Editor's Note
Thank God that 5 brothers and sisters got baptized this Easter. They wrote down the testimonies they gave on the podium that day and shared with us in this Quarterly their spiritual journey of salvation leading to the decision to get baptized. We are thankful for Pauline, Irene, Joyce and Mr. and Mrs. Eric & Kathy Yong. May God lead them to continue to pursue to be closer to Him, to know His guidance better, to serve Him more gladly, and to share the Gospel more enthusiastically. I hope that this is the beginning of their writing for the Quarterly. In this Quarterly, Mr. Zane wrote an article remembering a sister who had served GCCC for many years; Michael continued to share his personal thoughts on Psalm 23:4, and Ginny shared her article on “Our concept of God reflects our understanding of Him.”
God's faithfulness is revealed to those who wait upon Him. In His time, God will bring His own servant to GCCC. We should pray for our leaders and our members that we will work side by side with the new pastor to revive our church and bring people to Christ.
God's faithfulness is revealed to those who wait upon Him. In His time, God will bring His own servant to GCCC. We should pray for our leaders and our members that we will work side by side with the new pastor to revive our church and bring people to Christ.
Our Concept of God Reflecting Our Understanding of Him
Author: Frail Soul
Everyone has their own concept of god, whether one believes in God or not. As I continue to teach the book of Isaiah in Sunday school, one of the resounding themes was the habitual rebellion of the Israelites. They repeatedly chose their own ways and did not seem to wake up. Perhaps you may wonder why His chosen people who knew the laws well would still choose their own ways. It seems like they did not grow spiritually.
How poor is our spiritual nutrition and how much spiritual junk food do we take daily? Let us first talk about poor spiritual nutrition.
We either do not feed enough or not with any regularity. Not feeding enough is not knowing God deeply, but only superficially and briefly. Reading the Bible when you are told to is perhaps better than not reading at all, but sometimes even after you read it, you do not retain it. It is just like you have not really read it. You cannot apply God’s word in your life if you do not really understand it. So your spiritual life is stagnant and you are like a spiritual baby that can only drink milk and not solid food.
12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (Hebrews 5 NASB)
Those who study the Bible deeply will also struggle and stumble in their lives and walks, as Paul said in Romans 7:18 “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” They want to “read”, “study” and “apply” His word. Even though they are not perfect but they have a goal, as the Bible says in I Cor 9:26 “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.” We should not just skim through scripture passages but study them carefully to understand what they mean and how they apply to our lives. The more we know God’s Word, the more we know Him and the more we realize that we are insufficient and must rely on Him to do what He wants us to do.
I recall one morning when I was shopping in the supermarket. As I was getting in line to pay, I did not realize I was cutting in front of someone because she was standing about 6 feet from the line. As I got in line she scolded me with foul language for cutting in. It is rare to hear foul language in Skokie and even more rare from a woman! I also reacted rudely, maybe to her speaking to me with foul words, “You stood so far away, how can you accuse me for cutting in?” People around were like watching a drama. The woman’s girl friend hurried there to put a bottle of juice into her cart and said, “What’s going on? Is someone cutting in?” Then she turned to me and said, “Bitch!”, I retorted, “You did not line up properly and you blame me, I really did not know you were in line. If you want to go first, go ahead; I am not fighting with you.” Even though that was what I said, I was quite fierce and not lovely at all. More people were watching our drama and they stopped talking. I continued to wait to pay but I was thinking, even though they irritated me with their language, I should not have reacted so impolitely. The Bible passage I had read that morning was totally forgotten. Was I a good Christian witness? As I thought about the world watching our real life drama, could I have faced the incident in a better way? I also thought about if brothers and sisters saw my fierce expressions? They probably would lose a lot of respect for this Sunday school teacher. Even though it seemed to be an insignificant incident, but I really felt that I did not handle that well and felt sorry to God. After paying I went back to my car and confessed my sin to God, that I should not have thrown a temper. Since I know that I am a little princess of the Father God, why should I care how someone calls me? I should not have been so upset.
Our prayers may also be superficial, like turning in homework. Done as quickly as possible before moving on to the next thing. We should also not pray as though God must give us whatever we ask. Imagine if your child only called when they needed money. How would you feel? I am not saying that long prayers please God but the most important thing is our attitude towards prayers. We may be busy and rushed throughout the day but to be able to have a quiet moment to talk with our Creator, our Heavenly Father is an essential part of our life. In the Bible are many examples of Jesus praying alone (Matt 14:23, 26:36; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16, 6:12, 18:8), Jesus was getting intimate with God through prayer. I understand some of you are very busy all day with going to work and coming home to cook and clean. You may be very tired at the end of the day and may even fall asleep when you try to pray. If possible, talk to God any time, driving, cooking, walking the dog, and so on. If you really want to pray, you will find time. The question is whether you feel that is a chore or a time you enjoying fellowship with God.
C.S. Lewis said "God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other." (Mere Christianity )
Other than singing praises to God on Sunday, or practicing in choirs or praise teams, how often do you praise God with hymns and songs at home? I have participated in the praise team ministry for years and deeply appreciate that songs can move us to be closer to God. Whether they are old classic hymns or modern praise songs, if the lyrics are solid with spiritual revelation, they can help us to grow. I encourage you to sing aloud to praise and worship God more at home. We don't just worship in Sunday services. From personal to corporate worship, I believe that God is pleased if we worship Him in spirit and in truth.
1Praise the LORD
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
We must know who God is, why we need Him, how can we fellowship with Him intimately, how to worship and experience Him through songs. We can only grow if we have sufficient nutrition. So what is imbalanced nutrition? We will talk about it next time.
Everyone has their own concept of god, whether one believes in God or not. As I continue to teach the book of Isaiah in Sunday school, one of the resounding themes was the habitual rebellion of the Israelites. They repeatedly chose their own ways and did not seem to wake up. Perhaps you may wonder why His chosen people who knew the laws well would still choose their own ways. It seems like they did not grow spiritually.
How poor is our spiritual nutrition and how much spiritual junk food do we take daily? Let us first talk about poor spiritual nutrition.
We either do not feed enough or not with any regularity. Not feeding enough is not knowing God deeply, but only superficially and briefly. Reading the Bible when you are told to is perhaps better than not reading at all, but sometimes even after you read it, you do not retain it. It is just like you have not really read it. You cannot apply God’s word in your life if you do not really understand it. So your spiritual life is stagnant and you are like a spiritual baby that can only drink milk and not solid food.
12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (Hebrews 5 NASB)
Those who study the Bible deeply will also struggle and stumble in their lives and walks, as Paul said in Romans 7:18 “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” They want to “read”, “study” and “apply” His word. Even though they are not perfect but they have a goal, as the Bible says in I Cor 9:26 “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.” We should not just skim through scripture passages but study them carefully to understand what they mean and how they apply to our lives. The more we know God’s Word, the more we know Him and the more we realize that we are insufficient and must rely on Him to do what He wants us to do.
I recall one morning when I was shopping in the supermarket. As I was getting in line to pay, I did not realize I was cutting in front of someone because she was standing about 6 feet from the line. As I got in line she scolded me with foul language for cutting in. It is rare to hear foul language in Skokie and even more rare from a woman! I also reacted rudely, maybe to her speaking to me with foul words, “You stood so far away, how can you accuse me for cutting in?” People around were like watching a drama. The woman’s girl friend hurried there to put a bottle of juice into her cart and said, “What’s going on? Is someone cutting in?” Then she turned to me and said, “Bitch!”, I retorted, “You did not line up properly and you blame me, I really did not know you were in line. If you want to go first, go ahead; I am not fighting with you.” Even though that was what I said, I was quite fierce and not lovely at all. More people were watching our drama and they stopped talking. I continued to wait to pay but I was thinking, even though they irritated me with their language, I should not have reacted so impolitely. The Bible passage I had read that morning was totally forgotten. Was I a good Christian witness? As I thought about the world watching our real life drama, could I have faced the incident in a better way? I also thought about if brothers and sisters saw my fierce expressions? They probably would lose a lot of respect for this Sunday school teacher. Even though it seemed to be an insignificant incident, but I really felt that I did not handle that well and felt sorry to God. After paying I went back to my car and confessed my sin to God, that I should not have thrown a temper. Since I know that I am a little princess of the Father God, why should I care how someone calls me? I should not have been so upset.
Our prayers may also be superficial, like turning in homework. Done as quickly as possible before moving on to the next thing. We should also not pray as though God must give us whatever we ask. Imagine if your child only called when they needed money. How would you feel? I am not saying that long prayers please God but the most important thing is our attitude towards prayers. We may be busy and rushed throughout the day but to be able to have a quiet moment to talk with our Creator, our Heavenly Father is an essential part of our life. In the Bible are many examples of Jesus praying alone (Matt 14:23, 26:36; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16, 6:12, 18:8), Jesus was getting intimate with God through prayer. I understand some of you are very busy all day with going to work and coming home to cook and clean. You may be very tired at the end of the day and may even fall asleep when you try to pray. If possible, talk to God any time, driving, cooking, walking the dog, and so on. If you really want to pray, you will find time. The question is whether you feel that is a chore or a time you enjoying fellowship with God.
C.S. Lewis said "God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other." (Mere Christianity )
Other than singing praises to God on Sunday, or practicing in choirs or praise teams, how often do you praise God with hymns and songs at home? I have participated in the praise team ministry for years and deeply appreciate that songs can move us to be closer to God. Whether they are old classic hymns or modern praise songs, if the lyrics are solid with spiritual revelation, they can help us to grow. I encourage you to sing aloud to praise and worship God more at home. We don't just worship in Sunday services. From personal to corporate worship, I believe that God is pleased if we worship Him in spirit and in truth.
1Praise the LORD
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
We must know who God is, why we need Him, how can we fellowship with Him intimately, how to worship and experience Him through songs. We can only grow if we have sufficient nutrition. So what is imbalanced nutrition? We will talk about it next time.
Kathy's Baptism Testimony
From a very young age, I have been exposed to the Bible and Christianity. When I was in my mother’s womb, I already heard about Jehovah. During that time, my grandmother studied the Bible for her baptism exam and she read the Bible out loud many times during the day.
I attended Catholic school for the majority of my childhood. When I was two years old, I attended a preschool run by a Catholic Church. For the first five years of my schooling, I attended a Catholic primary school. Afterwards, I attended a Christian high school. While going to Christian schools, I had to take many exams, so I learned about the Bible.
After high school, I worked for a while, and then came to the United States with my husband. As we established ourselves in this country, I studied hard in college, had our son, and worked at my career. I felt God by my side. My life was very full with many blessings and I was very happy.
During my first year in the United States, I met two good friends, Margaret and Bill Yep who are both devout Christians. I have fond memories of them introducing me to the religion. In 1983, they took me and my husband to Chinatown Union Church for Christmas Eve Service. I will always remember the delicious turkey soup that was served on Christmas Eve. In 1990, Margaret mentioned to me that there was a Chinese church on Crawford Avenue Skokie. I came to Grace Church and have been attending for 25 years. I have known many of the brothers and sisters in Christ here and have had many blessings while attending this wonderful church.
In 1998, my husband, Eric, came to the church and worshipped with us. I encouraged him to participate in the church services. Although he always said that he was taught to be an atheist and decided not to be connected to a religion, I believed God was in his heart. Fortunately, the culture of Grace Church did not pressure him to change his mind. Everyone always treated us like church members. It gave us a great comfort to have the support of the church members and a welcoming environment as we developed our relationship with God.
Last fall, my husband mentioned to me that he had started to think about God very seriously. He said that he might consider baptism. I was so happy to hear that news, but I decided not to say anything to him because I was afraid he would change his mind if I did. Instead, I mentioned to Dr. Wong and Ginny what my husband was thinking. Later, Dr. Wong and my husband had a conversation about the possibility of him getting baptized. After that, my husband told me that he would like to get baptized, and wanted to know what I thought. I decided that it would be a great experience for us to go through together to deepen our connection with God. We decided to get baptized on Easter Sunday. Our hope is that we can grow more spiritually connected to Christ for the rest of our lives. We thank the Lord for all of His blessings for our family.
I attended Catholic school for the majority of my childhood. When I was two years old, I attended a preschool run by a Catholic Church. For the first five years of my schooling, I attended a Catholic primary school. Afterwards, I attended a Christian high school. While going to Christian schools, I had to take many exams, so I learned about the Bible.
After high school, I worked for a while, and then came to the United States with my husband. As we established ourselves in this country, I studied hard in college, had our son, and worked at my career. I felt God by my side. My life was very full with many blessings and I was very happy.
During my first year in the United States, I met two good friends, Margaret and Bill Yep who are both devout Christians. I have fond memories of them introducing me to the religion. In 1983, they took me and my husband to Chinatown Union Church for Christmas Eve Service. I will always remember the delicious turkey soup that was served on Christmas Eve. In 1990, Margaret mentioned to me that there was a Chinese church on Crawford Avenue Skokie. I came to Grace Church and have been attending for 25 years. I have known many of the brothers and sisters in Christ here and have had many blessings while attending this wonderful church.
In 1998, my husband, Eric, came to the church and worshipped with us. I encouraged him to participate in the church services. Although he always said that he was taught to be an atheist and decided not to be connected to a religion, I believed God was in his heart. Fortunately, the culture of Grace Church did not pressure him to change his mind. Everyone always treated us like church members. It gave us a great comfort to have the support of the church members and a welcoming environment as we developed our relationship with God.
Last fall, my husband mentioned to me that he had started to think about God very seriously. He said that he might consider baptism. I was so happy to hear that news, but I decided not to say anything to him because I was afraid he would change his mind if I did. Instead, I mentioned to Dr. Wong and Ginny what my husband was thinking. Later, Dr. Wong and my husband had a conversation about the possibility of him getting baptized. After that, my husband told me that he would like to get baptized, and wanted to know what I thought. I decided that it would be a great experience for us to go through together to deepen our connection with God. We decided to get baptized on Easter Sunday. Our hope is that we can grow more spiritually connected to Christ for the rest of our lives. We thank the Lord for all of His blessings for our family.
Eric's Baptism Testimony
As many know, I have been attending Grace Church for a long time. Although I had not been baptized yet, I participated in the choir and served through some other duties in the church. To newcomers, I looked like a baptized Christian.
Thankfully, God never gave up on me. I am also thankful for Pastor Ho, and my brothers and sisters in Christ who never pressured me to get baptized. They were all very patient and loving.
When I attended the English as a Second Language (ESL) class at Truman College in the 1970s, my teacher, Ms. Patti, took me to Burger King for lunch. While eating lunch together, she gave me an English bible – the New Testament. This was the first time I heard about the gospel. She also gave me an English name, Matthew. At the time, I did not know that Matthew was one of the disciples of Jesus. However, I did not like the name Matthew for some reason. Moreover, my English was not good enough for me to read the bible. I put it in the backseat of my car and completely forgot about it. Later, I decided to sell my car and I forgot to take the bible from the back seat, so I no longer had it.
Many years later, the first time I attended church was on Christmas Eve in 1983. A good friend, Margaret Yep, took me and my wife to Chinatown Union Church for Christmas Eve Service. I really enjoyed it. In 1995, I visited Grace Church, which at that time was on Crawford Avenue in Skokie. During that time, I had to work on the weekends, so I was not able to attend the Sunday services. Instead, I attended the bible study group once a month. Dr. Tim Lam led the bible study and we had about 8-10 families join.
In 1998, I started to come to the Sunday services regularly. I witnessed a lot of changes in the church since then. This last autumn, I started thinking about the meaning of baptism seriously. At Patti’s husband’s funeral, I had a long conversation with Dr. Wong and Ginny regarding my baptism. After our conversation, I went home and prayed deeply.
During a big winter storm this past spring, my wife and I finally decided to get baptized on Easter Sunday. I pray that God would help me and my family to be His beloved children. I pray that we can expand His kingdom and lead more people to know Him.
Thankfully, God never gave up on me. I am also thankful for Pastor Ho, and my brothers and sisters in Christ who never pressured me to get baptized. They were all very patient and loving.
When I attended the English as a Second Language (ESL) class at Truman College in the 1970s, my teacher, Ms. Patti, took me to Burger King for lunch. While eating lunch together, she gave me an English bible – the New Testament. This was the first time I heard about the gospel. She also gave me an English name, Matthew. At the time, I did not know that Matthew was one of the disciples of Jesus. However, I did not like the name Matthew for some reason. Moreover, my English was not good enough for me to read the bible. I put it in the backseat of my car and completely forgot about it. Later, I decided to sell my car and I forgot to take the bible from the back seat, so I no longer had it.
Many years later, the first time I attended church was on Christmas Eve in 1983. A good friend, Margaret Yep, took me and my wife to Chinatown Union Church for Christmas Eve Service. I really enjoyed it. In 1995, I visited Grace Church, which at that time was on Crawford Avenue in Skokie. During that time, I had to work on the weekends, so I was not able to attend the Sunday services. Instead, I attended the bible study group once a month. Dr. Tim Lam led the bible study and we had about 8-10 families join.
In 1998, I started to come to the Sunday services regularly. I witnessed a lot of changes in the church since then. This last autumn, I started thinking about the meaning of baptism seriously. At Patti’s husband’s funeral, I had a long conversation with Dr. Wong and Ginny regarding my baptism. After our conversation, I went home and prayed deeply.
During a big winter storm this past spring, my wife and I finally decided to get baptized on Easter Sunday. I pray that God would help me and my family to be His beloved children. I pray that we can expand His kingdom and lead more people to know Him.
Irene's Baptism Testimony
I went to church many years ago, but I did not have a strong memory of that. It was after my mother passed away that my sister-in-law took me to church again. At first, I just went to listen to the sermon and every time I felt that it was very true, it made sense and I desired to hear more. I really wanted to know Jesus’ teaching. Probably the Holy Spirit was working on me. I know Jesus Christ has been watching over my family and me. I am really thankful for this.
It was one afternoon about two years ago that Pastor Lee & sister Pik came to my house and shared the gospel with me. I decided to follow Jesus Christ. Before I came to Christ I had a bad temper, but after I became a Christian I changed. I am willing to listen and accept things that I held onto tightly in the past. Thank God for this.
I hope to spend more time reading the bible, diligently learning God’s word, and to become more like God’s character. I know it is not easy. I understand I always make mistakes, as Roman Chapter 7:18 says, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”
I hope the Lord Jesus can forgive my sins and give me time to grow and obey in order to become a God pleasing child. I know I cannot depend on myself to achieve this; I can only rely on the Lord Christ to do this. I hope the Lord Jesus would give me peace and joy and also give me a heart to share the gospel. Amen.
It was one afternoon about two years ago that Pastor Lee & sister Pik came to my house and shared the gospel with me. I decided to follow Jesus Christ. Before I came to Christ I had a bad temper, but after I became a Christian I changed. I am willing to listen and accept things that I held onto tightly in the past. Thank God for this.
I hope to spend more time reading the bible, diligently learning God’s word, and to become more like God’s character. I know it is not easy. I understand I always make mistakes, as Roman Chapter 7:18 says, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”
I hope the Lord Jesus can forgive my sins and give me time to grow and obey in order to become a God pleasing child. I know I cannot depend on myself to achieve this; I can only rely on the Lord Christ to do this. I hope the Lord Jesus would give me peace and joy and also give me a heart to share the gospel. Amen.
Baptism Testimony from Pauline
4/5/2015
April 5 is a big day for me in that I became a Christian and a new person. I am here today to share the testimony of God’s grace to me. Fourteen years ago, God saved my son’s marriage. I really wanted them to have a child. However they told me that God is the ruler and asked me to pray with them for this petition: an extra person joining the prayer would give extra strength in this matter. Since I really wanted to have a grandchild, I prayed every night to God even though I was not a Christian. After one year, God did give me a granddaughter. I truthfully thanked Him for this gift. This was God’s miracle for my son.
He also performed miracles in my life. On the third day of this year there was a heavy snowstorm. In the morning when I went to work, I was within 2 blocks to my workplace; I needed to pass under a bridge. When I was almost there, I saw a small car coming out from the alley. I pressed on my brake right away, but due to the snow my car still slid forward. In order to avoid the collision, I steered my wheel to the other side. But it was too late and my car hit the pillar of the bridge. There were no other vehicles or pedestrians, and that vehicle did not stop and left the scene immediately. I thank God for His protection; I was not hurt at all. The repair cost was very expensive, however I only had to pay the deductible and the insurance company covered the rest.
However, after the car was fixed, twenty days later, another heavy snowstorm came on a Sunday. I prayed for God’s protection for safety on the road before heading out to attend Sunday School. The road was difficult to drive on due to 3 inches of snow. Due to my previous accident, I drove really slowly. After I drove less than 3 blocks, a red light was ahead and three cars in front of me had already stopped. I wanted to stop too, but my car reacted just like the last time and could not stop. My car passed between two vehicles and finally stopped at the corner of the street. There were people waiting to cross the street. I thank God that my car stopped right on time; otherwise, I cannot imagine what would have happened. This is all God’s grace, I really thank Him for His grace to me.
April 5 is a big day for me in that I became a Christian and a new person. I am here today to share the testimony of God’s grace to me. Fourteen years ago, God saved my son’s marriage. I really wanted them to have a child. However they told me that God is the ruler and asked me to pray with them for this petition: an extra person joining the prayer would give extra strength in this matter. Since I really wanted to have a grandchild, I prayed every night to God even though I was not a Christian. After one year, God did give me a granddaughter. I truthfully thanked Him for this gift. This was God’s miracle for my son.
He also performed miracles in my life. On the third day of this year there was a heavy snowstorm. In the morning when I went to work, I was within 2 blocks to my workplace; I needed to pass under a bridge. When I was almost there, I saw a small car coming out from the alley. I pressed on my brake right away, but due to the snow my car still slid forward. In order to avoid the collision, I steered my wheel to the other side. But it was too late and my car hit the pillar of the bridge. There were no other vehicles or pedestrians, and that vehicle did not stop and left the scene immediately. I thank God for His protection; I was not hurt at all. The repair cost was very expensive, however I only had to pay the deductible and the insurance company covered the rest.
However, after the car was fixed, twenty days later, another heavy snowstorm came on a Sunday. I prayed for God’s protection for safety on the road before heading out to attend Sunday School. The road was difficult to drive on due to 3 inches of snow. Due to my previous accident, I drove really slowly. After I drove less than 3 blocks, a red light was ahead and three cars in front of me had already stopped. I wanted to stop too, but my car reacted just like the last time and could not stop. My car passed between two vehicles and finally stopped at the corner of the street. There were people waiting to cross the street. I thank God that my car stopped right on time; otherwise, I cannot imagine what would have happened. This is all God’s grace, I really thank Him for His grace to me.
From Thanksgiving to Baptism
Statements at the Baptism on 4/5/2015, by Joyce T. Chen
1. The People Factor
This is my thanksgiving day to all the people that led me to this day.
At a campus fellowship in Taipei, a young Christian missionary looked at me, inquired about my Chinese name, and suggested my English name be “Joyce”. So I have always vividly remembered this American missionary and that day. I miss my college life.
Then in 2001, after early retirement from my teaching career at UIC and feeling lonely with my new freedom, I walked into GCCC on a sunny but cold Saturday morning. GCCC was just the closest to our house, even though I didn’t know anyone there. I thus met Pastor Ho for the first time, and that same evening I was attracted by the friendly and attentive fellowship friends. The open and inviting style of Pastor Ho--who at times admitted honestly not to know it all--inspired me to ask more and more questions. The fellowship and the church friends were all very new and interesting. The frank openness in the fellowship discussions also helped me to sustain.
And all the while, my husband and my family just quietly supported me in this pursuit, including numerous open houses for the fellowships.
2. The God and Bible Factor
Faith is a process through living for many. As a lifetime academic in Business, I knew I couldn’t be a Christian by faith without reason, which explains the length of time it took me to bridge the gap. Seeing Ginny here today reminded me of how she, with her amiable faith, and I, with all my reasons, had heated discussions during those early days in the founding of our Women’s Fellowship. Pastor Ho, working alongside with us next door in the church, was often called upon to be a peace maker. Now I see myself getting over this gap; I see much of the differences were just differences in the interpretations, particularly of those not-so-obvious parable teachings in the Bible.
Still, throughout those years I witnessed God’s kindness to me and my family in terms of our careers, health, and all else, to which I thank Him profoundly with a grateful heart. A recent example comes from our younger son’s academic job search. As he was going through a stress-filled four months in the process, I consoled him to focus not on himself butexternally of the world, and that however the life changing process is difficult, this too will pass. And indeed it was over before he knew it; he is now happily getting ready for a great academic appointment starting this Fall. I thank God for giving me this wisdom and calmness in mind, both of which I learned from the Bible and from you--my fellowship friends--in guiding our son through this process. Also, our other son is getting ready to marry a nice Christian young lady, another blessing.
Surely, as I believe, those of us who believe in God and obey HIS teaching will be blessed.
Finally, to share, here are my 2 favorite Bible verses. First, in Zephaniah 3:17 ( Old Testament) – “The Lord your God is with you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” This passage gives me “peace of mind”, fundamental to have a good life and to create all things beautiful.
Second, as an avid gardener, I keenly appreciate Jesus parable of grape vine, John 15: 1-2(in New Testament) – “ I AM the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful.” Let’s pray to Christ to let each of us be a productive branch that bears a lot of fruit.
The bottom line – After 15 years of sharing our lives together, to be baptized on this Easter by Pastor Ho is the best way to express my sincere gratitude to our God, and to all those people I am blessed to be with.
This is my thanksgiving day to all the people that led me to this day.
At a campus fellowship in Taipei, a young Christian missionary looked at me, inquired about my Chinese name, and suggested my English name be “Joyce”. So I have always vividly remembered this American missionary and that day. I miss my college life.
Then in 2001, after early retirement from my teaching career at UIC and feeling lonely with my new freedom, I walked into GCCC on a sunny but cold Saturday morning. GCCC was just the closest to our house, even though I didn’t know anyone there. I thus met Pastor Ho for the first time, and that same evening I was attracted by the friendly and attentive fellowship friends. The open and inviting style of Pastor Ho--who at times admitted honestly not to know it all--inspired me to ask more and more questions. The fellowship and the church friends were all very new and interesting. The frank openness in the fellowship discussions also helped me to sustain.
And all the while, my husband and my family just quietly supported me in this pursuit, including numerous open houses for the fellowships.
2. The God and Bible Factor
Faith is a process through living for many. As a lifetime academic in Business, I knew I couldn’t be a Christian by faith without reason, which explains the length of time it took me to bridge the gap. Seeing Ginny here today reminded me of how she, with her amiable faith, and I, with all my reasons, had heated discussions during those early days in the founding of our Women’s Fellowship. Pastor Ho, working alongside with us next door in the church, was often called upon to be a peace maker. Now I see myself getting over this gap; I see much of the differences were just differences in the interpretations, particularly of those not-so-obvious parable teachings in the Bible.
Still, throughout those years I witnessed God’s kindness to me and my family in terms of our careers, health, and all else, to which I thank Him profoundly with a grateful heart. A recent example comes from our younger son’s academic job search. As he was going through a stress-filled four months in the process, I consoled him to focus not on himself butexternally of the world, and that however the life changing process is difficult, this too will pass. And indeed it was over before he knew it; he is now happily getting ready for a great academic appointment starting this Fall. I thank God for giving me this wisdom and calmness in mind, both of which I learned from the Bible and from you--my fellowship friends--in guiding our son through this process. Also, our other son is getting ready to marry a nice Christian young lady, another blessing.
Surely, as I believe, those of us who believe in God and obey HIS teaching will be blessed.
Finally, to share, here are my 2 favorite Bible verses. First, in Zephaniah 3:17 ( Old Testament) – “The Lord your God is with you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” This passage gives me “peace of mind”, fundamental to have a good life and to create all things beautiful.
Second, as an avid gardener, I keenly appreciate Jesus parable of grape vine, John 15: 1-2(in New Testament) – “ I AM the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful.” Let’s pray to Christ to let each of us be a productive branch that bears a lot of fruit.
The bottom line – After 15 years of sharing our lives together, to be baptized on this Easter by Pastor Ho is the best way to express my sincere gratitude to our God, and to all those people I am blessed to be with.
Psalm 23:4 (NIV), Question and Answer
Author: Michael 5/11/2015
personal thoughts, for reference only
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
1. What happened to the personal pronouns in this verse?
A: The original relationship in the psalm has changed from “He” and I to “You” and I.
In the symmetrical structure of this psalm, this verse is the center and the transition. Look at it from the outside in, the Lord’s name is mentioned on both ends and then we see 2 metaphors: the first is about the shepherd, and “He” was mentioned as a third person; the other metaphor is about the banquet and “You” was mentioned as a second person. This verse is the center and the beginning of the personal pronoun change.
2. What is the difference between the third person pronoun “He” and the second person pronoun “You”?
A: “He” is far off but “You” is near. I have to face “You” when I talk to “You”. I can mention “Him” with my back to “His” back.
3. Why did the poet have to face “You” at this point?
A: As the sheep walked through the valley of the shadow of death with fear, the rational knowledge of “Him” was far less than sufficient, only the real presence of “You” face to face could calm the sheep’s fear. Similarly, when we walk on green pastures and beside still waters, during smooth situations, we often, because of our pursuit of comfort, are not willing, and even because of our selfishness avoid using “You” to address our Creator face to face. By the way, let me ask, when we address “You” in our prayers, do we really sense that we are talking to the Creator face to face?
4. Why would this sheep walk through the valley of the shadow of death? Did the shepherd not lead the sheep on the path of righteous?
A: Suffering of the righteous is a difficult problem for all ages. The Creator did not give clear revelation about this in the Bible. The poet also did not give an answer here. The shepherd did not (and needed not) explain the situation to the sheep. But He was there present with the sheep – and the sheep only needed to have pure trust in this fact, to overcome any fear of danger.
5. What was the potential danger in the valley? How did the presence of the shepherd help?
A: The basic fear of the sheep here was related to the dark shadow in the valley. Who knows whether wild fierce breasts were waiting there? But the presence of the brave shepherd was the greatest comfort for the sheep. The reason for such a metaphor and understanding originated from the poet David himself. He had the experience of a shepherd. In I Samuel 17:34,35, David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep, when a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.”
6. How were rod and staff different? Why did he say, “Your rod and Your staff”? Why could the rod and the staff bring comfort?
A: The rod was a weapon that could drive away wild beasts. The staff was shaped like a letter J. When a sheep fell down, the staff could be used to get it up. When a sheep went astray, the staff could be used to hook it back. It could also be used to herd and direct the flock daily.
In the Jewish Art scroll Tehillian, there is another explanation: the rod can be used to discipline and the staff can be used for support. Even though we cannot see the Creator, we often feel His discipline when we go astray and His support when we are weak. Through these we know that our life situations are not random and we are not helpless like chaff in the wind, but under the rule and protection of our Lord. So we will get comfort in our hearts.
Therefore, “Your rod and Your staff” were not as important in and of themselves as the “You” who used them.
7. Are there related scriptures regarding the “with me”?
A: In Exodus 3, when the Lord’s name was mentioned, that did not only imply objective “existence” but also “presence”. The presence of the Lord makes us strong and courageous. The presence of the Lord prospers us. David, therefore had great success in everything he did even though he just joined the army. In contrast, King Saul was afraid because the Lord had left him and he became jealous and became worse and worse. (I Samuel 18:12-15)
When Joshua succeeded Moses, he was bold and courageous because of the Lord’s presence (Joshua 1:5-6 “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, as I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous….”
When Joseph was sold as a slave and imprisoned for months and years under false accusations, the Lord was with him and gave him success in everything, in whatever he did. (Genesis 39:3,23)
8. Since the presence of the Lord is so precious, does the Bible teach us how to obtain it?
A: This question is for us to ponder with these hints:
(1) Ponder why the sheep in the psalm had the presence of the shepherd?
(2) Compare and contrast David and Saul.
(3) Look at the beginning of Joshua Chapter 1.
(4) Look at Moses’ parting advice in Deuteronomy.
personal thoughts, for reference only
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
1. What happened to the personal pronouns in this verse?
A: The original relationship in the psalm has changed from “He” and I to “You” and I.
In the symmetrical structure of this psalm, this verse is the center and the transition. Look at it from the outside in, the Lord’s name is mentioned on both ends and then we see 2 metaphors: the first is about the shepherd, and “He” was mentioned as a third person; the other metaphor is about the banquet and “You” was mentioned as a second person. This verse is the center and the beginning of the personal pronoun change.
2. What is the difference between the third person pronoun “He” and the second person pronoun “You”?
A: “He” is far off but “You” is near. I have to face “You” when I talk to “You”. I can mention “Him” with my back to “His” back.
3. Why did the poet have to face “You” at this point?
A: As the sheep walked through the valley of the shadow of death with fear, the rational knowledge of “Him” was far less than sufficient, only the real presence of “You” face to face could calm the sheep’s fear. Similarly, when we walk on green pastures and beside still waters, during smooth situations, we often, because of our pursuit of comfort, are not willing, and even because of our selfishness avoid using “You” to address our Creator face to face. By the way, let me ask, when we address “You” in our prayers, do we really sense that we are talking to the Creator face to face?
4. Why would this sheep walk through the valley of the shadow of death? Did the shepherd not lead the sheep on the path of righteous?
A: Suffering of the righteous is a difficult problem for all ages. The Creator did not give clear revelation about this in the Bible. The poet also did not give an answer here. The shepherd did not (and needed not) explain the situation to the sheep. But He was there present with the sheep – and the sheep only needed to have pure trust in this fact, to overcome any fear of danger.
5. What was the potential danger in the valley? How did the presence of the shepherd help?
A: The basic fear of the sheep here was related to the dark shadow in the valley. Who knows whether wild fierce breasts were waiting there? But the presence of the brave shepherd was the greatest comfort for the sheep. The reason for such a metaphor and understanding originated from the poet David himself. He had the experience of a shepherd. In I Samuel 17:34,35, David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep, when a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.”
6. How were rod and staff different? Why did he say, “Your rod and Your staff”? Why could the rod and the staff bring comfort?
A: The rod was a weapon that could drive away wild beasts. The staff was shaped like a letter J. When a sheep fell down, the staff could be used to get it up. When a sheep went astray, the staff could be used to hook it back. It could also be used to herd and direct the flock daily.
In the Jewish Art scroll Tehillian, there is another explanation: the rod can be used to discipline and the staff can be used for support. Even though we cannot see the Creator, we often feel His discipline when we go astray and His support when we are weak. Through these we know that our life situations are not random and we are not helpless like chaff in the wind, but under the rule and protection of our Lord. So we will get comfort in our hearts.
Therefore, “Your rod and Your staff” were not as important in and of themselves as the “You” who used them.
7. Are there related scriptures regarding the “with me”?
A: In Exodus 3, when the Lord’s name was mentioned, that did not only imply objective “existence” but also “presence”. The presence of the Lord makes us strong and courageous. The presence of the Lord prospers us. David, therefore had great success in everything he did even though he just joined the army. In contrast, King Saul was afraid because the Lord had left him and he became jealous and became worse and worse. (I Samuel 18:12-15)
When Joshua succeeded Moses, he was bold and courageous because of the Lord’s presence (Joshua 1:5-6 “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, as I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous….”
When Joseph was sold as a slave and imprisoned for months and years under false accusations, the Lord was with him and gave him success in everything, in whatever he did. (Genesis 39:3,23)
8. Since the presence of the Lord is so precious, does the Bible teach us how to obtain it?
A: This question is for us to ponder with these hints:
(1) Ponder why the sheep in the psalm had the presence of the shepherd?
(2) Compare and contrast David and Saul.
(3) Look at the beginning of Joshua Chapter 1.
(4) Look at Moses’ parting advice in Deuteronomy.
Call it "Go Era"
Author: Zane Kong
An e-mail sent to the choir reminded me that the last eleven years passed just like a blink. I couldn’t help but write this article titled Call It “Go Era” about my memory of the sister who sent out the email. Although she has left GCCC and began a new page, I wish she would continue to serve wherever she goes.
Eleven years ago, GCCC had a group of teenagers. In this post-modern society, while the youth were growing, the need for a smart, loving instructor with extensive knowledge of the Bible that could communicate with them was a must. This young sister had this burden to take up this task. Whenever she was free, she searched for materials from the Bible, making xeroxcopies, grabbing any spare time to share the materials and explain it to them. Now they are all grown up, they are working or in college. Thank God, some have come back to GCCC after their graduation to serve.
Figure 1: Youths, GCCC
An e-mail sent to the choir reminded me that the last eleven years passed just like a blink. I couldn’t help but write this article titled Call It “Go Era” about my memory of the sister who sent out the email. Although she has left GCCC and began a new page, I wish she would continue to serve wherever she goes.
Eleven years ago, GCCC had a group of teenagers. In this post-modern society, while the youth were growing, the need for a smart, loving instructor with extensive knowledge of the Bible that could communicate with them was a must. This young sister had this burden to take up this task. Whenever she was free, she searched for materials from the Bible, making xeroxcopies, grabbing any spare time to share the materials and explain it to them. Now they are all grown up, they are working or in college. Thank God, some have come back to GCCC after their graduation to serve.
Figure 1: Youths, GCCC
Summer Retreat was a very popular event. In order to increase the number of participants, usually GCCC partnered with other churches to have combined retreats. All of you should know that this sister was involved in multiple tasks in the retreats. I have a special memory during a retreat that was held in NIU. She was partnering with two sisters to lead singing. I was standing among lots of people. I could still see them from afar joyfully leading worship. The sunlight beamed through the windows on their faces. I saw her face looked like that of an angel. I thought, this is the sublime sincere worship of God, and the reflection of heavenly joy.
Figure 2: Retreat, DeKal
Figure 2: Retreat, DeKal
She was the youngest deacon in the church. She was busy both with work and serving. During that time, the fads of prosperity theology and charismatic movement were brought into our church. Imagine this bible based gospel church that had limited personnel resources with a congregation and deacons that had poor understanding of charismatic movement and knowledge of the bible. The church tried to be united and focused on peace as the “golden rule”. This sudden incident was unexpected. This sister faced a big shock while serving in the student ministry and mainly trying to teach the youth. Thank God that this incident lasted about one year and in the fall of 2006, it was resolved. I think maybe, this was “an evil under the sun” in GCCC.
After this incident was over, GCCC needed spiritual comfort. Also to enrich the congregation in sacred music, this sister suggested holding a special concert. In the North American Chinese churches there are many gifted musicians, singers and artists. We need to “make music to the LORD with the harp, and the sound of singing” (Psalm 98:5) Actually the preparation to organize a concert was very heavy, including seeking musicians and due to the lack of our church resources, the musicians needed to bring their own instruments. The picture below was the three guest musicians who helped out the 2006 concert.
Figure 3: Evening Concert, GCCC
After this incident was over, GCCC needed spiritual comfort. Also to enrich the congregation in sacred music, this sister suggested holding a special concert. In the North American Chinese churches there are many gifted musicians, singers and artists. We need to “make music to the LORD with the harp, and the sound of singing” (Psalm 98:5) Actually the preparation to organize a concert was very heavy, including seeking musicians and due to the lack of our church resources, the musicians needed to bring their own instruments. The picture below was the three guest musicians who helped out the 2006 concert.
Figure 3: Evening Concert, GCCC
She began to teach us to search on the Internet,on websites such as Stream of Praise Music Ministries, etc., to find suitable songs for worship. When she taught us to read music, she knew that we did not have enough confidence, she told us that God doesn‘t call the qualified. He qualifies the called. Therefore, before she taught, she began with devotion and prayer time. The choir started to improve and with Mrs Fu’s piano accompaniment and her singing teaching. GCCC music ministry slowly got on track and we started singing four part harmony. She patiently recorded each part and sent email attachment to choir members to practice at home.
Elderly: What is her relationship with the elderly? I remember one Saturday, a group of elderly was having lunch in China Buffet, one of them (probably Mrs Fu) said, “She teaches us music, could we ask her to eat with us?” She might have eaten already that time, however, she still came right away and joined us.
Regarding work, she was also a hard worker. I saw her clean up the parking lot, quickly packing leaves with a bag with her delicate hands. I heard someone said, “Let us do this instead, your hands have other uses.”
Elegant phrasing: Each character in our Chinese names, has special meaning and can provide for very interesting sentences. She took down our Chinese names and after 2 weeks, she wrote four words verses, with a brush on an oval cardboard. Here is a sample for your reference, very interesting:
Figure 4: Four - character quatrains name
Elderly: What is her relationship with the elderly? I remember one Saturday, a group of elderly was having lunch in China Buffet, one of them (probably Mrs Fu) said, “She teaches us music, could we ask her to eat with us?” She might have eaten already that time, however, she still came right away and joined us.
Regarding work, she was also a hard worker. I saw her clean up the parking lot, quickly packing leaves with a bag with her delicate hands. I heard someone said, “Let us do this instead, your hands have other uses.”
Elegant phrasing: Each character in our Chinese names, has special meaning and can provide for very interesting sentences. She took down our Chinese names and after 2 weeks, she wrote four words verses, with a brush on an oval cardboard. Here is a sample for your reference, very interesting:
Figure 4: Four - character quatrains name
Regarding her ministry on the podium, I would like to leave this to brothers and sisters as my comment. “Really Great.”
For her music teaching and serving; I say, “Really Great.”
Regarding her personality among the congregation, she reminded me of the late Pastor Yan’s prayer in CCUC before he preached. He prayed for God’s presence, he prayed for God’s throne and sovereignty in the church. A person like her that knows the Bible so well and can peacefully sit still to listen, to hear other’s translating, and listen to worship singing, she set a great example. From my point of view, behind the preacher’s voice, she hears God’s voice, and can hear God saying, “You go ahead and do it.” Behind translation, singing, piano, she can hear praise, music, but also people’s noises and she can understand people are imperfect. She is humble and meek, “with no loud and stirring noise”. It is because God is here, “on the throne and reigning.” May the Lord’s grace be with her, for ever and ever.
For her music teaching and serving; I say, “Really Great.”
Regarding her personality among the congregation, she reminded me of the late Pastor Yan’s prayer in CCUC before he preached. He prayed for God’s presence, he prayed for God’s throne and sovereignty in the church. A person like her that knows the Bible so well and can peacefully sit still to listen, to hear other’s translating, and listen to worship singing, she set a great example. From my point of view, behind the preacher’s voice, she hears God’s voice, and can hear God saying, “You go ahead and do it.” Behind translation, singing, piano, she can hear praise, music, but also people’s noises and she can understand people are imperfect. She is humble and meek, “with no loud and stirring noise”. It is because God is here, “on the throne and reigning.” May the Lord’s grace be with her, for ever and ever.
Editor’s note: I agree with Brother Zane regarding Sister’s Go’s faithful service in GCCC for so many years. I deeply trust that God will be with her wherever she goes. Regarding the “Charismatic Disaster” that GCCC went through, it might have been “an evil under the sun”, and I agree with him. I hope that God has mercy on GCCC so that we can learn from this experience in what situations we should keep the peace, and in what ways we stand firm to guard the church against harm. At that time a small number of brothers and sisters fought for the truth of the Gospel for GCCC. But the disaster caused a difficult recovery and rebuilding over many years. May God help us to forget the past and to push forward, and lead us and our new pastor to rebuild our church to be closer to God’s heart and will.