Edmund Wong revealed that

God laid upon his heart Genesis 17:6—“I will make you exceedingly fruitful.” “I believe God is bringing Covenant into a new a new season of fruitfulness, beginning since Bag-teria last year. He is turning our barrenness into fruitfulness and promises that we will be exceedingly fruitful. I look forward to a new season in the life and journey of Covenant.”

Indeed, as we celebrate the souls saved, the creativity of the cast, the enthusiasm of the volunteers, the willingness of Covenanters to invite their friends and family, we look to the God of the Harvest and trust Him for an even greater harvest in the future—one that is exceedingly plentiful! Will you believe too?

“HE IS TURNING our barrenness into FRUITFULNESS and promises that we

will be EXCEEDINGLY FRUITFUL”

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 3 11/07/11 10:30 PM

Page 4: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

CONNECT JULY 2011 • 4 5 • CONNECT JULY 2011

ACKCentre

Another Step In Our Faith Journey

In our faith pilgrimage for the Woodlands Centre project, one remark struck me. One of my Covenant Group mates commented that, “Woodlands will

be a harder journey than Bukit Panjang. With Bukit Panjang, they needed the building, so the vision was easy to catch. With Woodlands, it’s a faith vision. Catching, and giving to a vision is harder.”

Three years down the road and the Woodlands Centre is fully operational, fully paid-up without a bank loan, and flourishing.

This season, I find that I am in a

Our plans for the new ACKCENTRE are generating plenty of excitement. Sandra Chi shares a little of her journey and finds out what Covenanters and Covenant staff are thinking about our third property.

At our EOGM where we received overwhelming approval for resolutions pertaining to ACKCentre

Artist’s impression of ACKCentre location

similar place — catching, and giving to a vision anew.

SAME VISION, NEW PHASEThe vision is the same. We are committed to our God-given mission of returning the Church to its disciple-making roots so as to win the world for Christ. Christ is still at the centre.

But we are entering into a new phase in this journey. It is not just another building project, but a prudent investment to acquire our own property as good stewards of what God has given us and has called us to do—to facilitate the global intentional disciple-

making church (IDMC) movement. Elder-Designate Hui Weng Tat puts it

well when he wrote, “The third property is only a temporary physical structure to achieve the spiritual goals. The spiritual aspect should be the primary focus.”

The ACKCentre is more than an office space. It is more than a training centre. It is more than a melting pot of ministries. It seeks to be a place where ‘a certain kind’ of discipleship and leadership is taught; a place where ‘a certain kind’ of DNA is caught; a place where ‘a certain kind’ of TNG (The Next Generation) mentoring is sought.

“The ACKCentre seeks to be part of that global alliance movement where

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 4 11/07/11 10:30 PM

Page 5: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

CONNECT JULY 2011 • 4 5 • CONNECT JULY 2011

“The ACKCENTRE seeks to be a place where ‘A CERTAIN KIND’ of discipleship

and leadership IS TAUGHT ...”

it serves as a training centre to equip and train other churches who want to become IDMC churches,” shares Elder Barney Lau.

Closer to home, discipling the next generation is a priority. SP Edmund Chan shares that, “Our heart is for the next generation.”

“We need to look at our next generation and see how we can ignite their passion for the Lord, engage their energies for God, and invigorate their imagination for the church,” says Elder Barney. “We believe that the ACKCentre will be a place and an instrument for that to take place.”

Priscilla Samuel, a member of VOICES who underwent an internship with Pastor Matthew Lo, our TNG pastor, feels that intentional mentoring for youths will be

very helpful. “When I was mentored, I did not just learn more about the Bible, but how to apply what I learnt in ministry.”

Stacey Tay, a Covenanter, puts it succinctly. “ACKCentre represents a God-given opportunity to invest for the future.”

PRUDENT FAITH BUILDING PROJECTSP Edmund Chan shares that the Bukit Panjang worship centre was a “need-based vision”, as we needed a building of our own. The Woodlands worship centre was a “vision faith building project”, but the ACKCentre is a “prudent faith building project”. “It’s prudence to know that we cannot go for rental properties again.”

“Renting in the long-term is dead money. Putting it towards owning a property just makes financial sense,” reflects Jonathan Chi, a regional financial analyst who also serves in the worship ministry.

The accessibility of the new location also opens up many doors of opportunity for ministry usage, especially for the youths who do not drive. Evan Lee, a VOICES member, comments that “a central location would be so much more convenient for us youths to

utilise the facilities of the ACKCentre.” “It’s a gift thrown into our laps,” says

Pastor Chua Chung Kai.

RESONANCE — SEEKING GOD, HEARING FROM GOD, OBEYING GODEven with a clear purpose and prudent fiscal reasoning, there has to be resonance within that it is a ‘God-thing’. As the Board deliberated and sought God over the past few years regarding our third property, the circumstances in which ACKCentre came about made it more and more apparent that it was “God-provided”. One Saturday, at an on-site Board prayer meeting, as Board

members shared about what God had spoken to them individually, they finally came to the conclusion that CT Hub would be the site of our third property.

The church Board received an overwhelming 98% mandate during the AGM in March to search for the property and again a 98% approval on resolutions regarding the ACKCentre at our EOGM on 26 June. The church leadership was heartened to witness the resonance that we are beginning to see in the congregation. Pastor Chung Kai’s encouragement to each Covenanter is just this: “Don’t take my word for it. Seek God yourself regarding the ACKCentre and see if He would grant that resonance in your heart also.“

The first-fruits of giving appeared even before fund-raising happened. A cheque of $11,000 was privately given one Sunday, as a sign of this member’s belief in the ACKCentre vision. A call for giving to the church board, staff and missionary teams have resulted in over a pledge of over $900,000 to the ACKCentre building fund.

Will you seek God’s heart on this, and catch his vision for Covenant too?

Members at the EOGM

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 5 11/07/11 10:30 PM

Page 6: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

CONNECT JULY 2011 • 6 7 • CONNECT JULY 2011

To The Max Event

In organised sports, youths learn much more than we think. They develop communication skills, social interaction, teamwork, and other character traits that complement

lessons learned in the traditional classroom setting.

As part of our efforts in building The Next Generation (TNG), New Life Community Services (NLCS), the social service arm of Covenant EFC, organised a Futsal competition on the 2nd of July, dubbed “To The Max” (TTM).

“We understand that youths live for thrills and excitement,” said Diana Ooi, Director of NLCS. “We want to channel this energy into meaningful activities such as sports instead of turning to vices.”

New Life aims to build character and confidence among youths. It seeks to

To celebrate Youth Day, New Life Community Services organised a thrilling FUTSAL COMPETITION in Admiralty Sports Park. Pastor Matthew Lo was there first-hand to witness the excitement.

Coming back to the heart of worship

Competitive Youths Take Centre Stage

provide a platform for youths to discover their true potential and thus develop into successful individuals.

BRINGING TOGETHER THE WOODLANDS COMMUNITYA total of 32 youth futsal teams, 160 volunteers, and over 200 spectators filled the sports park. The atmosphere was electric. Despite the poor weather forecast, God provided a rain-free day with occasional cloud cover that gave us sporadic respite from the scorching afternoon sun!

To add to the party atmosphere, people played carnival games in the late afternoon in exchange for fun and exciting prizes at our mini family carnival. We also witnessed a Tchoukball demonstration, a

Mr Vikram Nair, MP for Sembawang GRC

Excitement abounds at our first-ever “To The Max”

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 6 11/07/11 10:30 PM

Page 7: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

CONNECT JULY 2011 • 6 7 • CONNECT JULY 2011

Players of the Tchoukball demonstration match

new sport in Singapore which New Life promotes to youths in Bukit Panjang and Woodlands. This was followed by a superb dance performance by Covenant’s “Kairos” group, and a rock music performance by local band, “Monogramme” which did familiar covers including “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. It got a small crowd dancing and singing along as the event came to a close!

Of special note at the carnival was the magic team from NLCS, whom many, including TTM’s guest of honour Mr Vikram Nair, MP for Sembawang GRC and Advisor to Admiralty Grassroots Organisation, was fascinated by.

MAGICAL MOMENTS AMID ADVERSITY It was indeed a very hot day, but what really heated up TTM was the fierce competition as teams played with passion. Mr Vikram Nair watched the under-21 boys and under-16 boys grand finals and addressed the crowd during the awards ceremony. He remarked, “I was pleasantly surprised by the level of competition, and had witnessed the youthful fighting spirit which I believe is a metaphor of what can be displayed in other arenas of life.”

I personally witnessed several magical moments. One such moment was seeing

a volunteer coach addressing his under-16 team comprising of boys aged 13 and 14, who were the youngest team and did not receive any final placing. The boys were visibly disappointed but the coach (also the father of one of the boys), showered praises on each player and encouraged them to keep demonstrating the fighting spirit. This indeed was a quiet yet significant moment for these boys.

Another magical moment occurred at the end of the preliminary rounds. Controversy broke out as two teams were technically tied for a place in the quarter-finals. The atmosphere was exceptionally tense. This was soon followed by appeals by both sides, thrilling penalty shoot-outs, and a ‘sudden-death’ match. What made it magical was the final response from both teams as they shook hands and embraced one another. Both teams went on to win “Fair Play” awards and “Best Character” awards.

VOLUNTEERS IN ACTIONOur volunteers, mostly from VOICES, was a major factor in making TTM a huge

success. Their presence was obvious as they wore the bright green New Life T-shirts serving either as ‘team minders’ (team assistants), ‘hydration personnel’ (providing water), match officials, match administrators or security personnel. Special mention must be made of 22 young Americans from Campus Outreach, who joined us for a mission orientation programme. They all volunteered as team minders, and did a phenomenal job motivating their respective teams and providing much needed entertainment for all.

AWARDS AT TTMSurprisingly, the winning teams were not as thrilled about the prize money as much as the honour of being recognised as a team that had worked hard and earned their placings.

Besides the top four teams receiving trophies, medals and prize money, “Fair Play” and “Best Character” awards were also given out, something which Mr Vikram Nair commended the organisers for having. “Fair Play” awards were given to teams that displayed good sportsmanship. “Best Character” awards were given to teams that displayed positive attitudes, good teamwork and fighting spirit. In addition, special awards were handed out to two under-21 girl teams and two under-13 boy teams that played in exhibition matches respectively.

JUST THE BEGINNING …While indeed memorable, I believe that “To The Max” is only the start. There will be greater days ahead as New Life and Covenant continue to join hands and focus efforts in building The Next Generation in Singapore.

“NEW LIFE seeks to PROVIDE a

platform for youths to DISCOVER their true POTENTIAL”

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 7 11/07/11 10:30 PM

Page 8: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

CONNECT JULY 2011 • 8 9 • CONNECT JULY 2011

Men’s Conference

A1,300-strong male audience attended the 4th Annual Men’s Conference organised by Men-in-Covenant (MiC) on 14

May 2011 at Covenant Evangelical Free Church (Woodlands). Among them were more than 100 pre-believing men and Christian brothers from 106 churches in Singapore and around the region.

One attendee, a pre-believing man who attended last year’s conference; was so determined to participate that despite scalding his feet the night before and being advised to stay home, turned up with blistered feet, as he felt the event would better equip him to face setbacks in life.

Dr Jerry White, International President Emeritus of the Navigators and retired Major-General of the United States Air Force, spoke on the theme “Challenges to Success: Critical Decisions Men Make”. The author of

13 books shared his life experiences and how he overcame several personal challenges by engaging with God. He also imparted practical advice on how men can overcome life’s challenges, so that they can rise above them and live a life of significance.

This year’s conference was also significant in that it was co-sponsored by the Navigators with a total of 24 participating organisations comprising churches, men’s ministries and para-churches. This healthy growth of over seven participating organisations from

The 4TH ANNUAL MEN’S CONFERENCE witnessed men turning up eagerly to hear Dr Jerry White share about overcoming life’s challenges, as Danesh Daryanani finds out.

Men Turn Up In Force!

last year, is one of the signs that God is initiating a men’s movement across churches in Singapore and beyond. Indeed, one participant quipped, “I’ve never seen so many men gathered in one place outside of the army!”

One thing shone through that day—while men may be of different races, religions, ages and stations—all face similar challenges, and they need each other and God to rise above them together.

If you’re a man and man enough, be there in 2012!

...all men face similar CHALLENGES, and they need EACH OTHER and GOD

to RISE above them TOGETHER”

Dr Jerry White

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 8 11/07/11 10:30 PM

Page 9: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

CONNECT JULY 2011 • 8 9 • CONNECT JULY 2011

Missions Director Elder Tan Lian Seng shares with us his heart on MISSIONS WEEK, and Covenant’s role in local and global missions.

Wide Angle: Missions Week 2011

We desire to be a church in missions, not a church with missions.

During Missions Week in October 2010, Covenant launched her missions strategy for the next decade to the English adult congregation. We rejoice as many Covenanters made commitments to prayer and to explore full/part-time missions work in the Five Thrusts: Home Missions, Urban Missions, Business as Missions, E-Missions, and The Next Generation Missions.

God has granted us our first fruits towards our target of 500 members being sent out by 2020. Three people joined the first batch of our two-year ETC Missions Track and 15 members joined our Missions Mentoring Programme. And we expect to send out more by the end of the year.

This year, it is time to “Arise to the Call of Missions” as a Covenant family. Missions Week will focus on gathering the entire church in missions—the adults, children, youths and Mandarin/Dialect congregations. We all have a part in discipling the nations of Asia.

We have invited a strong line-up up of local and international speakers to inspire and equip us in the area of missions. Of special note is Mats Tunehag, Senior Associate of Business as Missions for the Lausanne Movement, who will be equipping members in the principles of “Business as Missions”.

And our Regional Coordinators, Ps Glen Westwood and PSB, will be back with us to share what has been happening in the missions field. There is something for everyone.

The highlight of Missions Week is our first ever Family Missions Evening on Saturday, 23 July, 7–9pm at our Woodlands Centre. It will be a bilingual celebration with popular speaker, Dr Tan Lai Yong, missionary doctor and one of Channel News Asia’s “Asians of the Year” in 2009. It will be a unique time where the English, Mandarin/Dialect, Children and Youth congregations come together to catch God’s vision for missions. Don’t miss this and collect your free tickets by 10 July.

Come and arise to the call!

Men Turn Up In Force!

“MISSIONS WEEK will focus on gathering the

ENTIRE church in missions. We all HAVE A PART in DISCIPLING the

nations of ASIA”

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 9 11/07/11 10:31 PM

Page 10: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

CONNECT JULY 2011 • 10 11 • CONNECT JULY 2011

Close Up

From A “Nobody” To God’s Man

Looking at the consummate speaker at the pulpit, who could guess Elder Barney Lau lacked confidence as a boy?

His poor self-image resulted when he could not secure a place in a good secondary school. Being the youngest of four children, with a seven-year age gap between him and his next sibling, he could not quite fit in with his family. He describes himself as the “odd ball” and a “potato”.

But his thwarted desire turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because it was in this school that he got involved in Youth For Christ (YFC), grew in his faith and found his helpmate.

“Being involved and discipled in YFC had a tremendous impact in my life,” he shares. “It gave me a sense

of self-worth.” Two persons, Kim Choo and Alan, invested in him, seeing the potential in him his family never did. “In the process of being mentored, I knew that God loved me.”

The times his spent with YFC and their tight-knit group of seven boys and one girl, Jessie Quek, now his wife, were among the most memorable in his life, and he remains close to some of them even now.

He turned to Jessie, his “puppy love counsellor”, for comfort and advice whenever his heart was broken by others. “It was on the tiny old blue bus No. 4,” he reminisces, that he asked her to be his girlfriend. Sadly, she considered him a “kid brother”, preferring “older, more mature guys”.

They lost touch as Elder Barney

Covenant’s Director of Operations ELDER BARNEY LAU shares candidly on his growing up years, how he courted his wife and how he learnt to give till it hurts no more. By Chan Sue Ming.

Caption here

The pursuit ending

in sweet victory

Elder Barney with wife Jessie, and children Russell, Allyson & Isabelle

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 10 11/07/11 10:31 PM

Page 11: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

CONNECT JULY 2011 • 10 11 • CONNECT JULY 2011

studied at Singapore Polytechnic, while Jessie pursued her “A” Levels, reconnecting only before he flew off to pursue his degree at Rutgers University, New Jersey. Clueless on how to prepare for his overseas studies, Jessie helped him. However, she would not commit when he asked her to be his girlfriend a second time.

Over the next two years, despite money being tight, he would woo her with long-distance calls every night, together with love letters and love poems he wrote every day. When he asked her a third time, she finally said “Yes.”

“I proposed to her in a HDB lift, after sending her home one day,” he recollects. “Back then, HDB lifts had a foul urination smell, so it wasn’t the most romantic of places.”

On what he likes about Jessie, he says, “She’s everything I’m not. What I am today is because of her. In many ways, she’s everything I want to be. She makes me whole. She’s God-sent.”

“Because of her, I learnt to give,” he adds. When he first came to Covenant 12 years ago, it was starting a fund-raising project for the Bukit Panjang Centre. “I thought ‘Oh no!’, as my previous churches had building projects too.” But here, the Lord started teaching

him about giving, dying to self and the need for brokenness. He was doing well in his career then and they were living comfortably in Orchard Road. “The Lord prompted me to give a five-figure sum to the Bukit Panjang project, and when I shared it with Jessie, she exclaimed, ‘Yes!’” That started him giving beyond his tithes.

When he was appointed fund-raising chairman for the Woodlands Centre, he had just joined Microsoft. “Woodland’s fund-raising journey mirrors my career at Microsoft,” he says. He candidly admits it was hard being the Managing Director of the computing MNC without the “right pedigree”. But as God helped him through his various trials on the job-front, the fund-raising pie chart for church started moving too. This time, God prompted him to donate a six-figure sum to Covenant, and again, Jessie said, “Yes!”

Knowing he had not reached his capacity for giving, God then asked the father of three to surrender all that he had achieved in the marketplace to join Covenant full-time. “All my life I wanted to be a somebody, and when I became a somebody, God asked me to give it back to Him.” In faithful obedience, he came on staff in 2008 as the Director of Operations, and admits that he is still learning to die to self and to give (not only his resources, but of himself) till it hurts no more.

As this servant leader continues on his faith journey, he is busy fleshing out and giving feet to the vision of the ACKCentre. No doubt God the Master Artist, who transformed a boy who saw himself as a “nobody” to a man of substance, and who completed him with his wife, will use him mightily for the Kingdom’s glory!

“No pain, no palm; no thorns,

no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.”

WILLIAM PENN

GOD THE MASTER ARTIST, who TRANSFORMED a boy who saw

himself as a “nobody” to A MAN OF SUBSTANCE, will use him MIGHTILY

for the KINGDOM’S glory!”

NAME Barney Lau Tai Chiau BIRTHDAY13 Sep 1966 CHILDREN Isabelle (11), Russell (9) and Allyson (6)FAVOURITE BOOKS Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute, Desiring God by John PiperFAVOURITE MOVIES Ip Man, When Harry Met SallyFAVOURITE SONG My RomanceFAVOURITE BIBLE VERSES Phil 3:7-14HOBBIES Golf, badminton, reading

In A Word

The man who was famous for his ‘pie-chart’

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 11 11/07/11 10:31 PM

Page 12: CONNECT Issue 06 (Jul 2011)

CONNECT JULY 2011 • 12

Recent & Upcoming Events

God At Work

Look out for our next

issue in Oct 2011!

17–24 Jul Missions Week BPJ & WDL 18–24 Jul CG Connect 23 Jul Missions Family Evening WDL 24 Jul Step Up Sunday / Baptism BPJ & WDL 30 Jul Manhood Quest BPJ 31 Jul Step Up Sunday / Membership Acceptance BPJ & WDL 31 Jul Newcomers’ Lunch BPJ & WDL 1–5 Aug Dawn Prayer BPJ 5 Aug Dawn and Day with Jesus Aloha Changi 13 Aug Membership Class WDL

Date Event VenueCREDITS

EXECUTIVE EDITORSandra Chi

MANAGING EDITORChan Sue Ming

COPY EDITORSYvonne CheongRobin YeeEdwin Pang

WRITERSChan Sue MingSandra Chi Ps Matthew Lo Danesh Daryanani Elder Tan Lian Seng Irwin See

PHOTOGRAPHERSPaul LiewStanley Eo

ART DIRECTION & DESIGNChristian Subrata

CONTACT [email protected]

OUR OFFICE167 Jalan Bukit MerahTower 5, #17-10Singapore 150167T. +65 6892 6811F. +65 6892 1502www.cefc.org.sg

PRINTERYung Shung Printrade Pte Ltd

CONNECT is a bi-monthly newsletter of Covenant Evangelical Free Church. We welcome advertisers in CONNECT. However, advertising in our publication does not necessarily imply editorial endorsement of either the advertiser or contents of the advertisement. Unless otherwise specified, Scriptural references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB). © 2010 Covenant Evangelical Free Church

Covenant is now on Facebook!

A Leap of Faith

When I first watched the video trailer of “OMG—Back from the Dead!” during church service,

I remember thinking to myself that this is such an amazing story of God’s resurrection power over death! With this thought (and of course, the early bird offer of buying 10 tickets and getting a free DVD!), I went to the foyer to purchase 10 tickets for my CG after service—not knowing at that point who would be able to attend.

That week, I informed my CG that I had already purchased 10 tickets, and rallied them to invite friends for this outreach event. Worrying that I might have bought too many, I was pleasantly surprised to discover in the following

weeks that 10 tickets were actually not enough! In the end, our CG invited so many friends that we eventually had to buy 20 more tickets! Even those who did not manage to invite their friends offered to befriend the friends that our other CG mates brought.

The wonderful outcome is that of the friends who came for OMG that weekend, a number of them have been continually joining us for our other CG Connect events. Through this event, we witnessed God’s hand— that in faith, we acted; and in faithfulness, He multiplied.

IRWIN SEE, BPJ CENTRE

DO YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONIES?

Write us at [email protected]

“Through this event, we WITNESSED GOD’S HAND— that in faith, we acted; and in faithfulness, He MULTIPLIED”

Connect July2011edited(SC).indd 12 11/07/11 10:31 PM