Cornerstone Herald Nov/Dec 2019 by Cornerstone Herald

Nov/Dec 2019

Standing

Resolute

FEATURE ARTICLE

Kings & Priests DR. BRIAN J. BAILEY

Women of Wisdom Conference CHARIS LEE

Celebrating Lives PA S TOR SOH WAI LENG & EMMA LIM

A PUBLICATION OF CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY CHURCH • NOV/DEC 2019 • MCI (P) 049/02/2019

EDITOR'S NOTE

Standing Resolute! I am grateful that the Holy Spirit speaks to us today through Scripture because we need the encouragement that God is with us, so that we will not be overwhelmed. And to prepare us for the times ahead, we need more of God’s grace so that our trust in Him is deepened. Daniel of the Old Testament was such a man. Although a youth living during the Babylonian captivity in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court, he purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. And undoubtedly experiencing the pressure from those whom he was serving under, yet Daniel behaved resolute in his youth. This fierce determination is often something we lack. Similarly, in the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul spoke of running in a race much like in the Olympics. Of being immersed in complete dedication to win the prize such that the purpose and goal in our lives is to receive the reward. What then is this reward?

the issues of the day, and to acknowledge the importance of fighting for faith and liberty in Christ. To be resolute, we must be informed, convicted and inspired. General George S. Patton who was the greatest combat general during the Second World War said, “Achievers are resolute in their goals and driven by determination. Discouragement is temporary, obstacles are overcome, and doubt is defeated, yielding to personal victory.You need to overcome the tug of people against you as you reach for high goals. Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.” Job tells us that the Lord gave, and the

In Christ we are not victims but victorious; we are not defeated, we are more than conquerors.

In 1 Corinthians 9:18-22, Paul speaks of his efforts in evangelizing the gospel, that by all means he could reach anyone he can, “That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.” This determination comes from the incorruptible prize which is before him, and he reminds us to know what we are working towards, to have a purpose and a goal in our lives. In the words of President Theodore Roosevelt who said, “When we are face to face with our destiny, we must meet it with a high and resolute courage.”

Lord has taken away (Job 1:21). Satan cannot make one move except when permitted by God Almighty, and he is a lion roaming around trying to destroy the Saints. He is on a leash and he knows he has a limited time to do what he can. And when all is said and done, you will rest with this ultimate truth that there isn’t two equal powers and truths, which is “There is Satan and there is God, and they are vying for you, and I sure hope eventually God wins.”

Standing resolute against the negative forces which are attacking us requires transformed lives, possessed by the knowledge of God’s truth. We must understand that God holds the trump card. Therefore, we must exemplify strength of character when we understand

In Christ we are not victims but victorious; we are not defeated, we are more than conquerors. Standing firm in this truth is what enables us to resist when the enemy hurls fiery darts of temptation, accession or condemnation.

In spiritual warfare, we do not engage the enemy in our strength or power, but we stand in the victory that Jesus already accomplished. It is knowing that we fight from a place of victory which is the first key to standing firm and resolute. This mental starting point is imperative to victory. This understanding from Daniel 4:35 must be established in us, “All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?" (NKJV) God triumphs and the proud is destroyed! Lieutenant General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander, called General George S. Patton “a brilliant executor”. General Patton urged all men to pray, not alone in church, but everywhere. To pray when driving, pray when fighting; pray alone and to pray with others. Pray by night and pray by day; pray for the cessation of immoderate rains. Pray for good weather for Battle, pray for the defeat of our wicked enemy whose banner is injustice and whose good is oppression. Pray for victory, pray for our Army and pray for Peace. We must march together, all out for God!

Pastor Daphne Yang

Herald Team

Pastor Daphne Yang Celine Foo Emma Lim

Contributors

Alicia Chua Bryan Tan Bob Nathaniel Dr. Brian J. Bailey Charis Lee Deborah Mok Desmond Goh Elizabeth Graves Emma Lim Gary Leo Josiah Yang Joycelyn Yeo Koh Yaoyi Meida Chooi Natalia Herrera Ong Xian Ting Rene Herrera Pastor Sng Peh Han Pastor Soh Wai Leng Soh Zu Xian Tracey Chia Pastor Yang Tuck Yoong Zoie Tan Dominic and Gracelyn Low Elijah and Jamie Chan Janson and Carol Sim Nesh and Sheila Nithyaseelan Noel and Daphne Yeong Philo and Yann Tay

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Witness - Resurrection Weekend

Women of Wisdom (WOW!) Conference

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FEATURE ARTICLE

On Being Resolute

Kings & Priests

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28 / BLESS WALES

On Being Resolute by Pastor Yang Tuck Yoong

“In 1952, young Florence Chadwick stepped into the Pacific, just off Catalina Island, determined to swim to the mainland of California. She’d already been the first woman to swim the English Channel—both ways. The weather was foggy and chilly; she could hardly see the boats accompanying her. Still, she swam for 15 hours. When she begged to be taken out of the water, her mother, who was in a boat alongside, told her she was close and that she could make it. Finally, physically and emotionally exhausted, she stopped swimming and was pulled out. It wasn’t until she was on the boat that she discovered that the shore was less than half a mile away. At a news conference the next day she said, “All I could see was the fog…I think if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it.”

“All I could see was the fog… I think if I could have seen the shore I would have made it.” —FLORENCE CHADWICK

In Mark 7, we find Jesus walking all the way from where He was in the Galilee toward Tyre and Sidon, which was Gentile territory, in what we know today as Lebanon. This was a long distance by foot, 85 miles one way. By the time this chapter is over, Jesus would have walked a total of over 250 miles on foot. That’s a pretty long journey. He goes there and seemingly all that happens is a Syrophoenician woman, a Gentile, a woman who wasn’t part of the commonwealth of Israel, whose daughter was demon possessed comes to Jesus and pesters Him to cast out the demon from her daughter. And the Lord completely disregards her request. Instead, He says to her that it is not good to throw the children’s bread to the dogs. Ouch. The woman is unperturbed by this. She has something called the gift of “thick skin”. Jesus just called her a dog. So, she replies, ‘Yes, but even the little dogs under the tables eat the children’s crumbs.’ The Lord says, ‘For this saying, (which really reflected her tenacity and her persistence) the demon has gone out of your daughter.’ The next thing we know is - Jesus departs from Tyre and Sidon and heads back to the Decapolis, which I like to emphasize again, was a very long journey by foot. End of assignment! So, what was that all about? Why did our Lord take that long and arduous route to go to Tyre? Were there other things that He did there? I don’t know. We are not told. But all we know is, the Lord does not do random. So obviously, this woman was the assignment. What was the purpose of the detour? I think the key is to understand what or whom this woman represents. Here’s how I see this story- I think she represents everyone in this room who has fallen into some kind of pit, everyone who has felt they have somehow missed the mark and have been disqualified, everyone who feels that they are estranged from Christ because they fell short, or anyone else who feels that he or she has done things that are unworthy of my Master, and we feel cut off from the commonwealth of Israel. We feel we have no right to approach Him. Hear me please. The Lord deliberately took a long and arduous detour to have this encounter with this woman as a way of saying once and for all, to all of us that He cares for you. No matter what you have done, the Lord will make that arduous journey for one of you, to prove His love for you. That even when

we feel the resistance of the Lord the way the Syrophoenician woman must have felt, that should not stop us from pressing in. And I think this is what the Lord really loves. He loves it when we keep coming to him, over and over again, even when it seems He is not responding, or worse, when he seems to be pushing us away. But we keep on coming to Him and we don’t stop. And it is this persistence that will always be the one thing that will pay off.

Don't quit just because things get tough. Don't give up just because you have setbacks. Keep pressing on. That’s the key in this whole story: it is to do what this woman did. This Syrophoenician woman knew she was not part of Israel. Yes, she knew she did not qualify. Yes, she knew she had no right to come to Jesus and to ask what she did. And when she did come, there was this insult. But she was not perturbed by the insult. She kept on pressing in and pressing on. And oftentimes in our walk with God, we have got to learn sometimes just to be thick-skinned. If you ever feel like giving up, just remember that the last thing to grow on a fruit tree is the fruit. You cannot lose if you do not quit. Don’t quit just because things get tough. Don’t give up just because you have setbacks. Keep pressing on. 7

Rick Joyner once said something profound. He said, “Those who have experienced repeated mistakes and failures, yet do not quit, will not only be some of the strongest possible leaders, but also the wisest.” I find this quite fascinating. “God uses people who fail because there aren’t any other kind around,” said John Maxwell. There are blessings of the Kingdom that are only yielded to the violence of the vehement soul. The Kingdom of God suffers violence. It is better rendered - the Kingdom of God allows for violence. There are some things in life that cannot be acquired except when we press violently for them. I remember when I reported for work for the first time in my life. I had just graduated from the university, got a job, and on the first day on the job, my boss called me into his office. He said I have just one thing to say to you. This was my first lesson in the secular. He said to me, “Yang, you have got to learn to be thickskinned and you will be fine.” End of lesson! I took his advice and after all these years, I think I developed pretty thick skin. To have survived full-time ministry for 30 years, you have to be a little thick-skinned. I cannot afford to be the sort of person who gets offended easily. My work is about people and some people aren’t always the most kind to you. Sometimes, you might feel that it is the Lord who seemingly offends you. You walk with

"The pessimist sees the problem in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every problem." —WINSTON CHURCHILL

the Lord long enough and you will know that sometimes you feel His love, His warmth and His acceptance, but there are other times when you feel His distance, His displeasure and His apparent sense of coldness. It is not always hunky dory. David obviously felt this. Just read the psalms. Over and over again, David cried out, “I wait for you to be kind to me.” He waited and waited and pursued God and never gave up hope. He didn’t stop and walk away. He didn’t get offended just because he felt the Lord distancing Himself. And the Lord tested David on this. You know that for something like two years, God sort of distanced himself from David after the Bathsheba episode. Abraham experienced it. After he went into Hagar and bore Ishmael, God seemed silent for the next 13 years. If you have a friend who seems to deliberately push you away for a long period and doesn’t talk to you, what would you do? Abraham never wavered in his faith. He never stopped believing. And at the end of 13 long and silent years, God came to Abraham with the promise that he would have a son in his old age through Sarah, his wife who was barren and almost dead. Abraham did not give up hope. All the great saints through the ages have gone through what they called the dark night of the soul. But they kept pressing in and did what was necessary. Keep pressing on. Confess your sins. Acknowledge your wrongdoing. Repent and forsake your sin. But don’t stop pressing in and pursuing God because something will break, and you will obtain the greatest miracle in your life. This Syrophoenician Woman was no different. After seemingly being insulted by the Lord, she said, “No, I am going to keep humbling myself till I get through”, and her persistence is what got her through. I end with Winston Churchill’s famous speech he made at Harrow School in 1941, where for 20 minutes, all he said was “Never ever, ever, ever give up. Never give up.” He once said, “The pessimist sees the problem in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every problem.” Some of you have faced terrible situations simply because you did what you thought God had told you to do, only to end up in a crisis. Or perhaps, you have gotten into a difficult situation all because you thought God was leading you into something that turned out to be something else. But please hear me - if you won’t give up, if you will keep on praying, God is going to lead you into victory. It is not over. Never give up. Be resolute. Be unwavering. If you don’t quit, you can’t lose.

CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY CHURCH

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Church Camp 8â&#x20AC;&#x201D;11 June 2020 KSL HOTEL & RESORT JOHOR BAHRU Stay tuned for registration details! 9

FEATURE ARTICLE

S G N I K S T S E I PR

by Dr. Brian J. Bailey

An excerpt from Chapter 11 of The Second Coming The material has been printed with covering permission from the late Dr. Brian J. Bailey. You may purchase a copy of the book form Faithworks Bookstore.

Those Christians who will rule and reign with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Millennium are called blessed and holy in Revelation 20:6: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” These saints will be kings and priests with the Lord. This truth concerning kings and priests is first developed in Exodus 19:6, where the Lord said to Moses, “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” God’s original plan for the nation of Israel was for them to be a kingdom of priests unto the Lord. However, because of their disobedience, the nation of Israel did not fulfil their destiny. Only the tribe of Judah received the throne rights, and only the tribe of Levi became priests. However, the Lord’s plans are never thwarted in the end. The Church has now been given those privileges. The Apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:5, 9: “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ… But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

By drawing upon the grace of God in every situation in our lives, we can reign over our circumstances, instead of having them reign over us. To be a New Testament priest means to offer up the sacrifice that the Lord Himself offered when He was upon earth. Hebrews 10:5 says, “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offerings thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.” In like manner, the Apostle Paul exhorts us in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” We must offer up our bodies to God as a living sacrifice. We must do all things for the glory of God, at all times praising and worshipping Him and doing everything without complaining. We must see everything as either coming from the Lord or being permitted by Him for our benefit.

The First Resurrection Those who rule and reign with Christ in the Millennium will have part in the First Resurrection. However, first of all, let us briefly consider what the First Resurrection is. The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:10-11: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

First of all, we must consider that Melchizedek and his priesthood were a forerunner of Christ and His priesthood (Heb. 6:20). Paul described Melchizedek, who was the king of Jerusalem (Salem) and the priest of God, in Hebrews 7:1-2, “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the The deepest heart cry of the Apostle Paul was that he wanted kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth to qualify for the First Resurrection spoken in Revelation 20:6: part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace.” such the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Being a New Testament king means that we reign victoriously over all things in this life, as the Apostle Paul writes in Romans Those two specific resurrections of the saints: the First 5:17, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much Resurrection, which takes place at the Second Coming of more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of Christ, and the General Resurrection, which takes place after righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” In order the thousand-year reign of Christ upon earth. to reign in life, we must receive the abundance of grace (for the Not all Christians will have part in the First Resurrection. This abundance of trials) and the gift of righteousness, which God’s is only for the overcoming saints who will be resurrected and imparted righteousness worked out in our lives. receive their glorified bodies to live and reign with the Lord Through the abundance of grace and God’s righteousness we during His thousand-year reign upon earth. can be “more than conquerors” in every situation (Rom. 8:37).

The word that Paul uses in Philippians 3:11 for “resurrection” is a compound Greek word. It means the out-resurrection from among the dead. This implies that only some of the dead are raised at this time, not all of them. Paul wanted to be in this special, select group of “called out ones from among the dead.” Obviously, if it could be automatically assumed that one will be resurrected at this time just because one is a believer, Paul would never have sought to qualify to be in this group. Thus, only a select group of believers who are holy will be resurrected at the time of the Second Coming. They will receive their glorified bodies and rule and reign with Christ during His millennial reign. They will be kings and priests who teach the Lord’s statues to the nations. The rest of the saved and unsaved will not be resurrected until after the Lord’s thousand-year reign, when all will appear before the Lord to give an account of their lives (Rev. 20:12-15). In Philippians 3:10, Paul gives us four qualifications that must be worked out in our lives in order for us to have a part in the first resurrection:

That I may know Him

That I may know the power of His resurrection

That I may know the fellowship of His sufferings That I may be made conformable to His death

Let us briefly consider these four qualifications for having a part in the First Resurrection and being kings and priests with Christ during the Millennium.

T HAT I M AY K NOW H I M The first qualification is to know the Lord. To really know the Lord, we have to know what He is like. This involves knowing His attributes. Five of the Lord’s attributes are mentioned in Exodus 34:6, “And the LORD passed by before him and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” In Matthew 11:29, the Lord Jesus mentioned two more of His attributes – meekness and lowliness: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” For us to really know these attributes, they must be worked out in us. The more of the nature of God that is worked out in our lives, the more we can know Him.

T HE P OW E R O F HIS RE S URREC T IO N The second qualification is knowing the power of the Lord’s resurrection. Paul says in Ephesians 1:17-22, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.” Thus, we believe that in these last days God will cause His people to experience and manifest His resurrection power!

T HE F E L LOW S HIP O F HIS S UF F E RINGS It is also necessary to experience the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. The Bible tells us that if “we suffer with Him we shall also reign with Him” (2 Tim. 2:12). In the measure that we suffer, to that same degree shall we reign with Christ. Below I have listed some of the sufferings of Christ that we will experience as we follow on to know Him.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

He suffered in the area of bodily appetites (Mt. 4:3) He suffered in His soul (Mt. 4:6) He suffered in His spirit (Mt. 4:8) He suffered in His body (Isa. 50:6; 52:14) He suffered reproach (Psa. 69:20) He suffered in the area of His will (Lk. 22:42) He suffered in the area of His reputation (Jn. 8:41) He was forsaken by loved ones (Jn 6:66) He experienced betrayal (Mt. 26:48-49)

B E ING M A D E C O NF O RM A B L E TO HIS DE AT H This means that we experience the crucified life. Paul said in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” We must daily carry our cross, as Jesus said, and “die daily” (1 Cor. 15:31). Beloved, if we strive by the grace of God to live this kind of life, we shall indeed qualify to have a part in the First Resurrection and be kings and priests with the Lord in the Millennium. Let us, therefore, concentrate on these four qualifications so that we might rule and reign with Christ in the Millennium!

IN THE HOUSE

Church Camp 2019: Winning Christ!

by Alicia Chua

Our family camp was a refreshing time of gaining spiritual revelation and bonding as one body.

Year after year, Cornerstone’s annual Family Camp promises to be a power-packed time of spiritual refreshing. The theme for this year’s camp was Winning Christ! and we had a great time with camp speakers Chris Berglund, Nicky Raiborde, Pastor Yang, and Robert Henderson. Although each speaker had different styles and different messages, each delivered a clear and timely word that blessed the campers greatly. From principles on how to approach God in prayer, to practical ways to evaluate our spiritual walks, each session was filled with powerful takeaways. At the end of the camp, the message was clear – to press in for greater personal revelation about God’s will for our lives, as well as to come up higher in prayer as we contend for the nations.

As with previous camps, the final night was designated as Gala Night. Traditionally, Gala Night has been a time when campers get to let loose and enjoy the programme the camp committee has planned for them. Themed CSCC Night Live, this year’s programme included show-type games and comedic sketches performed by some of our CGN pastors which had the audience roaring with laughter. We also had a dance performance by some of the youth and, not forgetting, heart-warming and adorable performances by the children! Having attended several church camps in previous years, I must say this year’s Gala Night was one of the best, if not the best I have seen thus far.

On the whole, we had a great time just hanging out and being ref reshed as one big Cornerstone family. I'm sure I'm not alone with I say this — I'm already looking forward to the next camp!

With such an exciting line-up of speakers and activities, this year’s camp was fully-booked weeks before early bird registration closed. As one of the campers who was scrambling to book the last few rooms, I can say that it was definitely worth signing up for. Personally, I was incredibly blessed by the fellowship,

messages, and especially the personal prophecy session. On the whole, we had a great time just hanging out and being refreshed as one big Cornerstone family. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say this – I’m already looking forward to the next camp!

IN THE HOUSE

LEADERS SUMMIT 2019 by Gary Leo

Our leaders were blessed and challenged by stories of our pastors’ own leadership journeys.

The Annual Leaders Summit began with a time of worship as we sought to honour God and thanked Him for the privilege of being a part of what He wants to do. Following this, there were four half-hour sessions taken by various pastors and an afternoon workshop. The youth and children’s church ministry held their workshops separately from the main congregation with a combined attendance of 302 leaders at Park Avenue Convention Centre on 1 May.

With the objective of establishing, empowering and equipping our leaders, the messages by the pastors inspired them to come up higher, and to grow in vision and depth in their walk with God (establishing the leaders). The summit also set out to empower the leaders with a better understanding of our purpose as a church, and there was an allocated segment which touched on why we do what we do, as well as the challenges and opportunities ahead of us. The workshops during the summit helped to equip the leaders with practical skills applicable in ministry. There was also room to address questions that the leaders had.

CMY

We thank God that many were blessed by the time at the Summit. The stories from our pastors’ personal leadership journeys gave us some ministry handles. It is encouraging to know that despite the struggles and challenges the pastors faced, their passion and vision from God sustained them through these years. Following the example of the leaders of this house who have gone before us, we want to be shepherds who will always align ourselves with the will of the Lord, and who will first seek to serve and not be served. Even though the path ahead may be filled with uncertainty and our tasks may be daunting, we pray that God will set our hearts on Him and to surround us with godly counsel. Max Lucado said “God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.” Together, we will get there! 16

IN THE HOUSE

KINGDOM INVASION TRILOGY PART II WITH BROTHER YUN by Tracey Chia

Brother Yun, a Chinese evangelist who preached the gospel amidst immense persecution inspired us with his life story.

Following our first installment of the Kingdom Invasion Trilogy series earlier this year, we had our second guest, Brother Yun with us at Cornerstone on 12th July. How Yun stood fast to endure torture, persecution and three imprisonments across 25 years preaching Christ boldly is inspiring to no end. He eventually and miraculously walked out of a maximum-security prison in 2001, on legs that had been broken and a body that was still healing from savage beatings less than two months before. Listening to Yun, it is the depth of his surrendered heart which one hears, and a spiritual impartation of endurance and relentless perseverance that one receives. His story is truly thought-provoking.

WA L K I N G T H R O U G H D A R K VA L L E Y S Brother Yun did not pretend that he has never felt hopelessness or grief. He explained in the morning session why he gave up eating at one point in prison – meals were thin, scooped twice a day through a small opening. In his struggle and pain, Yun had no desire to eat. “When people ask if I really did fast for so long, I tell them that when I didn’t eat, I was fasting. God knows I wasn’t eating or drinking. I wanted to die, but I just wasn’t dying!” Yun’s 74day fast is a controversy in some media quarters because they question the possibility of such a long fast.

MEMORISING SCRIPTURES He began memorising the Bible hungrily at the age of 16, after he was given a bible in the night by two strangers. Bibles were scarce after the Cultural Revolution. The only way to hold on to Scripture was by rote. And so, Matthew was the first book he memorised. It took him all of 28 days, one chapter a day. In the first village he preached in, unsure of how to preach, Yun recited the entire book from memory. The Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard.

MY WEAPON IS A MELODY

A LIVING WITNESS

In his darkest days, the Holy Spirit brought Scripture verses to mind and Yun would sing them. This brought him strength.

Yun once told his mother, upon release from prison, that he wished to die. His sister chided him to think about this and live for his mother instead. His mother in turn said, “Son, live for Jesus Christ and not your mother.”

“When I was in prison for five years at one time, I heard a voice repeat, “Don’t be afraid, the Lord knows.” I heard the Father say, ‘Child, Child, preach to yourself ’. Not everyone could take this persecution, some fell away. Many denied Christ when they were forced to write down their denial. In my heart, the song arose ‘I have decided to follow Jesus, never be afraid of the shadow of death. I won’t turn back.” Brother Yun led us all in this familiar chorus. It was a defining moment to ask ourselves if the words we were so familiar with held their weight?

The prison guards who overheard this put Yun back in prison! But one prison officer was moved by all this and promoted Yun to be in-charge of an area of prisoners. Yun’s job was to feed these prisoners because their hands and feet were cuffed. It was the first time after his big fast that Yun was given a ‘mantou’ (Chinese bread cube). “I was really hungry, but then I heard the Holy Spirit’s voice say not to eat the mantou. Give it to the other prisoners.” Yun obeyed. Dividing the mantou, he threw a piece into one of the criminal’s cells. The prisoner knelt and asked why Yun loved him. Yun explained that it was Jesus who loved! It was the first time this prisoner had ever heard of Jesus, and he would be facing a firing squad in three days. “The Lord’s timing had come, I testified that because of what Jesus had done, he would not go to hell.” Not only did this prisoner receive his Saviour, but over twenty other prisoners called out for salvation as well! Yun baptised them by pouring water from a pot. This was what it costs to make disciples!

The Word of God is active and can discern between soul and spirit. The Lord has a promise, and when He calls you, He will fulfil it. Therefore, you can trust Him and need not be afraid.

CONCLUSION In the evening session, Brother Yun drew from the story of dead man Lazarus in John 1. He likened Lazarus’ tomb walls to our modern-day deadlocked situations but reminded everyone of how the cries of Lazarus’ sisters caused Jesus to respond and call dead Lazarus back to life. “The Word of God is active and can discern between soul and spirit. The Lord has a promise, and when He calls you, He will fulfil it. Therefore, you can trust Him and need not be afraid.” Yun was here to raise the bar of trust in us. 19

IN THE HOUSE

KINGDOM INVASION TRILOGY PART III WITH CANON ANDREW WHITE

“Out of death and persecution comes the glory of God” – these words from Canon Andrew White resonated with the audience when he was sharing his story at the third instalment of the Kingdom Invasion Trilogy this year. A former vicar of St George’s Church in Baghdad, the only Anglican church in Iraq, he experienced persecution every day when the Lord called him to the Middle East in the early 2000s. Over 170 of his staff have been killed through years of his work in the war-torn nation and despite experiencing such pain and loss, he carries such a deep joy and strength that spreads through the room as he speaks. Addressing the congregation at Max Atria, Expo on 18th October this year, the key theme throughout his session was on forgiving our enemies.

CHRIST, HIS SOURCE OF JOY He told us about the time when he was kidnapped in Iraq, when the kidnappers had left his cell phone on him and this allowed him to switch on his phone light, only to see severed fingers and toes scattered around the place where he was held hostage. The kind of trauma he experienced was unimaginable, but he shared that the source of his joy is the Lord Himself. Truly, as written in Romans 8:35-37, “nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, neither trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword…yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” He knows the reality of the scriptures better 20 than most, if not all of us.

by Emma Lim

We are forgiven much, and so we must forgive.

FORGIVENESS As he held up a cross made of two nails that he wears around his neck, he told the story of the bombing of England's Coventry Cathedral in 1940 during World War II. After its destruction, the only thing that remained were the nails from its roof. These nails were later collected and put together to form crosses. When the dean of the place wrote, “Father, forgive” on the remaining walls, people said that he should have written “Father, forgive them.” In response, the dean said, “we all need forgiveness.” We are forgiven much, and so we must forgive. “Who is your enemy? It is the person whose story you have not heard. So, fundamental to our work is actually hearing the story of the other,” Canon White shared, as he talked about the challenges he has had with forgiving his enemies. This is the way true healing and reconciliation takes place – bringing the other’s story into our position.

TAKE CARE, DON'T TAKE RISKS With countless powerful stories under his belt, probably the one that made the greatest impression on me was the one Canon White shared about his son, Jacob, the younger of his two sons with his wife, Caroline. Jacob prayed daily for his parents and Yasser Arafat, the president of the Palestinian National Authority up until he died in 2004. Because he loved Israel dearly, Canon White considered this man an enemy, but found himself learning about love from his son. “If my son can love him, I must also. And that was God teaching me to love those who are difficult, those who are unlovely,” he explained. The breakthrough came when Jacob wanted to invite Arafat to his fifth birthday party and asked his father to pass the invite to him since Canon White had been facilitating peace talks between Israel and the land under the Palestinian Authority. “Arafat could not believe that this little boy prayed for him every day and wanted him to come for his birthday party,” Canon White shared. After this, Arafat began conversing with Jacob on the phone and even said yes when the little boy wanted to pray with him. This simple love from a child paved the way for the Alexandria Declaration, a peace treaty between the Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders in Israel and Palestine, and this was a door that only God could open. “Enemies becoming friends always involve taking risks,” Canon White added. “Don’t take care, take risks.” 21

IN THE HOUSE

CORNERSTONE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME Our participants of the programme share their testimonies with us!

NATALIA HERRERA United States of America The internship program was an absolute delight! Through the teaching and the relationships with His people, God equipped us for the work of His kingdom. I grew in understanding my identity as a daughter of the King of the universe and this deepened my relationship with Him. It was also during this time that I caught the passion for revival, now implanted in my mind and heart, and I feel compelled to share this with others.

BRYAN TAN Singapore Initially, I could not sign up for the CIP programme as the dates clashed with my reservist, however God wanted me there and my reservist dates were miraculously shifted! I am glad I obeyed Him by taking this step of faith to dedicate this time for my spiritual growth. The CIP journey was really enjoyable for me and I looked forward to classes every day. Being able to learn and hear from the many pastors and church leaders, and to know the heart behind all they do was such an amazing learning experience. Every morning, there was such a hunger and joy as we prepared our hearts to receive what God wanted to release to us that very day. While the teaching really built me up, being immersed in a spirit-filled environment surrounded by an edifying community helped me as well. I was stirred me up to discipline myself and put into practice what I had learnt through CIP. While we all came from different churches and countries, we all serve the same King, and that truly unified us as a class. CIP has definitely made a tremendous impact on my life and prepared me well for a new upcoming season.

RENE HERRERA United States of America Beyond classroom learning, our CIP experience also comprised of precious times with our host (The Chan Family), classmates, mentors, staff and many other wonderful people that God allowed us to meet along the way. CIP has changed my life and my familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s through the testimonies of what God has done through Cornerstone, which showed us what is possible when we trust God and allow Him to lead us into the promises which He has already given us. We are so encouraged by the impact the church has made in Singapore and many others around the world. Everyone whom we met seemed to have paid a high price in order to answer Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s calling to full time ministry; yet everyone shared that it was the best decision they have made in their lives. They helped us understand that when you commit your life to serve the Lord, you can be sure you will never be disappointed or shortchanged.

PS PEH HAN ALSO SHARES WITH US HIS THOUGHTS ON CIP: What I particularly value about the CIP programme is the opportunity to interact with the interns, whether it is a young person who wants to learn the ropes of full-time ministry, a working adult seeking a new direction in his or her life, or a leader from another country wanting to learn and receive from what God has given to us in Cornerstone.

"It was also during this time that I caught the passion for revival, now implanted in my mind and heart, and I feel compelled to share this with others."

It was so refreshing to be able to take time out of our day to day work schedules to sow into their lives. I also had the opportunity to teach in two of the CIP classes and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad that I was able to share advice, resources, knowledge and tools I have picked up in my short time in full-time ministry with them. I hope this will help them in their own journeys. We brainstormed for projects together and had fun making memories and forging friendships in this short period of time. But the real value lies in being able to help the interns grow in their knowledge of Christ and His call upon their lives. Whether it was answering their questions, praying with them or giving them advice on how to grow themselves, it was an honour and privilege to be part of that short season of their lives and to see them graduate with a renewed sense of direction and passion.

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

137

CHURCHES

BIBLE SCHOOLS

ORPHANAGES

KINDERGARTENS/ SCHOOLS

CORNERSTONE GLOBAL NETWORK SUMMIT 2019 Our yearly Cornerstone Global Network (CGN) Summit was held from 22 July to 25 July at D’ Resort Singapore. It was a fruitful time of gathering as one global family and our local pastors had the opportunity to reconnect with our CGN pastors and ministry leaders from the nations.

In the book of Acts, the gentile Antioch church grew and became a significant New Testament model. As soon as the Antioch church was birthed, we see the apostolic, prophetic and teaching ministry gathering within the first year. As recorded in the book of Acts, it is key that we understand the governing gifts of the church. The apostolic, prophetic, teaching ministry and other differing gifts must be established and our leaders must serve, be fervent and go wherever the Lord leads, whatever it costs. Antioch was a very unselfish place and it had strong leaders who gave their all to the Lord. The leaders were stirred and challenged to continue to press on in the work God has placed in their hands and not pull back in this time and hour – that His glory may be manifested here and now! Over the three days, our CGN pastors heard Pastor Yang share his heart on the vision for this house. He likened us to the biblical tribe of Judah and we also received updates on what God has been doing in the different nations over the past year. Time was also spent praying and ministering to one another, and bonding through recreational activities like sailing, a walk around the Esplanade area and watching the Lion King movie! Our CGN pastors especially appreciated the opportunities to hear from the leadership, to come into alignment with what God was speaking over Cornerstone, and to partner with fellow labourers in prayer as we continue to be builders of God's Kingdom in all their nations and beyond!

In the 12th year of its running, there were 41 representatives from 18 nations present at the gathering, not including the Cornerstone staff. Joining us for the first time were two observers from Japan. This year’s theme was “Embracing the Apostolic, Becoming Antioch”, as we received in faith the prophetic word which has been prophesied over this house that we are an Antioch Church with an apostolic mantle. God has been enlarging our global footprint, and to date, we have over 137 churches, 28 bible schools, 12 kindergartens/schools, and 12 orphanages in 23 nations within our CGN. 24

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

POST-BLESS MAURITIUS: CATCHING THE HEART FOR MISSIONS by Zoie Tan

Mauritius, also known as ‘The Star & Key of The Indian Ocean’, is an island nation that is a part of Africa. In 2018, Cornerstone Kingdom Ministries, Mauritius (CKM), officially joined the Cornerstone Global Network (CGN) family as a CGN Base, with a total of 17 churches and house churches in Mauritius, Madagascar and Reunion Island directly under her apostolic care. The church is led by Ps Steeve Lam and his wife Ps Genevieve Lam.

The entire church caught the heart of missions through the conference.

Bless Mauritius was birthed in 2018, chronicling the third nation of the City to City project, part of the Kingdom Invasion Initiative to bless and bring the Kingdom of God to the nations. It was a national event that drew thousands of Christians, uniting the Church of Mauritius as one. Many people were deeply impacted by Bless Mauritius, especially a young lady from CKM. During the conference, a prophetic word was released that she was to go and reach the unreached people from the various islands around Mauritius. When the conference ended, we received reports that she had packed up her belongings, got on a boat and responded to the Lord. Through her faith and courage, many have come to know the saving power of Jesus Christ! However, it was not just one lady who received the call to go into the nations. In fact, the entire church caught the heart of missions through the conference. Today, CKM carries a global church vision to cross the local frontiers to reach the other nations. Aside from the missions movement, there has been a wave of revival amongst the young people and there are teams walking the streets every Saturday to reach the youth, and they are seeing many people come to know the Lord! CKM’s desire is to follow the example set by Bless Mauritius, reproducing a local conference in the different regions of the island. They hope to hold the same conference in neighbouring islands such as Rodrigues and Madagascar in the coming years. May Mauritius be the Antioch of the Indian Ocean – a blessing to all nations. 25

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

Growth in Cornerstone Uganda Cells by Emma Lim

After spending a season in Singapore with Cornerstone cells, Sister Nanziri Viola returned to Cornerstone Uganda with a burning passion to see their cells flourish once again. With Pastor Aloysius Ntege and team, they relooked at the way the cell ministry was run and cast a fresh vision to the church on the importance of building strong connections in cells. Taking reference from the cluster, zone, cell model we have in Cornerstone Singapore, new leaders were appointed and trained to be shepherds. Pastor Aloysius also challenged the team to be ready to stand in the gap, to contend to see the cell ministry revived again after its initial decline. The Lord heard their prayers, and the testimonies we have been hearing from the field have been nothing short of amazing! The approach to cell ministry has been changed to incorporate stronger discipleship and participation, and members of the church have settled in cells of their own choice. Five cells are grouped to form a “family” or zone, and it is very heart-warming that it is a place where everyone belongs and serves in at least one area (prayer, worship, testimony sharing, Word). Members have also been encouraged to bring unsaved friends, and the response has been very encouraging.

Sharing the gospel is no longer just the responsibility of the evangelism ministry ...

With a heart to reach out to the unsaved or backslidden in the community, the cell families have also set out on outreaches to bring the love of Jesus beyond the church walls. On one occasion, the Dorcas family went to a place of drunkards, sat and chatted with them. These people experienced a love they had never seen before in God’s people, and 14 of them came to church the following Sunday! Out of this group, 9 of them received Jesus that day. Every Sunday, a different cell family takes turns to serve in church together in different areas – cleaning, serving, sharing, supporting the worship team. They even decided to dress similarly as a family! During such times, even the non-believing cell visitors join in the activities, and they eventually give their lives to God willingly! Rastafarians are coming into the church and are gradually changed by His love. While baby showers and hospital visitations used to be done by the pastor, the cell groups have now a part to play in this blessing. Sharing the gospel is no longer just the responsibility of the evangelism ministry but something the cells do together, and the church is growing in a way like never before. Everyone feels included in church and the atmosphere is filled with expectancy and excitement!

Discover the living faith of God which is above circumstances. Nestled in the beautiful seaside town of Swansea in South Wales, UK, is the renowned Bible College of Wales. The School of Ministry program is a 3-month Bible training course based on a core curriculum for practical ministry and leadership development. Students will benefit from a programme specially designed for learning, reflection, and spiritual development. If you’re a believer who desires to move on to maturity or a seasoned minister in need of a time of refreshing, the School of Ministry program will be your best investment.

SEMESTER DATES 2 02 0 SPRING 2 Mar – 22 May

Registration Closes: 31 Dec 2019 for applicants who require a visa Registration Closes: 1 Feb 2020 for all other applications

2 02 0 AUTUMN

31 Aug – 20 Nov

Registration Opens: 1 Jan 2020 Registration Closes: 31 May 2020 for applicants who require a visa Registration Closes: 1 Aug 2020 for all other applications

SING APORE OFFICE

UK OFFICE

11 East Coast Road #03-01/02 The Odeon Katong, Singapore 428722

The Bible College of Wales Derwen Fawr Road, Sketty, Swansea SA2 8EB, Wales, United Kingdom T +44 (0)1792 722428 E registration_som@bcwales.org

T +65 6344 4733 E mail@bcwales.org

Email us for enquiries or visit our website at www.bcwales.org for more details.

bcwales

@biblecollegeofwales

bcwales.org 27

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

BLESS WALES by Emma Lim

" “Thank you, thank you so much for doing this,” she said, tears streaming down her cheeks. This lovely Welsh lady had come to visit the Bible College of Wales just after the Bless Wales conference. She held both my hands and told me that she had driven four hours down from North Wales to be in Swansea for the event. “My husband has been praying for revival in the mountains for years, and I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to be with others who wanted the same. Something is stirring, and God is moving in a way many have never felt before.” Bless Wales was truly a significant meeting for the church in Swansea, with so many people testifying of power encounters with the Lord and shifts in the spiritual atmosphere of the nation. Organised by the Bible College of Wales, in conjunction with partner churches in Wales and Cornerstone

Something is stirring, and God is moving in a way many have never felt before.

763 FROM 27 DIFFERENT NATIONS

The next few meetings were marked with the release of prophetic songs and powerful encounters with God following the preaching of the Word. There was a call for Wales to “take the mountain that God has promised”, and to come to a higher place in Him, to face the giants and do all it takes to see God’s dreams for the nation fulfilled. The Holy Spirit is hovering over Wales and about to birth forth something in the spirit, and the people need to lay hold of Him. On one occasion, Pastor Yang also invited the Welsh pastors to come forward and unite in prayer for Wales. As they stood on the stage and prophesied over their cities, we prayed for them to be set ablaze and to stand together. Some of the pastors shared that they saw visions of Jesus and angels among them at this point. Others felt the fire of God fall upon them. Since Bless Wales, many ministry leaders across Wales have gathered to stand in the gap for their cities and have noted breakthroughs in the spiritual climate.

Singapore, we were privileged to have with us Ben Fitzgerald, Dutch Sheets and Dr. Sam Matthews speak at the conference. Bless Wales was held over three days from 27-29 May 2019, and we saw volunteers from Cornerstone join forces with representatives from the local churches to assist with the running of the meetings at Brangwyn Hall. There was a total of 763 in attendance from 27 different nations. Participants from different parts of England and Wales had also driven down to Swansea to be there for the event. Catching everyone by surprise on the first night, God moved in a way that many didn’t anticipate. Ben Fitzgerald came forward to speak, and before he could deliver his message, the Holy Spirit moved across the congregation and people broke out in intercession, worship and prophecy. This kept going on, wave after wave, and there was such a great sense of God’s presence in the room. Individuals began to sing, and the people around them broke out into choruses on their own spontaneously till the entire room was in one voice. Many locals said that this was like nothing they had ever seen in Wales before. However, an elderly gentleman who had studied revival history commented that this was an occurrence that took place in the 1904 Welsh Revival. It was a singing revival, and the Holy Spirit would move upon services, with worship being congregationally-led.

The conference delegates and venue staff were also greatly blessed by the planning and organisation of Bless Wales. A security personnel present shared that he had never been at an event where people would thank him for checking their bags. He felt that there was so much joy here and that it was the best event he has ever worked at. The team was also complimented for constantly putting on a smile and serving with great excellence. “Thank you for treating us like royalty,” were the kind words from one of the delegates. What makes this conference very special for me is being able to witness the Welsh gather to worship God with all their hearts and to contend for breakthrough in their land. The explosive passion they carry in song is something I have yet to encounter anywhere in the world. In the words of a song we have often sung at the Bible College of Wales – “Wales, Wales, we prophesy that you shall be saved. With one heart and one voice, we join hands and rejoice, revival is coming once more.” Let us continue to stand with Wales in prayer to see God move again in the land of revivals!

LIVING TESTIMONIES

Refiner & Purifier by Joycelyn Yeo

How would I describe my time at the Bible College of Wales (BCW)? For many, their school term at the BCW may have been a ‘spiritual retreat.’ It may also have been a time of seeking and finding the Lord, of searching for direction and purpose, or of asking God to confirm His call on our lives. While these were the experiences of others, God chose to reveal His nature as a Refiner’s Fire to me when I studied at the BCW in Spring 2019.

MALACHI 3:2-3 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.

Fire has many functions. It burns fast and spreads easily, it provides warmth, it gives light, and is also a purifier of precious metals. Today, the process of purifying gold, silver, or any other precious metals employs the use of electricity or chemicals. But in the past, fire was the main agent used for purification. The silversmith would put a piece of untreated silver directly into the centre of the fire, where it is the hottest and most effective, to remove any impurities. As the silver stays in the burning furnace, the silversmith sits by the fire to watch, because a moment too long in the fire will damage the silver. But the process does not end here. The fire brings to the surface a layer of dross (impurities) on the silver and the silversmith has to scrape this away before placing the silver back into the fire for further purification. He repeats this process over and over until the purification process is complete – when he is able to see his reflection in the silver. From the moment I stepped onto the grounds of the BCW, I felt like I was in the centre of a fire. Living on-site, rubbing shoulders with classmates from various cultures, backgrounds, age groups etc., has been a humbling experience for me. We also learnt to submit to a very elaborate schedule which 30

The journey to Christ-likeness is a life-long process. included lecturers teaching on timely and relevant subjects and which facilitated moments where the Holy Spirit would convict me of areas in my life which needed adjusting. It did not take long for the impurities in my life to surface and I found myself questioning my own reactions. “Why would I say this?”, “How could I have such thoughts?” and, “Why was I impatient and intolerant?” – these were questions I sought to answer. Each time this ugly and selfish side of me reared its head, it was an opportune moment for the Lord in His mercy to reveal the condition of my heart, scrape off the impurities (dross), and to put me back into the fire for further purification. Through it all, whether I was in the fire or being confronted with my flaws and weaknesses, the Master Silversmith had His eyes set on me. He has never left me alone in the fire; nor has He ever left the fireside. This brings me great comfort to know that He sits as the Refiner and Purifier until He sees Himself reflected in me.

Although I graduated from the BCW in May 2019, it did not spell the end of my time in the furnace. In fact, my classmates and I quipped about how the real test awaits us once we step out and beyond the college grounds! True enough, what awaited me as I returned to the mundane grind of life was the challenge to remember the promises He had spoken over me, to constantly lay hold and retain the lessons I’ve picked up, and the discipline to recognise and encounter His presence daily. Many times, it seems easy to slip back into the old thought pattern and lifestyle before BCW, but like silver that has passed through the fire, I can no longer remain the same as before. I have met with the Lord and encountered Him; the previous layer of dross has been removed, so the Purifier and Refiner is able to do a deeper work in me. The journey to Christ-likeness is a life-long process. And so, before we get to see Him face-to-face, let us give thanks for our time in the fire. We are more precious than gold and silver; and only through purification can we offer ourselves as an offering in righteousness unto Him.

I have met with the Lord and encountered Him; the previous layer of dross has been removed, so the Purifier and Refiner is able to do a deeper work in me.

IN THE HOUSE

FEAST OF TAB ERNACLES by Deborah Mok

This year’s Feast of Tabernacles Celebration was focused on the theme, ‘The Harvest of Nations’. The event kicked off with a joyful atmosphere of singing Hebrew songs, waving banners and flags of different nations, dancing and shofar blowing. The waving of flags was a prophetic declaration that the grace of God would flow from this house to all the nations of the world for His purposes to be established. After the Word was shared, the celebration ended with a time of feasting on some simple snacks prepared by members of the church. The Feast of Tabernacles is one of the three feasts in the bible that the Lord commanded the Israelites to observe, the other two being the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Pentecost. God wanted His people to gather in unity to celebrate these feasts and promised that if they would faithfully do this, He would remove the obstacles that stood between them and their destiny. Pastor Yang gave us an overview of these three feasts and touched on the signs that would coincide with the institution of the Feast of Tabernacles in the last days that precedes the Second Coming of Jesus (Matthew 17:4). As believers, we will know that the Feast of Tabernacles has begun when we see seven signs on the earth. The first sign is the rebuilding of the physical temple of Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24-27, Ezekiel 37:28). In the Bible, the construction of an earthly temple of God acts as a signifier of God’s covenant to dwell with His people. As in previous times whenever the Feast of Tabernacles was mentioned in the Bible (when King Solomon dedicated the temple to the Lord and when Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem), the rebuilding of the temple will signify the restoration of worship. This feast will mark the beginning of the end times, and we will see a global revival like never in the history of mankind. The next sign will be the arrival of the Grain Harvest. The Feast of Tabernacles is also known as the Feast of Ingathering, when the children of Israel gather firstfruits from the harvest. Similarly, this will be a time when we will see a great harvest of souls, even greater than the time of the early church. This will also coincide with the latter rain, which is seven times

heavier than the former rain. While the former rain is intended to soften the ground, the latter rain is the time of reaping and we will receive the fullness of the harvest. Pastor Yang challenged us to avail ourselves as labourers that the Lord can use for this great harvest! The third sign that marks the Feast of Tabernacles is the Day of Atonement. This day precedes the Feast of Tabernacles and observance is a requirement of Mosaic law, signifying the willingness to allow God to deal with sin. God is calling Cornerstone into a season of purity, and may we allow Him to remove all that is unclean within us. It is time to seek the Lord wholeheartedly to ask Him to renew a right spirit within us. The other signs that Pastor Yang mentioned which mark the institution of the Feast of Tabernacles are a fresh love for the Word of God (Hebrews 8:7-10), great joy in the body of Christ (To “rejoice before the Lord” for seven days – Leviticus 23:40) and the manifestation of God’s glory all over the world. There is a promise that we, gentiles, are part of this great move of God! (Ps 117) Members of the congregation felt that the message was a personal reminder to live with eternity in mind, and to prepare ourselves for the harvest and the coming of our Lord.

IN THE HOUSE

WITNESS

by Elizabeth Graves

The scriptwriter and directorial advisor of Witness, our Easter Production, reflects on her personal journey towards show day!

ABOUT THE PLAY WITNESS is a modern retelling of how Jesus’ life affected four people who lived and journeyed with Him to the last moments of His death, mainly Mary Magdalene, Peter the disciple, Mary, mother of Jesus, and Judas the disciple who betrayed him. This half-hour play brought the setting of Jesus’ crucifixion two thousand years forward, to reimagine it in our time, and to place its relevance in today’s society. The play is told through the eyes of a Prison Guard who is on his duty when Jesus is put to death by lethal injection. This Prison Guard becomes the voice of the audience and asks how he should respond having himself now been a Witness. The Holy Spirit graciously carried the team through the ideation process and rehearsal days until they managed to find a unique and dynamic perspective of the last moments before Christs’ death. After the running of six shows from 20st April to 22 April, we saw a total of 26 people rededicate their lives to the Lord and 51 salvations! 34

ELIZABETH'S TESTIMONY My journey began with potentially directing one show, to sitting down and writing the next. Although I had been approached to consider directing it, I had prayed and it didn’t feel like it was the right time. I felt a peace about taking more of a backseat, supportive role. Having been exposed to what goes on behind the scenes in theatre, I have seen the hard work and dedication that goes into a production. Part of me always wondered if I would, if I could, write one day. Deep down, I had a faint sense that at some point down the line, writing might become part of my life. I am sure we all can relate to that quiet sense, that Holy Spirit nudge occasionally, pointing us toward unknown giftings that God created within us, just waiting to be mined, honed, and nurtured. That was how I felt about writing. But, when I sat down and started to imagine this mini-world – the characters within it, the exchanges, the set, the mood, and the sounds you would hear, I could not believe how effortlessly the writing flowed. Now, I am not saying that I didn’t experience difficulties along the way. Instead, what stood out to me was the ease and fun that came with writing. I could almost hear that internal “click”, that incredible sense that “this seems right”, and the Heavenly Father chuckle, as He witnessed me open yet another one of His many “gifts”. And that is what all our natural talents are: Gifts.

BEHIND_THE_SCENES

I frequently forget that it is not I, but He that gives, empowers, and graces us with the personalities, abilities, and strengths that we so often assume is of our “own” effort. Several years ago, I unknowingly walked into a dry spiritual season, and experienced what it was like to live without the daily mercies from the Lord I had come to take for granted. What was once effortless, took all the effort in the world. What once came easily to me, became incredibly difficult to attain. I attributed many of my “good qualities” to my personality, my willpower, and my beliefs, but I had to learn the hard way how badly I needed to be humbled. That dry season lasted longer than a month, but God carried me through it and allowed me to mature as a result of it. I hope that if you are currently going through a rough patch of your own, you will take heart and keep looking to Him in your season.

Regardless of where you are in your story, one thing is certain, He is not finished yet. Only the Lord knows how I went from Desert Days, to Easter Plays – He works in Mysterious Ways! All I can say is, God is the Great Author, and no two books are the same. No two chapters, no two seasons of life are the same. Our Heavenly Father takes us from one line to the next, from one page to the next, and His stories have all the best elements of adventure, intrigue, mystery, suspense – sometimes, the excitement is minimal, and peace is constant; whilst other times, conflicts run miles long, with no reconciliation in sight. Regardless of where you are in your story, one thing is certain, He is not finished yet. Jesus has His hand outstretched towards you, and with a twinkle in His eye, “Your adventure isn’t over yet, Beloved!” This play was made possible by His grace, and we give Him all the glory for what He has done through each unique member of the team. Everyone brought their own “gifts” before Him, allowing Him to craft His very own masterpiece. As you bring yours before Him, get ready to witness what He can do, for it always exceeds what we can ask of imagine! (Ephesians 3:20)

IN THE HOUSE

WOW! CONFERENCE by Charis Lee

Wisdom begins and ends at home. With that phrase, Rev Sylvia Evans summarised her primary message, which she richly developed over three days of amazing teaching at the Women of Wisdom Conference, held from 12 to 14 September 2019 at Cornerstone Community Church. Drawing from the lives of biblical women – Deborah, Jael, Abigail – Rev. Evans painted a vivid picture of wisdom that was embedded in the different callings of these women. Deborah, despite her public ministry, began as a counsellor at home; Jael, being a common woman, had the practical wisdom of knowing what to do with the enemy who came to her door; Abigail, with her quickness of wit and “response-ability” showed control in crisis.

WISDOM REQUIRES A PURE SPIRIT But how did these women emerge as such pivotal examples of wisdom? Was it something they said, did or lived through? Over the first two evening sessions, Rev. Evans laid the groundwork by speaking about the need for the Spirit of God to work cleanness in our hearts. It was a central theme of the conference – that wisdom requires a pure spirit, because the wisdom that comes from above is spiritual. “If stuff is continually flowing out of you, this wisdom does not descend like snow from the heavens,” she said, in reference to James 3. “(But) when we, women, sit at the feet of Jesus, our spirit is cleansed.”

SWEET, STRONG WORSHIP And it did seem as if sitting at the feet of Jesus was the sole agenda for the day, many times during the Conference’s praise and worship sessions. As with last year’s inaugural WOW Conference, the presence of God was sweet, yet strong, during times of worship. 36

Reprising her role from last year, Pastor Libby Huirua led worship in the evening sessions and also preached about the importance of having our eyes fixed on Jesus during one of the night sessions. “When God has birthed something in the Spirit, you can’t allow yourself to carry it in your soul… Keep it elevated in the spirit,” she said. WOW Conference participant, Sophia Tan, said, “What really impacted me was when Pastor Libby talked about not letting what I’ve received from Jesus sink into my soul to get diluted.”

SNAKES & DOVES Joining the Conference for the first time as a speaker was Rev. Dr. Naomi Dowdy, who preached a powerful message on “Breakthrough’ during the first Day session. “The key word is ‘until’,” she declared. “Superheroes are normal people going through normal activities until they have to face the enemy. Nothing changed until (biblical) Deborah changed.” “We need more than human wisdom (to deal with the future). We need divine wisdom.”

QUOTES FROM OTHER PARTICIPANTS "I was very blessed by Rev. Sylvia Evan’s sharing, that a woman of wisdom has clarity and is calm" — Sophia Tan

Rev. Dr. Dowdy, whose faith and ministry track record shines as an inspiration to many women – and men – also conducted a workshop called “Snakes and Doves – Learning to lead with wisdom”. “The serpent’s wisdom saves you from unnecessary exposure to danger,” she said. “while the dove’s harmlessness protects you from sinful methods to escape hardship.” WOW Conference participant Algena Koh said, “I was very blessed by Rev. Dr. Dowdy’s sharing. There is a fine balancing act which is attainable if God in in charge and if we operate out of love.”

SHINING TESTIMONIES In addition to the rich teaching and preaching, the WOW Conference was packed with amazing personal stories from Sister Nidia Meneses and Pastor Sabrina Low. Sister Nidia shared her testimony in Spanish, speaking of how God rescued her from the clutches of sexual sin and witchcraft. She pointed to a copy of her thick, black appointment book, which was once filled with the contacts of witches and clients whose services she once brokered. Now, she declared, the Holy Spirit speaks to her of pastors in need and her directory is now of Christian ministers and ministry. Pastor Sabrina from Cornerstone Miri shared about her journey of faith, from trusting God to download ministry strategy to paying billboard bills in good timing. Both speakers also helmed workshops, with Sister Meneses talking about seeking God for supernatural downloads to move in the natural, and Pastor Sabrina touching on the importance of respect and honour in inter-generational relations. A time of prayer and impartation marked the end of the conference. For quite a number of delegates, it was also a time of farewell as they got ready to travel back to their respective countries. Till next year!

“I attended a workshop conducted by Rev. Dr. Naomi Dowdy. She expounded on how it was wise for us to be "shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves", because Jesus is "sending us out like sheep among wolves" (Matt 10:16). We need to stand our ground and not be devoured by the world. A serpent is wise, with keen eyesight and is quick to learn. A dove is innocent, meek and gentle.” — Algena Koh

“What stood out to me was when Sis Sylvia Evans said ‘The f ruit of worship is pouring ourselves to Him. When we do that, we will know our identity and will have confidence and start to value who we are.’” — Elsie Loh

“This statement f rom Sister Sylvia Evans impacted me very much. She said, ‘Wisdom is without hypocrisy, without learned lines.’” — Lim Kwee Lee

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

REVIVAL STUDY TOUR by Bob Nathaniel

“Bob, can you help facilitate the running of the Revival Study Tour in Wales?”, I was asked earlier this year. To say that I was excited about the prospect of leading a group of people to Wales on a tour of different revival sites of old would be a huge understatement. My hometown, Shillong, in Meghalaya, North East India, was first visited by Welsh missionaries in the 1840s, and they were the ones who brought the Gospel to my people, the Khasis. Over the decades that followed, many missionaries from Wales came, and coincidentally, the embers of revival spread to our land after the Welsh Revival of 1904. We saw a mighty revival take place in 1905-1906, with thousands of souls saved, accompanied by countless miracles and signs. The revival

sparked a flame and now, over a century later, about 75% of the population of the state are Christians. In 2006, a hundred years after the first revival, we experienced another revival, and I was blessed to have been present to be a part of what God was doing. I saw God’s Spirit move among the people like never before. The salvations, miracles, signs and wonders that we experienced were amazing and aplenty. The impact that the Welsh had on my people was huge. Therefore, when this opportunity was presented to me to go back to Wales, the land that introduced my people to our beloved Saviour, my heart was filled with excitement and anticipation for what God was going to do once again. When I arrived in Wales, I met an elderly man, who was born of missionaries in Shillong, 70 years ago. He spent his infant years as a missionary’s kid in the Khasi Hills and he had so many stories and pictures to share with me, bringing so much inspiration even before the tour started. There were 16 participants on the Revival Study Tour: the majority of them were from Singapore, but there were a couple of ladies from Italy, as well as a Spaniard. We had an amazing time together, seeking the face of God in prayer and worship, travelling to different revival sites, hearing stories of what God did in times past, and crying out to God for a fresh outpouring of His Spirit. I have always longed to see God’s Spirit move as He did in the Shillong revival.

We stayed at the Bible College of Wales and began each day with times of prayer, worship, communion and teachings on revival history and intercession by Pastor Roy Hackett and Sister Elaine Price. Thereafter, we would proceed to the different revival sites each day. Some of the places we visited were Moriah Chapel, Pisgah Chapel, Blaennerarch Chapel, Ffald-y-Brenin, Brynamman and the Black Mountains. Most of these places were hubs of prayer and intercession during the times of revival, and the local guides shared with us the stories of what God did at every site. One of the highlights of the trip were the times of prayer and worship at these different places we went to. There was a tangible sense of God’s abiding presence, and a deep sensing in our hearts that He is pouring out His Spirit again in this land to bless the nations of the world through Wales. During one of the prayer meetings, we received a recurring picture of a dam whose walls started to develop cracks, and water started to seep through. We felt that it was a prophetic word revealing

There was a tangible sense of God's abiding presence, and a deep sensing in our hearts that He is pouring out His Spirit again in this land to bless the nations of the world through Wales. what God wanted to do in Wales once again, that the floodgates of revival would be flung wide open, and healing waters would gush out. It was so encouraging to see a group of people from different nations gathering in the land of Wales, crying their hearts out to God to pour out His Spirit and to bring salvation to the people of Wales yet again. To most, Wales is but a land of revivals past: a land of history. However, when you walk the land and you meet the people, you can sense there’s an impending move of God that is coming. The harvest is truly white and plentiful, and we in Cornerstone are truly blessed to have a part to play in what God is doing here. He has entrusted us with a small portion of that revival legacy through the Bible College of Wales and Pisgah Chapel and we are called to be faithful stewards of His work. We are to constantly pray and keep the fire burning, until we see God’s Spirit poured out on all flesh.

COMMUNIT Y BUZZ

Reaching Out to the Seniors by Soh Zu Xian and Deborah Mok

DRAGON BOATING AT KALLANG WATER SPORTS CENTRE under cooler weather due to the thick cloud cover. This was just perfect for our seniors – no rain, no intense heat from the sun, no injuries, no dehydration. Just lots of laughter and fun. By the end of the event, even though everyone was physically tired, we could see their faces beaming with joy as their hearts were filled with a sense of achievement and satisfaction. Through this Dragon Boat Activity, the seniors taught me that age is not a limiting factor to trying something new. Instead of fear, the seniors put on courage and boldness. While it seemed difficult for them to participate meaningfully in the activity, they proved us wrong and even engaged in friendly competition among themselves. There is so much I am continually learning from the seniors in the course of my work at Cheng San Seniors Centre. Despite their failing memory and slower movements, they carry a fighting spirit that is truly inspiring. On 10 August 2019, over 70 seniors from Cheng San Seniors Centre and volunteers from Cell Clusters 1 and 6 jointly participated in a Dragon Boat event at Kallang Water Sports Centre. Volunteers from The Singapore Dragon Boat Association kindly assisted in the facilitation of the event, providing instructions and safety precautions on the use of the Dragon Boat. Initially, I was a little concerned that the seniors would not be able to withstand the physical intensity as they were at least 60 years old and above. However, my fears were completely unfounded. On the actual event day, the seniors (with an average age of 67 years old) were filled with vigour, enthusiasm and were ready to participate in a sport that many deem only suitable for the ‘young and muscular people’. We also witnessed God’s goodness with regard to the weather. Just before setting off for the event, I checked the weather forecast and there was a high probability of rain. In fact, it was already drizzling when we arrived at the destination. Thankfully, the drizzle eventually stopped instead of turning into a downpour. Hence, we were able to row our dragon boats 40

Many of them have determined in their hearts to live life to the fullest and as we interact with the seniors at home, at work, or in the community, we ought to give them the opportunities to learn new skills, experience new memories and participate in new challenges. May our seniors be as in 2 Corinthians 4:16, not losing heart. For even though our outward man is perishing, our inward man is being renewed day by day.

MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL CELEBRATION On the 7th of September this year, Zone 2 from Cell Cluster 2, worked with Cornerstone Community Services to organise a Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration for the seniors and families at Cheng San Seniors Centre. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s zone outreach came about because our zone leader, Fang Jiahui, was intentionally looking for ways the zone could serve the community together. A small committee was formed within the zone and we were assigned various responsibilities to put the event together, while best catering to the seniorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs and interests. Some were involved in food preparation, while others volunteered in the areas of befriending, photography, music and operations. Lew Mi Yih, the Executive Director of Cornerstone Community Services, shared the heart and vision behind the seniors centre â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it was to be a place where life flowed, a place of forging intergenerational bonds, a place to reach seniors who felt lonely. The seniors sat around tables, with befrienders from the zone helping them unwrap the lantern packaging, showing simple acts of kindness. Just by being there, we could see that the seniors enjoyed themselves and appreciated everything that had been prepared, from the moon cakes and pomelos to the lantern making rewards. The atmosphere was lively and joyful, and zone members had fun spending time with the seniors. Since the Mid-Autumn event, the seniors centre has also considered opening doors for young adults to interact with the seniors on a more regular basis. Through this outreach, some of the zone members were also made aware of volunteering opportunities with the elderly and will consider the possibility of getting more involved. Jiahui shared that this was a great opportunity for the different strengths and gifts of zone members to be discovered as they worked and bonded together. The cells in zone 2 were grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community and hope to do something similar next year!

IN THE HOUSE

HOLY MANDATE II – Sonship by Koh Yaoyi

There’s always something special when the men of the house gather. As in Biblical times when the Lord commanded the men of Israel to gather and to present themselves before Him three times a year, Cornerstone has held our Holy Mandate meetings thrice a year. The theme for our second meeting this year was Sonship. We become great men of God by first discovering our identity as sons of God. Growing up, my idea of sonship had been more focused on inward transformation. Knowing that I have a Father and a heavenly inheritance, I have the assurance that I am accepted and wanted. However, it was during this meeting when I gained a deeper understanding of the meaning of sonship from the messages shared by Pastor Dian, Pastor Lip and brother Jason Wong. To come into the place of true sonship, the hearts of the fathers and sons must be turned towards each other. We know this when we experience the love and acceptance of our Abba Father, and as sons we begin to understand what’s upon our Father’s heart, to know His burdens and desires.

My prayer is to ask God to open our eyes and stir our hearts to come up to that place of sonship that is about the Father's business.

When Jesus was on the earth, He was always about the Father’s business. Understanding the heart of His father allowed Him to bring transformation in cities and communities. As encapsulated in John 14:9 where Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father”, a mature son who is secure in His father’s love is compelled to do His will and reflect His glory. The way we live and make decisions reveals a lot about who is fathering us.

To draw a parallel, there are many children who need foster families. many offenders who are also looking for a place to belong, and many around us who are also crying out for a Father. This is our mandate – to bear the image of the Father to this nation.

During the meeting, we were challenged to look beyond our own lives, and to be on the lookout for opportunities to love our families better and to love those in the community as well. Brother Jason, who used to work for Singapore Prisons, shared the story of the reconciliation between the former inmates and prison officers he had witnessed. Because of this, the Prison experienced a historical revival during his time there. Each believer began to see the other as a child of God rather than mere uniformed personnel. When Brother Jason decided to wash the feet of the prisoners to honour his fellow brothers in the Lord, the room was filled with tears and overwhelming love. 42

My prayer is to ask God to open our eyes and stir our hearts to come up to that place of sonship that is about the Father’s business.

LIVING TESTIMONIES

The God of A Second Chance Recounted by: Desmond Goh My name is Desmond, and I have been married to Lisa for 8 years. Since the kids came along, my wife and I did not have much couple time to ourselves as work and family have always taken priority. In March this year, we took a long-awaited and much-needed couple retreat and went snowboarding in Niseko, Japan.

The ski patrol removed her skiing gear and Lisa was screaming that her head was hurting. She began throwing up and then, she lost consciousness. Efforts to awaken Lisa were futile and she lost her pulse. The paramedics were called, and the ambulance came. I stood there helplessly watching the medics perform defibrillation on Lisa’s lifeless body and my mind went blank. I knew her life was on the line and made a few emergency calls to Singapore. Family and friends started to pray, and they activated many others to pray alongside us. At that point of time, I found my mind filled with thoughts of doubt, anger, regret and guilt – all flooding in at the same time. Why did God allow this to happen? Why us? Why now? We were rushed to the nearest medical facility – Kutchan Hospital, where Lisa’s condition was stabilised. However, because this was a small hospital that could not handle such a major trauma, doctors decided to transfer her to Otaru General Hospital. Scans showed a shift of her brain and massive bleeding in her head. According to the doctors, it was a long journey and Lisa might not survive the transfer, given her current state. But that was the best shot we had.

We had a great time skiing and spending quality time together as skiing conditions were perfect. The view from the top of the mountain was truly magniﬁcent. However, what happened on the fifth and final day of our trip shook our world. I left her for a brief time to get our camera to capture our memories but returned to find her injured. She had tripped and hit her head while skiing. 44

In the midst of all the darkness, God gave me a glimmer of light. Two hours later, the neurosurgeon came out and said he had successfully removed the clot in Lisa’s brain, but the next few days were critical as he needed to monitor her condition for infection, bleeding and brain damage. In the midst of all the darkness, God gave me a glimmer of light. Lisa was to go in for a second surgery to operate on her ruptured liver, but in the end, no operation was needed as it had healed by itself! I couldn’t be more thankful to God for that piece of good news! I believe it was the result of all the fervent and faithful prayers that were being made by the Body of Christ. I could sense their love even though I was so far away f rom home. Our f riends were taking turns to bring our kids, Asher and Faith out, and our parents were pillars of support and strength.

During the whole time, the Body of Christ was praying and interceding, and many people were sending me words of encouragement. It was a time of great confusion and fear. I was all alone in a foreign land, with very little understanding of the local language. All I could do was pray. My prayer was simple and desperate – God, please give us a second chance! I had so many things I needed to tell Lisa. I did not want God to take her away just yet. We had two beautiful kids waiting for us back home and she had just told me how she had wanted to watch them grow up and get married. Once we arrived at Otaru Hospital, Lisa was rushed to the Emergency Room where doctors performed further scans. To make matters worse, they discovered that her liver had ruptured, and she only had a 50% chance of surviving the second operation. Even then, they could not perform the operation immediately to stop the bleeding as the neurosurgeon was working on the bleeding in her brain.

While Lisa remained under sedation for the next few days. I stayed constantly by her side during that time, talking to her, even though she could not respond. It dawned on me that I had spoken to her more in those two weeks as she lay on the hospital bed, than I have in our 8 years of marriage put together! It was a slow and painful recovery, but Lisa was a fighter. Her doctors were very surprised with the rate of her recovery, given the amount of damage done to the brain. Over the days, she was gradually taken off life support and was able to breathe on her own. The surgery to ﬁx her skull back was a great success. Lisa was finally discharged on 11th May, just 1.5 months after we came back f rom Japan. Our family bond has grown stronger and even our kids have grown closer to God. They pray every night, crying out for their mother to be healed. They dream of her walking, talking and playing with them. Lisa’s faith has grown like never been before. She’s still in the process of a full recovery, but we know God has done something deep and precious in her life and ours. God is resetting our hearts to realign ourselves to each other and to Him. He is a God of miracles and if you ask me, He is truly a God of the Second Chance! 45

LIVING TESTIMONIES

Celebrating Lives Children are a heritage from the Lord, dearly loved and precious in His sight. As we build a culture of life here in this nation, we rejoice over the birth of new babies into the Cornerstone family! Some of our new parents share the stories behind their child’s names. We prophesy that these little ones will fulfil the purpose of God for their lives!

Jacob Jacob in the Bible was imperfect, but yet his strength and power came from God. He wrestled with the angel of the Lord, prevailed and learnt to trust God through his life. In the same way, we hope that our son Jacob will also be a fighter in life and will gain the blessings of God by holding onto His promises and not letting go. Jacob just went through a heart surgery at 2.5 months old to close the two holes in his heart which he was born with. The surgery was a success and we continue to claim God’s healing and blessings upon him right now. We have experienced God’s peace like never before and know that He is with us (and Jacob) every step of the way! He is truly our brave little warrior!

Parents Janson and Carol Sim 46

Ethan

Ethan means “strong & tenacious”, and that is what we want to see in him – being tenacious & never giving up. His Chinese name, Zhiyi (智毅) also reflects this, and we want him to be full of wisdom (智慧). Ethan in the Bible wrote Psalms 89, and our prayer for him is to be a songwriter and worshipper too, where he will “sing of the mercies of the Lord forever”! This journey toward parenthood has taught me (Daphne) about the importance of waiting on God’s timing. Ethan was born in His perfect time and is a blessing from Him!

Parents Noel and Daphne Yeong

Shekinah Ann When we were thinking of a name for our child, my wife came across “Shekinah”, which means the divine visitation of the Lord, typically used in the times of the Jewish scholars. The Lord spoke to us that beyond simply possessing one specific aspect of His character, she would be a carrier of His Presence and His Glory. Ann also means “the Lord has shown me favour” and we believe Shekinah will be one who will be found in that place of tarrying, just like Anna in the Bible who stayed in the temple day and night, praying unceasingly until she saw the Lord’s face.

Parents Dominic and Gracelyn Low

Tabitha Joy The name Tabitha came to our minds because our daughter had been diagnosed by the doctors during the antenatal scans as having only one kidney. We were given the option of abortion as there was also a high possibility of her having Down Syndrome due to our ages when she was conceived.

However, we had just attended the Love Life Conference held at church earlier this year and it reminded us that this baby was God’s blessing and not a burden. Like the Tabitha in the Bible, we believed that God would be able to raise our little girl up no matter the diagnosis of the doctors and continued with the pregnancy. We are tremendously thankful to God that scans after her birth showed that there are two kidneys that are fully functional. We want to give God praise for His faithfulness and grace upon Tabitha’s life. We pray that she will grow to become a woman known for her good works, bringing joy to those around her.

Parents Philo and Yann Tay

Judah We named our son Judah, which means praise. It is our heart’s desire that he will grow to be a worshipper who always loves to be in the presence of the King. Since he entered our lives, our understanding of the heart of the Father has deepened. As a baby, Judah cannot reciprocate our love, but this does not matter, as we can still love him unconditionally as earthly parents. This gives us a glimpse of the Father’s love for us – He has always been a loving Father, even before He was creator and ruler.

Parents Elijah and Jamie Chan

Parents Nesh and Sheila Nithyaseelan

Josiah Jevan

In my quiet time on the 8th June 2015, during a trying season of persecution from my pre-believing family, I (Sheila) was asking God for comfort and encouragement. I heard the words " I will send you a man. He is not your husband but your son, Josiah Jevan". Till then, I had not yet heard of the name Josiah, and when I searched the Bible, I learnt that he was a righteous king who was raised up in the midst of idolatry. God spoke that He would bring peace to my family through this child. Jevan means "life" in Tamil, and this prophetic word has brought so much encouragement to me in moments of doubt. Four years later, this promise has come to pass with his birth, and there is so much joy in our hearts whenever we explain the meaning of his name to family and relatives.

FJOMO GENERATIONS

2019

by Ong Xian Ting

On 20th August 2019, Generations

put together the second edition of FJOMO, the youth ministry’s very own evangelistic event. Just like last year, we saw the goodness of God manifesting once again. We challenged ourselves to do better than last year, and – we decided to have two services this year, which allowed us to reach more than 300 newcomers. We also had a record number of salvations, a good increase from 2018. Say what! Ephesians 3:20 aptly describes how God has done exceedingly abundantly above all that we had asked or imagined. Planning began in March and the team came to discuss the direction of FJOMO 2019. Keeping to its signature carnival theme, the central message we wanted to communicate was that Jesus alone satisfies, not the pleasures of the world which are only temporal. With this in mind, the team went ahead to plan and execute the different areas of work they were entrusted with. It was very commendable and heartwarming to see the whole ministry work together to make FJOMO possible. The different zones in the ministry rose to the occasion and took ownership of the organisation of carnival games, each taking charge of a booth. In addition, it was our privilege to have Pastor Andrew to share the Word and the ProArt ministry releasing prophetic words over the youths through hand-drawn pictures at the event.

I remember what an encouragement it was to see the queue at the ProArt booth. The turnout was better than expected and the lovely volunteers at the booth continued serving after service so that everyone in the line could have their turn. This demonstrated how much the youths desired for souls and revealed love. Through the ProArt booth alone, there were 16 youths who received Jesus! One testimony worthy of sharing came f rom a young boy who was skeptical about Christianity and was in the habit of putting the religion down. When he was at the ProArt booth, the Word released over him was that he was a leader who was going to do great things. The boy‘s heart softened as he paid attention to the prophetic word and became aware that there’s a God out there who knows him by name, loves him and has a plan and purpose for his life. Touched that very moment, he gave his life to Jesus! While not everyone received salvation that day, we believe seeds were sown, and destinies were called forth. We are trusting and believing that what was sown will one day come into f ruition and blossom in God's perfect timing.

WE ARE TRUSTING AND BELIEVING THAT WHAT WAS SOWN WILL ONE DAY COME INTO FRUITION AND BLOSSOM IN GOD'S PERFECT TIMING On behalf of Generations, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the pastors and adults for believing and investing in us, as well as the volunteers who lent us a helping hand! Ultimately, His banner over all of us is love, and we rest in that assurance that neither death nor life can separate us from that. Indeed, the fields are white for harvest and His Kingdom shall advance. Let us continue to Follow Jesus Or Miss Out!

GENERATIONS

FOPx Worship Night by Josiah Yang

It was the second year in a row that we held the FOPx Worship Night at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, which is right in the middle of the city. It was nothing short of a miracle to see both the young people and the leaders challenged to trust God.

This year, we saw over a thousand youths gathered in an open field to proclaim one name in the city, the name of Jesus. But everything that could go wrong that day, did. The sound system and digital equipment failed us at the last minute, and the worship band could not follow through with our plans. A new song list had to be created from scratch before the worship night began. While worshipping, the weather started to change, and we saw lightning and sounds of thunder. It looked like it was going to rain. Just as we were going deeper into worship, the generators shut down, and there was no power. Everything from the lights to the sound system were not running and it felt like a disaster. But with every cloud there’s a silver lining. When the storm was brewing, the organisers wanted to stop the worship and bring the event to a close early. However, because there was no access to electrical power, they were unable to make announcements. Eventually, the worship continued for more than an hour and the people continued to sing at the top of their voices, with all of their hearts and lungs. It didn’t matter that there wasn’t music, lights or even a worship leader. Everyone worshipped God in incredible unison. This painted a beautiful picture of our generation, which has often been referred to as the “strawberry generation”, unable to take hardship. Truly,

Truly, we are not "strawberries" that need fanfare and hype to worship the Lord. This is the Joshua generation that is rising up.

NATI O NAL YO UTH R ALLY

But with every cloud has a silver lining. we are not “strawberries” that need fanfare and hype to worship the Lord. This is the Joshua generation that is rising up. While all this was going on, one of the youths received a text f rom his mother asking if it was raining where we were. He replied that it wasn’t raining, and his mother told him that the entire city area was forecast to experience heavy rain. He proceeded to take a photo of the sky above him, and you could see that the only part of the sky which wasn’t covered by clouds was the area above the event grounds. The sky above us was perfectly clear and there was no rain despite the forecast. It was only after the event when we had vacated the place that God allowed the rain to fall. I remember vividly leaving the carpark gantry at 10:30pm after handing over the facility, when it started to pour as we headed towards the expressway. That evening, God showed us that He was sovereign even over weather and holds this generation in His hands. It was an unforgettable day where lives were changed for His glory!

11–13 Dec 2020 Singapore Indoor Stadium

https://conference.fopx.sg

Buy a cake and get $1 off* any beverage Only available on Weekdays, 3pm to 5pm

ROOMS AVAILABLE FOR STAY

BCW RESIDENCES The BCW Residences offers accomodation for guests who wish to come on a retreat located within the compounds of the Bible College. Immerse yourself in the beautifully landscaped surroundings as you dwell and meditate in the presence of God. Established in a prime location near other historical sites, sweeping beaches and serene parks, the BCW Residences is a good base from which to explore the rest of Swansea and Wales.

Should visitors be travelling alone or in pairs, there are single, twin, or triple rooms to choose from with either shared or ensuite shower facilities. Rooms are modestly furnished with Wi-Fi, but do note that there are no cooking and laundry facilities available. Alternatively, we have an ensuite studio apartment for couples, fitted with a kitchenette. The second apartment is best suited for visitors travelling in bigger groups of up to six people. It comes fully equipped with a living and dining room, kitchen, two twin rooms, two single rooms, and two bathrooms. A continental breakfast is daily served at the dining room and a lounge is open for guest use.

For bookings or further enquiries, please email us at mail@bcwales.org and we will get back to you shortly.