Herald May/June 2019 by Cornerstone Herald

HERALD MAY/JUN 2019

May / Jun 2019

FEATURE ARTICLE

Messenger

Hope of

DR. BRIAN BAILEY

Daily Fellowship with God

The Anointing is for You PASTOR LIM LIP YONG

Love Life Conference TIMOTHY WEERASEKERA

A N D RE W M U RR AY

A PUBLICATION OF CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY CHURCH • MAY/JUN 2019 • MCI (P) 049/02/2019

EDITOR'S NOTE

Hope in God

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is more than an event. This resurrection power that brought Jesus from death to life releases an amazing hope to transform lives, both now and in the future. This resurrection power is available to us and releases a hope to expect great things from God. It’s not only a desire for the good outcome; there’s a confident expectation it’ll happen because, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Hope can mean the difference between hanging on and giving up. It can mean keeping a positive mind when the physical evidence compels you to give up. It can involve an estimation of probabilities, not knowing what the odds are. It’s the voice in your head that says, “You can do this”. It’s this attitude of ignorance, coupled with defiance, but still choosing to ‘hope against hope’, beating the odds, having a second chance, a fresh start, and expecting your miracle, which is integral to hope. Hope is one of the three biblical virtues alongside faith and love. But to many, hope in God does not come naturally. Often, our hope centers on uncertainty or the negative, like ‘I hope today’s interview will turn out well’ or ‘a car passing by this way at this late hour is our only hope to get home.’ Psalm 42:5 reads, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, for the help of His presence.” The psalmist reminds us that an uncertain hope is not what we see in the Bible, for we’re not to be disquieted and downcast. It’s not wishful thinking and it certainly does not mean ‘crossing your fingers’. Neither is it undependable and powerless. Hope is a sure anchor of our soul and it’s to lean on this confident expectation that it’ll be done. Where there’s hope, there’s faith, because faith is the substance of things hoped for.

In Hebrews, the Christian hope is described as ‘the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.’ This hope gives basis for faith in the future tense and is settled on the Word of God. And in this one thing we must not waver – to be rooted in the faithfulness of God and the confidence in His Word. Where doubt, fear, hopelessness and despair reside, these have to be banished because they’re the enemies of faith. When you encounter the living Jesus, in the midst of despair, everything changes.

HOPE IS A SURE ANCHOR OF OUR SOUL AND IT IS TO LEAN ON THIS CONFIDENT EXPECTATION THAT IT WILL BE DONE. WHERE THERE IS HOPE, THERE IS FAITH, BECAUSE FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR. Hope is also connected with patient endurance, and times of trials lead to hope. Romans 5:3-5 tells us, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint…” When we hope for something, we wait for it through patience. Hope is the right response to the promises of God. For Abraham, even at a very old age, had confidence that God would fulfil His promises: “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.” (Rom 4:18)

Finally, the Holy Spirit who is our source of hope will fill us with joy, and His peace will embolden us. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 15:13) Our Christian hope has a sanctifying effect as we look expectantly for the return of Christ, knowing that when we see Him, we shall become like Him, being purified ourselves ‘as He is pure.’ (1 John 3:3) And as John Piper puts it, “Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don’t. You are in good company … You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope.” Pastor Daphne Yang

IN THE HOUSE

Herald Team

Pastor Daphne Yang Koh Wei Ting Emma Lim

Contributors

Alicia Chua Andrew Murray Billy Kwan Dr. Brian Bailey Christine Teo Emma Lim Evelyn Loh Faye Kwan Geraldine Tan Gillian Hu Immanuel Roszini Janice Mok Japheth Chew Jezreel Cheong Josiah Yang Margaret Faith Chen Ning Li Pastor Lim Lip Yong Timothy Weerasekera Tracey Chia Vivien Mery Sim Wendy Tan Zoie Tan

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Messenger of Hope

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10 / KINGDOM INVASION TRILOGY PART 1: HEIDI BAKER

FEATURE ARTICLE

Messenger

Hope of

By Dr. Brian Bailey

(Excerpt taken from the book, The Coming Glory, sermon messages preached by Dr. Brian Bailey during Zion Asia-Pacific Convention Singapore)

My first contact with Singapore was when I was five years old. I was standing on Tilbury Dock, waving exuberantly as the Empress of Britain, the largest liner in the world at that time, came sailing past. My favourite aunt was on that ship. She had enlisted to be a nurse in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and had eventually become the matron of a hospital there. She then married a gentleman, my uncle, and when the Japanese invaded, he was conscripted into the British Army. General Arthur E. Percival, who was the Commanderin-chief of the British Forces in Singapore and Malaysia soon summoned my uncle and ordered him to build a base in Indonesia because we had begun to evacuate our

troops by then. My uncle went with a small contingent, but a week later, Singapore fell to the Japanese.

The Japanese then invaded Indonesia and my uncle had to fly to rear-guard battle because he hadn’t got enough troops. Eventually he got across to Australia and they conscripted him into their army. The British Government called him, sent him to Nigeria and gave him a private train to run all over the country. For about two years he was very content and then they brought him back in time for the surrender to Lord Louis Mountbatten. He later returned to Singapore with my aunt and eventually went to Tasmania, where he and my aunt died, surrounded by telegrams from the Queen, the Governor General of Australia, and the Governor of Tasmania. Did they know my aunt? No. The telegrams were sent because she was 100 years and three days of age when she died. I came to Singapore in about 1968 and the first gentleman that met me was Elder Goh Ewe Kheng. I was very sick as I had come from Indonesia after having eaten something that I shouldn’t have, and he took great care of me. In those days there was no air-con and I was perspiring like anything, so I asked him, “When does the snow come?” He just smiled and told me that the weather was always hot like this here. Afterwards, I was hosted by the Assemblies of God. Each time I came to Singapore I was hosted there. One year the letter didn’t get through, so I said to my wife we are going to have a rest here, and then suddenly in the hotel room a word came up in absolute light: ‘purpose’. I said to my wife, something is going to happen; we are here for a purpose. A few years ago I was talking to Pastor Yang and I asked him how the economy of Singapore was run since it needed to import everything. He answered me, “No, in actuality, we are an export nation.” I thought to myself, I haven’t seen the cattle ranches, I haven’t seen the sheep folds, I haven’t seen the plantations. Was there some area of Singapore that I hadn’t seen? So I asked him, “Well what do you actually export?” And with all the humility in the world, he lifted his index finger and tapped his forehead and he said, “We export brains!” So I moved quickly and secured two of your exports, Suzanne Ying and Caroline Tham. You know when Pastor Yang speaks, I move very quickly indeed. We have indeed been blessed in Waverly with your exports.

The reason I just said all this was to tell you that sometimes God plans our life from a very young age to that for which He has purposed us. And it is so interesting because virtually each time I come to Singapore, even before an invitation is given, God gives me a vision. And I have had a vision. It was one of heaven and what I saw was this. It was of a lake in heaven. And by this lake, there was a bed and quite a large bed of daffodils. The Lord witnessed to me that this was Cornerstone in heaven and that this was a part of God’s purpose for Cornerstone. I was meditating upon this and wondering what it meant. The daffodil in French is called “la fleur de Paques” meaning the Easter Flower, or the Resurrection Flower. It is one of the first flowers of spring that blooms after a hard winter in the North. The American Cancer Society has adopted this flower as their emblem or their symbol of hope. And essentially what God was showing me was that one of the characteristics, one of the virtues that God wants to implant in the hearts and in the minds and spirits of Cornerstonians, is that you are to be emblems of hope. You are to be as spiritual daffodils; those who give hope to others. What is the definition of hope? I believe that ‘hope is the belief of a positive outcome related to events in your life.’ I have the utmost confidence in declaring that one of the virtues that God wants Cornerstonians to manifest is hope. You cannot just teach, “Oh well, just have hope,” you have got to see the way whereby hope can be birthed in your hearts and then come to maturity, and the Word of God is very clear concerning this. I would like to turn with you to Romans 5, because hope is one of the great virtues along with faith and love. There remains faith, hope and love, but we want to see the pathway to hope. It is found in Romans 5:1. It starts off with these words, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God.” As one is educated in life, one cannot leap over educational blocks, because each block is very important to be able to ascend to higher levels. And so it is in the spiritual life. We have to go step by step up the level of life.

AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT GOD WAS SHOWING ME WAS THAT ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS, ONE OF THE VIRTUES THAT GOD WANTS TO IMPLANT IN THE HEARTS AND IN THE MINDS AND SPIRITS OF CORNERSTONIANS, IS THAT YOU ARE TO BE EMBLEMS OF HOPE. YOU ARE TO BE AS SPIRITUAL DAFFODILS; THOSE WHO GIVE HOPE TO OTHERS. 7

Here we have in Chapter 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith…” But what does that mean? Well, in the olden days the typewriters had a carrier and when you typed and flicked the carrier, it always went back to the same spot on the lefthand side. So line after line, it always went back to the lefthand side, because that side was always perfectly straight. The right-hand side, however, had all the uneven lines. Now, if you took that to a printer, he would not print it like that. Rather, he would straighten the right-side to make it as straight as the left. So when you look at your books you buy, you will find the left and the right sides are absolutely straight. The printer calls that as being justified. Now spiritually, this is how God deals with us. The Lord Jesus Christ is a straight line and we are to be like Christ, so we must be straightened. God has to straighten us line upon line in our lives, so that both sides are completely straight. So God visits us and He speaks to us about a certain line that is too far extended and has to be brought in, or about one that is too short and has to be extended. He deals with things in our lives so that little by little we are being straightened by God, because the optimum is to be, as it says, in Hebrews 12:23, “The spirits of just men made perfect.” God wants perfection in our lives, so he justifies us line by line. It is essential that we yield to God when He is speaking about a certain line in our life. Otherwise, we do not have peace with God. In other words, we must be in agreement with God about any line in our lives that need to be changed. In Romans 5:2 it is written, “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace.” It is by faith that we are straightened out, and what is not of faith is sin. So for everything we do, we must be able to justify it by saying, “I believe this is what God wants me to do.” Then it says this, “Wherein we stand and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” This is where hope is going to bring us, but there is a process in verse 3, “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations.”

WE SEE HERE THAT THAT TRIBULATION WORKS PATIENCE. PATIENCE DEALS WITH CIRCUMSTANCES RATHER THAN PEOPLE. IF WE STAY IN GOD’S PRESSURE COOKER, THEN GOD WILL WORK ENDURANCE IN US.

God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” When the Apostle Peter speaks of the manifold grace of God, it signifies that God has grace for every colour of trial that He permits us to be placed in. So when we are in a blue trial, we have blue grace, blue strength to overcome. We are called to be overcomers; we must not quit, we must not give up, because in the heat of the furnace, God is bringing to the surface things in our nature that must be removed. I have seen many quitters. They start well but when the trial comes, they say “Oh this cannot be God.” They quit and they step out of the way and they try to govern their own life. But we must not try to get out of the pressure cooker. God pronounces a judgement – they shall wander. One of the most terrible things in life is to wander. I know many brilliant people endowed with many gifts who have not accomplished things in life because they have stepped out of God’s pressure cooker. They wander and their lives become without purpose. I have been in the ministry about 60 years and I have seen so many start well and so many step out of God’s furnace. That’s one of the lessons you must learn. You must not step out of God’s pressure cooker until He takes the lid off.

Tribulations can be interpreted as suffering from oppression. God will pass us through situations where we are mightily oppressed, but the tendency of a Christian so often is, “Oh, I’m being oppressed. This situation I am in is so difficult, I want to get out.” But the result of getting out of the iron furnace that God has put us in is that we wander. Wandering is God’s judgement upon those who move out of His purposes. We must stick it out.

What does tribulation fulfill? We see here so that tribulation works patience. Patience deals with circumstances rather than people. If we stay in God’s pressure cooker, then God will work endurance in us. In other words we will be able to stay on the path. What follows now? Patience or endurance produces experience. That is one of the things that you must have in life. Experience will produce hope. You will see what going through and sticking out a situation does in your life. It produces experience. In Greek, the word for experience can be translated as character or fortitude.

One of the important things to understand is that God will not permit anything too difficult for us to bear. We have to learn that those oppressions, those tribulations, are going to come in various forms in the Christian life. The Apostle Peter calls them manifold trials. It means ‘many coloured’ trials and there will be many differently coloured trials in our lives. But we must remember the scripture Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good to them that love

According to the Word of God, our lives on earth are for 70 years, if by reason of strength, 80. But in heaven, people refer to our life on earth as a life of probation to determine whether or not we can fit in to the position that God has ordained for us before the foundation of the world. As you look into the Book of Revelation and elsewhere, you will see that we are called to be kings and priests. One of the qualifications of a king is that he must be righteous and

Tribulations are essential in our lives.

WHAT DOES TRIBULATION FULFILL?

have the abundance of grace whereby he triumphs in every situation because he has called upon God for that exact colour of grace for the trial that he is going through. One of the things I want to impress upon you is that God is in control. There is no power but that which is of God. I had this experience when I was going to the old Yugoslavia which was in Communist hands. God spoke to me when I was in Switzerland that He wanted me to go to Yugoslavia, but I had to have a visa. So I went to Bern, the capital of Switzerland, and I asked for my visa. But the Consul-General said, “I’m sorry, but we have had instructions from our government to issue no visas whatsoever. We must take your passport and send it to Yugoslavia and they will determine if they want you in the country at this time.” Well I couldn’t do that because I had to preach in Zurich that evening and then go on to Germany. I had to have my passport. So I said, “I’m sorry, I cannot give you my passport.” And he said, “I’m sorry, I cannot give you the visa.” But as I walked out of that embassy, I had a vision. I saw Yugoslavia, and I saw a dark power over it and God said that is the power that is stopping you from getting the visa. Then He said, “Look up,” and I looked up higher. And over it was the Throne of God. He said, “Ask me for that visa.” And I said, “Oh Lord, please give me the visa,” He answered, “Get on the train to Zurich.” I got on the train to Zurich where I was supposed to preach that night and then He said, “Now go to the Consulate of Yugoslavia.” I said, “Lord, they are having a siesta.” He asked, “Who is in control?” I said, “You are.” He said, “You go!” And I went but the door was shut. I said, “the door is shut, Lord.” He said, “Walk towards that door.” So I walked towards that door and suddenly it opened, and somebody came out. The Lord said, “Walk in.” I walked in and I suppose that man was so shaken that instead of speaking in German, he spoke in Serbian, which I didn’t understand. The Lord said, “Sit down.” And I sat down. The fellow was going on and on, but the Lord said, “Sit down, don’t listen to him.” Well if I listened to him, I would not have understood what he said anyway.

Soon a lady came and said, “What are you doing here?” I said, “I have come for my visa.” She said, “Come into my office. We have been instructed to issue no visas. Who are you?” I said, “Oh, I’m a pastor.” She said, “One of those with the round collar?” I said, “No, I am not exactly Anglican, but I am a pastor.” She said, “You are the last person we want in our country because the Communists are dead afraid of Christians because they know that the Christians will win. I can’t let you in.” The Lord said, “Just ask for that visa.” I said, “Well, I am not going to hurt you but let me have that visa.” The visa was a rubber stamp and she just picked up that rubber stamp and stamped my passport. She said, “I don’t know why I am doing this,” and I said, “That’s alright dear.” And I walked out. The point that I want to bring out is this. The power that was visible, the Communist party, was refusing my visa. The Lord said, “Look higher.” And over that country was the throne of God and He was ruling. This is what you must learn. You must appeal to the highest power in any situation and that power is God. And as you do, He will give you instructions on how to triumph in the situation that you are in and you will come out so wonderfully refreshed. I just leapt for joy coming out of that Consulate. I got what I wanted and I got to Yugoslavia and the ministry that God had for me there. So that is the lesson to learn.

THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST LEARN. YOU MUST APPEAL TO THE HIGHEST POWER IN ANY SITUATION AND THAT POWER IS GOD. AND AS YOU DO, HE WILL GIVE YOU INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO TRIUMPH IN THE SITUATION THAT YOU ARE IN AND YOU WILL COME OUT SO WONDERFULLY REFRESHED. 9

Now I want to look at one or two circumstances in the Word of God concerning Messengers of Hope. I’m referring to the Book of Lamentations in Chapter 3 and I am going to pick out certain words so that you understand the terrible furnace and the terrible situation that Jeremiah was in as Jerusalem fell to the forces of Nebuchadnezzar. In verse 14 he said, “I was held in derision.” Have you been in that situation where people look at you and ask what are you doing and then deride you? That often produces bitterness as it says in verse 15. You must be able to triumph over bitterness because bitterness will turn you out of the way. Then he goes on to say in verse 17, God “hast removed my soul far off from peace.” In other words, he had no peace. And then he said, “I forgot prosperity.” In another words, he said I forgot the good times like I used to have. Like Job, I forgot prosperity and good times. In verse 18, he said, “My strength and my hope are perished from the Lord.” He is speaking of his past experience because he said, “I recall that to mind.” Now look at what he says, “Therefore have I hope,” in verse 21. All those adverse circumstances had developed hope in Jeremiah. And he goes on to cry out, “His compassions fail not... Great is thy faithfulness...Therefore will I hope in Him.” (Lamentations 3:22–24) So we see something of the pathway that you dear ones are going to walk on: times of difficulty, times of trials. But that is how hope is birthed and matured in your life. Because the days that are confronting us, we see them very briefly appearing now is that nation after nation is experiencing difficulties and this is going to become worldwide. Therefore God wants Messengers of Hope, those who have hope within their spirit, who can say to someone like King David, when he was surrounded by 20,000 troops under Absalom, when he may have had barely 2,000 and his soul had given up, to have hope. Now the soul is the seat of emotions and there are going to be times where your soul will give up. It will roll over and say, “That’s it, let’s quit.” In Psalm 43:5, King David said to his soul, “O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God.” David had passed through experience after experience, but God had birthed within him – hope. Therefore he could say to his own soul, “Why art thou discouraged, Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him.” With that attitude God was able to work, and caused Absalom to be slain and then He brought hail upon all the Israeli troops and David walked through triumphantly. David knew God in the realm of hope. He was a Messenger of Hope, and he could overcome his own soul. And that is something that we have to understand, beloved. We have a body, a soul and a spirit, but the spirit must be the dominant factor in our life, because our soul has a tendency of looking at circumstances and giving up. But in the spirit, we must talk to our own soul and say, “Why? Why art thou discouraged?” King David had gone through many things and he said in Psalm 40:1, “I cried unto the Lord. The Lord heard me

and lifted me up out of a terrible pit.” Are you in a terrible pit? David didn’t say why he was in that terrible pit or the circumstances. He just looked to God who could bring him out. This is what God wants you to be, a Messenger of Hope, whereby when you are in a circumstance that looks hopeless, you look to the God of all hope, and you cry out to Him, “O Lord, lift me!” And the result was, David was lifted up out of that pit. His feet were placed upon a rock and a new song was put within his heart and he was rejoicing in God. This is what will happen to each of us as we allow God to work in us and develop this glorious virtue of hope. In England, New Zealand, Australia and some other countries, when a young girl entered her teen years, the grandmother would give her what is called, a ‘Hope Chest’. The idea was that the young girl would save and put things in that chest for her wedding day. I have been confronted by many girls who come to me and said, “Pastor, in the Word of God, Eve was created as a helpmate for Adam. And really that’s what I want to be, a helpmate for a man. But there is no man.” I want to say this, as you study the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 11:9, the woman was created for the man. But look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:40, “She is happier if she so abide, after my judgment.” In other words, she will be satisfied in the unmarried position if God’s will is such, because she can wait upon the Lord without other cares. If they abide unmarried, Paul said it is a better situation for them, rather than to try and marry someone who is not in the will of God. He said the unmarried cares for the things of the Lord. Then he goes to speak on marriage in verse 38 – “he that gives her not in marriage doeth better than he that giveth in marriage.” Now my heart goes out to girls because I know that often your desire is to be married. I have been single. I have been married and now I am single again. When I was single, I was very happy. When I was married and God told me that His will for me was to marry, He showed me a woman. Actually, He showed my wife that she was to marry me before God spoke to me. I had a wonderful marriage, so wonderful. When my wife was taken to be with the Lord, many people had visions of her home. It’s so wonderful. I think I got a little shack by the side. About a year after my wife died, there appeared a bright light. That bright light came down to me, I was sitting in my chair. Then from that bright light, there came a scroll. I understood in my spirit, that was my report card. And it opened and there is only one line –marriage– and I had got a passing grade. Pastor Yang was in Nairobi with me and we were being entertained one evening by a bishop. He said, “I want you to meet my queen,” which meant his wife. So when I came there, I said, “Oh you are his queen?” And she asked, “Where is your queen?” I said, “Well my queen’s in heaven.” She said, “Well what about your second queen?” So I recounted the story about the report card and told her, “In college, when you have passed one course, you don’t repeat it. Don’t repeat it, or you might fail the second time!”

DR. BRIAN J. BAILEY Rev. Dr. Brian Bailey (1925-2012) was a minister of

AND IN HEAVEN, YOU WILL BE THE EMBLEM OF A DAFFODIL, THE FLOWER OF HOPE. THIS IS WHAT GOD WANTS TO DEVELOP IN YOU. SO UNDERSTAND GOD’S DIVINE PURPOSE FOR THIS CHURCH – THAT YOU BE MESSENGERS OF HOPE. AND THAT HOPE WILL BRING YOU INTO THE HOLIEST PLACE OF GOD.

the gospel for over 60 years. He was the founder and president of Zion Fellowship and Zion Christian University, chancellor of Zion Ministerial Institute, and senior pastor of Zion Chapel. In his ministry, he authored 65 books (which have been translated into as many as 34 languages), and travelled extensively to over 100 countries, teaching and preaching. At the age of 87, he was still teaching, preaching, and counselling (even during his final illness, as strength allowed) until the Lord took him home on June 11, 2012.

Pastor Bailey was born on April 6, 1925, in London,

England. After living through the London Blitz during World War II, and later training with the RAF Auxiliary,

My point is that I have holy contentment. When I was single, I was so happy. When I was married, I was so happy. On the day of the funeral of my wife, a light hit me and it was like chains fell off me. It was a glorious experience. He had turned my mourning into dancing for me. I literally danced on the day of my wife’s funeral. God liberated me from all sorrow.

he took a job in the area of research science, where a colleague witnessed to him about the Second Coming of Christ. That day he accepted the Lord and began a spiritual journey that led him to a worldwide ministry.

His spiritual training began when he attended

three different Bible schools in England prior to going to France as a missionary. In the mid-1950s he was

In each situation, God gives wisdom and God gives joy. And I want to encourage you, that if God’s will for you is to not get married, you will be far happier unmarried. How many ladies I know who have said to me, if I had to do it all over again, I will not do it. They had got the wrong one.

vice president and teacher in a Christian Hotel and

So where does hope go? What is the ultimate goal of hope? Turn with me to Hebrews 6 and we will see the goal of hope where it speaks of the Tabernacle of Moses. It says in verse 19, “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast… within the veil.” The hope, the goal of hope is to be taken within the veil. The forerunner is Jesus Christ but our goal is that we enter within the holiest with God, and we accomplish His purposes. That is the goal of our hope.

the state of Washington.

In closing, let me say this. I have absolute confidence that God has ordained so many of you to be Messengers of Hope. Will you meditate over this message? Will you see the way by which you will become a Messenger of Hope? Will you see that in the days in which we are entering, people will look for Hope and they will find none? But you will be able to give it to them. And you can only do that if you are staying in the furnace that God has permitted to be your portion at this moment. Don’t turn. If you turn, you’ll wander and miss God’s purpose. that iron furnace, that difficulty will work in you a new experience, and that experience will give you hope, and that hope will not make you ashamed, for the love of God will be spread about in your heart, and you will be able to minister hope. And in Heaven, you will be the emblem of a daffodil, the Flower of Hope. This is what God wants to develop in you. So understand God’s divine purpose for this church–that you be Messengers of Hope. And that hope will bring you into the Holiest Place of God.

Conference Centre in Chateau D’Oeux, Switzerland. In 1958, he met Audrey Lawler, who had travelled from Seattle, Washington to visit Switzerland. They were soon married; and in the 1960s they travelled to the United States, where they pastored an evangelical church in

For a brief time, the Baileys pastored a church in

Clearwater, Florida, the city which is now home to Zion Christian University. In 1965 they were invited to be on the teaching staff at Elim Bible Institute, Lima, NY. Several of the young students they taught at Elim later became leaders and pastors in Zion Fellowship.

In 1969, they moved to New Zealand where they

taught at Faith Bible College in Tauranga. Pastor Bailey was used mightily in a church in Auckland where God poured out His Spirit in revival. This revival brought a great drawing in the hearts of people to learn about the ways of God, resulting in missionaries being sent to many nations.

In the early 1970s, Pastor & Sister Bailey were

involved with World MAP (Missionary Assistance Plan), founded by Ralph Mahoney. During this time, they travelled around the world teaching in pastors’ seminars. This was when Pastor Bailey visited Singapore in 1979. He came to teach at the Spiritual Renewal Seminar during the great Charismatic Outpouring. In 1995, Pastor Yang and I renewed our ties with Pastor Bailey, and it was in 1997 that Pastor Bailey first preached in Cornerstone Community Church which marked the beginning of a wonderful relationship. Since 2003, we have had the Zion Asia-Pacific Convention and in 2009 it was his last visit with us in Singapore. — Pastor Daphne Yang

IN THE HOUSE

Leaders Dedication Service 2019 We run for the prize. We don’t run aimlessly or without focus. We run for the prize of winning Christ. — PASTOR DAPHNE YANG

With these words, Pastor Daphne Yang opened this year’s Leaders Dedication Service. Addressing over 360 leaders from the different congregations, she welcomed the leaders and gave us an update on the progress of each congregation, how they have steadily grown in strength and numbers over the past year. Following this, Pastor Peh Han shared about the salvations from the Youth evangelistic event, FJOMO, and Pastor Sharon spoke about the success of the Kingdom Invasion Kids Conference. Pastor Yang brought focus to the vision and the mission God has for Cornerstone and shared that there is a whole dimension of faith that we need to unlock in the church – the deeper life of the Holy Spirit. While it is good that the church is moving with the various programmes that are running, we must not lose the fire and the touch of the Holy Spirit. As he reaches the milestone age of 60, our Senior Pastor shared that he wants to devote himself more and more to prayer and fasting as he enters his next season of journeying with God. “At the time (when Cornerstone started), we were too young to understand what we valued and what was important to us. Now after 23 years, we get an idea of what we value in Cornerstone – what’s important and what’s not for us in this

By Immanuel Roszini

journey. God is beginning to establish us as a cornerstone, as an influence and He has given us favour.” While 2018 has been an amazing year for Cornerstone, with many successful events, Pastor Yang shared that it has also been one of the most difficult years for him personally as a pastor, having to deal with many situations beyond the boundaries of the church. However, he recognised this as being part of the valley experience that God has placed him in. As the church grows in prominence, so does its influence in this nation. Pastor Yang encouraged us to be vigilant and watchful, and to ensure that there are no chains in the gap. We must unite, come together and have a fervent love for one another. Referencing 1 Corinthians 13, Pastor Yang encouraged the congregation of leaders to memorise scripture this year and to let the bond of love be strong in Cornerstone. We must not be naive about the fact that there are battles in the Christian life and that persecution is coming. God wants to make us stronger and more resilient so we can go through the trials that are coming.

While it is good that the church is moving with the various programmes that are running, we must not lose the fire and the touch of the Holy Spirit. — PASTOR YANG

IN THE HOUSE

HOLY MANDATE I – Doing Business God's Way By Immanuel Roszini The first Holy Mandate meeting of 2019 opened with special guest speaker Talavou Alailima bringing the men of the House a word on transformation in the Marketplace. A decorated sportsman and now successful businessman, he remains focused on God despite the achievements he has accomplished. “When we look at the church, the people in the marketplace are the ones that can transform a city or a nation, ” Talavou told the congregation. As he started with these words, Talavou shared that when Jesus wanted to hand over His kingdom to the church, He chose 12 marketplace people (disciples). He knew that men needed to come to salvation to change a nation and even though winning souls has often been misunderstood to be the church’s job, Talavou emphasised that it is the job of those in the marketplace to do the catching so that the church can transform them into fishers of men. That is our mandate. We catch the fish, the church cleans the fish. Any work we do outside of Jesus Christ is not good work. As we grow and develop our character, it is part of God’s plan to prepare all of us to impact the marketplace. God is interested in our character more than our profession. The manner which we do business is more important than the success we have. God is always in charge of the outcome of our success, and if God is to be in the centre of all that we do, character is more important than profession.

It was this trust in God that strengthened his integrity and built his character. He has constantly held on tightly to the prophecies he received over his life, and it has allowed God to bring him to the place he is at today. “We need to sow, and keep sowing.” Talavou emphasised the need to constantly sow seeds of faith if we ever want to receive the blessings, and the need to hope in God at all times. The moment we lose hope in God is the moment everything will go wrong, and we have to hold onto His promises. The reason why many people have a problem prospering and succeeding in their lives is because they walk in compromise. The principle of God is to give, to bless, to share and to love. If you want to prosper in the kingdom of God, you have to be walking in alignment with His system.

Despite the challenges he and his wife went through, from being told that they would not be able to have children (they now have 3 sons), to keeping the gym business afloat, to losing government tenders (because of his refusal to bribe officials), Talavou resolved to keep his integrity intact because of his great love for God. “Unless you are in a place where faith is required of you, you will never learn faith.” In 20 years of struggling, Talavou emphasised that it was his trust in God’s character that allowed him to persevere. 13

IN THE HOUSE

Run with the Vision!

VISION SUNDAY 2019 Walking into Expo Hall Three that day, the air was pervaded by hushed tones of anticipation. It seemed like the people of the Lord wore the garments of humility and had come together to wait patiently for the King of Righteousness. Recalling Vision Sunday 2018, it was a time of exuberant celebration of God’s goodness. We had passed through a wave of fasting and prayer, 2018 being the 40th year since 1978, when Billy Graham mentioned about Singapore becoming the Antioch of Asia. That promise still holds. And we have now, with all the different congregations, come to gather as one to hear the vision for 2019. Fasting and praying for revival in the past year has shed light on issues looming over our nation. Defining Fatherhood and the role that it plays in the formation of children’s identities; the complexities of abortion all around the world; transformational perspectives of what it means to be a senior in God’s kingdom; the importance of intergenerational connections. As we cross over into 2019, a season of transition towards revival, we desire to embrace all that God has for our individual lives and for the church. The atmosphere at Vision Sunday 2019 was a stark contrast to Vision Sunday 2018 – I sensed God had come personally to this house to bring His righteousness, to purify us with the fire of His holiness, to refine us as precious stones and vessels for His noble purpose; to make us one with Him and each other. Pastor Yang shared on the scroll written over Cornerstone, which contains God’s purpose and assignment for us as a church. He shared the visions that Chris Berglund had released to him relating with Isaiah 61, 54 and 60 for the church. Our corporate destiny is tied to each of our individual destinies, chosen by God Himself. These are the three things we can expect to take shape in 2019. Firstly, God has called Cornerstone to be a catalyst for revival not only in Singapore but in Asia and in the nations. The restoration of the Bible College of Wales and Pisgah Chapel is a privilege He has given us, and He will continue to use us to be a blessing to the nations. Secondly, God is about to give us an upgrade as a church, and we need to be able to steward the authority given. We possess the anointing of the tribe of Judah

and He has uniquely positioned us to emerge victorious over cancer, miscarriages, abortions, suicides, premature deaths and divorce! Thirdly, God has placed the scepter over this house, and wants to establish His righteousness permanently. Pastor Yang prayed for the Lord to send the fire of holiness into the church and burn away what is not of His that we would come up higher in Him. Breakthroughs are coming swift and sure. We anticipate the supernatural at our doorsteps, knocking on the door to a new wave of revival in our country and in Asia. How do we offer ourselves to God for the purpose of revival? One tangible way would be to sign up for a mission trip this year! What will our response be today? Will we shrink back in fear or run with the vision God has given?

HERE ARE SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE NEW YEAR FROM CORNERSTONIANS:

“The word for me is redefinition. This is a good time to allow the Lord to open my mind and show me ahead what He has for me. Sometimes we are so fixated on how we want things to be and how things should be. I really feel it is a year of redefining how things would be like ahead.” — Eva, English Congregation

“One of the things the Lord has been speaking to me about is starting a teacher’s fellowship in Cornerstone. We are going to start a teachers’ breakfast, where newer and older teachers can come together to pray for each other and for the state of education in Singapore. I really believe that God is going to change the education sector for His purposes.” — Gerry, English Congregation

"In 2019, we are asking God to change us. We are asking for the goodness of God. My brother has a sickness and his sickness is caused by stress. I am bringing it to God and I pray that he will be (restored) like how he was when we (first came to Singapore). — Afni, Indonesian Congregation

By Janice Mok

FEATURE ARTICLE

DAILY FELLOWSHIP

GOD WITH

By Andrew Murray

The first and chief need of our Christian life is fellowship with God. This divine life within us comes from God and, is entirely dependent upon Him. Just as I need fresh air to breathe every moment and, as the sun sends its light, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only in direct living communication with God that my soul can be strong. The manna of one day was corrupt when the next day came therefore every day I must have fresh grace from heaven, and this is obtained when we wait upon God. Begin each day by tarrying before God and letting Him touch you. Take time to meet God. To this end, let your first act in your devotion be setting yourself still before God. In prayer, or worship, everything depends upon God taking the chief place. It is to bow quietly before Him in humble faith and adoration, speaking within your heart: "God is. God is near. God is love, longing to communicate Himself to me. God the Almighty One, Who works all in all, is even now waiting to work in me, and to make Himself known." Take time, till you know God is very near. When you have given God His place of honour, glory, and power, you can take your place of deepest lowliness, and seek to be filled with the Spirit of humility. As His creation, it is your blessedness to be nothing that God may be all in you. As a sinner you are not worthy to look upon God but to bow in self-abasement. As a saint, let God's love overwhelm you, and bow you still lower down. Sink down before Him in humility, meekness, patience, and surrender to His goodness and mercy. He will exalt you. Oh! Take time, to get very low before God. 16

Then accept and value your place in Christ Jesus for God delights in nothing but His beloved Son, and can be satisfied with nothing else in those who draw nigh to Him. Enter deep into God's holy presence in the boldness which the blood gives, and in the assurance that in Christ you are most well pleasing. In Christ you are within the veil. You have access into the very heart and love of the Father. This is the great object of fellowship with God, that I may have more of God in my life, and that God may see Christ formed in me. Be silent before God and let Him bless you. This Christ is a living Person. He loves you with a personal love, and He looks every day for the personal response of your love. Look into His face with trust, till His love really shines into your heart. Make His heart glad by telling Him that you do love Him. He offers Himself to you as a personal Saviour and Keeper from the power of sin. Do not ask, can I be kept from sinning, if I keep close to Him? But ask can I be kept from sinning, if He always keeps close to me? And you will see at once how safe it is to trust Him.

WHEN YOU HAVE GIVEN GOD HIS PLACE OF HONOUR, GLORY, AND POWER, YOU CAN TAKE YOUR PLACE OF DEEPEST LOWLINESS, AND SEEK TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT OF HUMILITY. AS HIS CREATION, IT IS YOUR BLESSEDNESS TO BE NOTHING THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN YOU... SINK DOWN BEFORE HIM IN HUMILITY, MEEKNESS, PATIENCE, AND SURRENDER TO HIS GOODNESS AND MERCY. HE WILL EXALT YOU.

IN CHRIST YOU ARE WITHIN THE VEIL. YOU HAVE ACCESS INTO THE VERY HEART AND LOVE OF THE FATHER. THIS IS THE GREAT OBJECT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, THAT I MAY HAVE MORE OF GOD IN MY LIFE, AND THAT GOD MAY SEE CHRIST FORMED IN ME. BE SILENT BEFORE GOD AND LET HIM BLESS YOU.

We have not only Christ's life in us as a power, and His presence with us as a person, but we have His likeness to be wrought into us. He is to be formed in us, so that His form or figure, His likeness, can be seen in us. Bow before God until you get some sense of the greatness and blessedness of the work to be carried on by God in you this day. Say to God, "Father, here am I for You to give as much in me of Christ's likeness as I can receive." And wait to hear Him say, "My child, I give you as much of Christ as your heart is open to receive."

As you meditate on this wondrous salvation and seek full fellowship with the great and holy God, and wait on Him to reveal Christ in you, you will feel how needful it is to give up all to receive Him. Seek grace to know what it means to live wholly for God as Christ did. Only the Holy Spirit Himself can teach you what an entire yielding of the whole life to God can mean. Wait on God to show you what you do not know. Let every approach to God, and every request for fellowship with Him be accompanied by a new, very definite, and entire surrender to Him to work in you. "By faith" must be the keynote, as seen through all Scripture, and all spiritual life. As you tarry before God, let it be in a deep quiet faith in the Him, who is so near, so holy, so mighty, so loving. In a deep, restful faith too, that all the blessings and powers of the heavenly life are around you, and in you. Just yield yourself in the faith, in perfect trust to the ever, blessed Holy Trinity to work out all of God's purpose in you. Begin each day in fellowship with God, and God will be all in all to you.

The God who revealed Jesus in the flesh and perfected Him, will reveal Him in you and perfect you in Him. The Father loves the Son, and delights to work out His image and likeness in you. Count upon it that this blessed work will be done in you as you wait on God and be in fellowship with Him. The likeness to Christ consists chiefly in two things: the likeness of His death and resurrection, (Rom. 6:5). The death of Christ was the consummation of His humility and obedience, the entire giving up of His life to God. In Him we are dead to sin. As we sink down in humility and dependence, and entirely surrender to God, the power of His death works in us, and we are made conformable to His death. And so, we know Him in the power of His resurrection, in the victory over sin, and all the joy and power of the risen life. Therefore, every morning "present yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead." He will maintain the life He gave and bestow the grace to live as risen ones. All this can only be in the power of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in you. Count upon Him to glorify Christ in you. Count upon Christ to increase in you the inflowing of His Spirit. As you wait before God to realise His presence, remember that the Spirit is in you to reveal the things of God. Seek in God's presence to have the anointing of the Spirit of Christ so that your whole life at every moment may be spiritual.

THE GOD WHO REVEALED JESUS IN THE FLESH AND PERFECTED HIM, WILL REVEAL HIM IN YOU AND PERFECT YOU IN HIM. THE FATHER LOVES THE SON, AND DELIGHTS TO WORK OUT HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS IN YOU. COUNT UPON IT THAT THIS BLESSED WORK WILL BE DONE IN YOU AS YOU WAIT ON GOD AND BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM.

(Excerpt taken from the book, THE DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE, by Andrew Murray)

IN THE HOUSE

LOVE LIFE

CONFERENCE By Timothy Weerasekera Our God is one of justice which He has shown us in His word. If He had a list, I’d venture a guess that the abortion of children in the womb ranks pretty highly among the things He hates – not just because of the sheer inhumanity of the act, but also the incredible scale at which this injustice operates.

It’s depressing that 50 years ago, and for 50 years the act of abortion was further liberalised, making them more accessible, for any reason whatsoever, for up to 24 weeks gestation. Since then, over 660,000 children have been aborted since 1969 – about 20% of the pregnancies we’ve ever had in this country. And even if we did raise a brouhaha, we’d only make a scratch. What can we, the church, do about it? Perhaps, change starts at home. In a 2018 survey done of about 11,000 Christians from several different churches, almost 25% of women said that abortion was an acceptable or possibly acceptable way to deal with an unwanted pregnancy. For now, this is exactly why we need to be talking about the issue of abortion within the church. Because if we don’t disciple the church on this issue, the world will. This is why the Love Life Conference exists. Attended by over 500 people on the morning of 16th February, the Love Life Conference, hosted by Cornerstone covered the issue of abortion from several different angles. Pastor Yang opened the meeting by giving the audience the theological framework from which we consider the issue. Dr Tan Seow Hon and Dr Peter Chew both followed with their own keynote addresses which focused on equipping the audience with sound arguments for the pro-life position and information on the medical aspects of the procedure.

Through the power of the Gospel, the church can be a significant and even catalytic part of the solution to the wanton abortion of children in our society today. More than engaging in the cultural war of words, we are called to establish the Kingdom, now.

Jennifer Heng, then hosted a panel of guests who spoke

You too can play your part in stopping the killing of babies

about the need for robust support structures for both men

in the womb by being part of discipleship communities that

and women who were facing unsupported pregnancies.

prevent unsupported pregnancies from happening to begin

They shared from the heart from their own experiences

with, and to care for the children and parents of children

with joy and loss, and encouraged the church to be a part

who are facing life-altering decisions. As a church, we can

of the solution by availing our homes, lives and love for both

take a stand for responsible behaviour, the rights of the child

parents with unsupported pregnancies as well as children

and be a loving and supportive community if the situation

whose parents arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t willing or able to take care of them.

calls for it. We must stand for the message that Every Life

Bringing the event to a close was Pastor Norman, Deputy

Matters, because it literally is an issue of life and death.

Senior Pastor of 3:16 church, who for the first time, publicly launched the Heartbeat Project, an effort by the church for the church. The Heartbeat Project aims to inspire the church to build a culture that chooses life, so that every unborn child may have the chance to live life to the fullest. Check it out at Heartbeatproject.sg Through the power of the Gospel, the church can be a significant and even catalytic part of the solution to the wanton abortion of children in our society today. More than engaging in the cultural war of words, we are called to establish the Kingdom, now.

FEATURE ARTICLE

TH E

ANOINTING

YOU IS

FO R

By Pastor Lim Lip Yong

There are many things we assume simply because we were taught that when we were young. Or perhaps it was an image that was painted for us and it stuck and, we have never taken the time to truly examine the matter up close. We assume monosodium glutamate (MSG) causes migraine, breakfast is the most important meal in the day, or that Mozart composed “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” when he was just five years old. These examples might be fairly inconsequential – just some entertaining trivia. What if we have assumptions about the things of God that really aren't true? Would these wrong assumptions not be much more consequential since our grasp of spiritual matters have an impact on our eternity? The anointing is one of those areas where I discovered that I had made some bad assumptions about. For one thing, I have never thought about the anointing outside of the context of full-time ministry. In particular, I have always considered the anointing in the context of praying for the sick, prophesying, preaching and other things directly associated with spiritual ministry.

Then I discovered Exodus 31 where for the first time in scriptures, we see a man being filled with the Spirit of God. Now based on the principle of first mention, the first time a concept is mentioned in scripture is the point where a foundational understanding is laid for that concept. You can imagine how important this is, considering that this is the first time a person is anointed and filled with God’s Spirit. The first surprise is the protagonist who is the recipient of this great privilege. Surely it has got to be Moses or Aaron. Instead it is Bezalel. Bezalel? I had to do a double-take to make sure I wasn’t reading this wrongly. Who is Bezalel? Well the surprise came because I had made a wrong assumption. Likely, we all might have made a wrong assumption about this. Bezalel wasn’t a priest, prophet or judge. He was a swarthy, thick-hand, blue-collared kind of man. He was a tradesperson. A craftsman. Hey, let me cut to the chase and show you what I discovered.

1 THE ANOINTING IS FOR A PURPOSE

The anointing finds expression in the work that we do. In the case of Bezalel, it amplified his skills and abilities as a craftsman. Consider this – Bezalel could work in gold, silver and bronze. He could cut jewels, set them, carve wood, work with fabric, create dyes for the fabric, and also tailor the garments of the priests. In reality, this is ridiculous. For a master craftsman to master one form of craft would already take years of training and practice. Here was a man who had such supernatural enablement that he could do things that might cumulatively take a hundred years to master.

The key to understanding the whole concept of the anointing is that there was a purpose for it. What is the purpose? If Bezalel is to be the prototype, the purpose is obvious – it is to build God a dwelling place here on the earth.

When our intention is to bring God’s presence and reality to earth, and we are doing the work that we are called to do, God will fill us with His Spirit in order for us to excel in the work we do. Eureka! The anointing should find expression much more amongst lay people in the marketplace than within the church.

In the Old Testament, God limited Himself to reside in the Tabernacle. He manifested Himself between the two cherubims above the ark of the covenant. The Spirit of God came upon Bezalel for one purpose alone – to enable him to construct and build the Tabernacle. This first Tabernacle gave the format upon which the temple would later be constructed.

The CEO intent on bringing God into the world through His business will be anointed with supernatural abilities to lead, innovate and make decisions. The teacher who knows that her call is to bring God into the lives of children will start to draw kids to herself and be graced with opportunities to transform their lives.

However, these structures were merely a type and shadow of God’s true intentions. Isaiah the prophet helped us understand this when he raised the question as to whether man can ever conceivably construct a physical dwelling place sufficient for God (Isaiah 66:1–2). Yet the strange truth is that the only adequate dwelling place for God is human flesh that has been prepared, and qualified to host His presence. This is what the anointing is and this is God’s agenda. If we align ourselves to His agenda – to become His dwelling place here on the earth through the life and the work we do, then His priority is to fill us with His Spirit to enable us to accomplish this.

2 THE ANOINTING HAS AN EXPRESSION Perhaps we have seen people shaking, crying or slain on the ground, and somehow that is our concept of being filled with God’s Spirit. I don’t want in any way to demean or to belittle times where we are physically overwhelmed in God’s presence, but really, that is not at all of the anointing or what it is to be.

THE ANOINTING MUST BE 3 TRANSFERRED Exodus 35:34 gives us the final component of understanding the anointing. Part of having God place His Spirit on us is that it will also result in us receiving a heart and ability to teach others to do what we do. Bezalel wasn’t just doing everything himself. He raised up many others to the work of constructing the tabernacle and, he taught them what he had supernaturally received. One of the clearest evidences of the anointing on a person’s life is seen, in whom the person has raised up. Moses raised up a generation of Israelites with Joshua at the helm. David raised up Solomon amongst many others. Elijah had Elisha. Paul had Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Lydia, Luke, Mark amongst many others. The anointing will drive us towards investing into the lives of others and raising them up with the same heart to build God a “dwelling” here on earth.

IN THE HOUSE

KINGDOM INVASION TRILOGY PART 1 WITH HEIDI BAKER Soaring above the Storm DAY SESSION

By Tracey Chia Kingdom Invasion takes the form of ‘KI Trilogy’ this year – three power-packed days spread across the year in March, July and October. We launched part one of the series on 8th March with beloved Mama Heidi Baker as our first guest. The first word God had for us was a declaration of peace over the storm. Mama Heidi had received an impression of racing minds and panic attacks when she entered the auditorium. God knows. He knows about the train wrecks and shipwrecks. But if we set ourselves aside, fix our eyes on His face and hearts to His, He will give us a supernatural shalom. A second image Mama Heidi received was of an array of ‘power tools’, some large and powerful, others tiny. God wants us to work out our challenges and fears with Him. In response to these two promises released, the auditorium of over 684 delegates and volunteers lifted our hands and cried out to God for ‘grace and shalom’ in our lives. The atmosphere began to change with the Lord saying that He would shift the way we looked at things. He did this through pictures He gave Mama Heidi, of a reservoir, fire and clipped wings. Much like prophetic visual installments, Heidi soon understood how these three images came together in a single message: ‘Tell them it is time to wake up, and be a voice in the darkness.’ God is calling on Asian Eagles, for believers in our region to get out of our settled nests and begin to speak out for Him in our work places and communities. Heidi explained that ‘Asian Eagles’ was a prophetic word she had received many times. Our shalom comes as we live above the storm. Like eagles, without the wind of the Spirit, we are not going to soar. We need the wind of the Holy Spirit. ‘You are no longer allowed to live vicariously through someone else’s ministry. Every son and daughter is called to be fully filled with the Holy Spirit. And it is in the secret place that we can have as much of God as we want.’ God can use any man and woman. Wherever He has empowered you, in the marketplace or at home, God desires for each to be His voice, crying out against injustices and speaking His truths. 22

Contending for His Presence NIGHT SESSION By Alicia Chua Each year, Cornerstone looks forward with great anticipation to our annual Kingdom Invasion conference. Although this year’s conference format would seem scaled-down in terms of size, there was definitely no less anointing. Even before the night meeting started, I could see and hear the anticipation of the others around me as I stood in the queue of attendees waiting to enter the auditorium. During the evening meeting, there was a heavy sense of God’s presence, and the Lord was reminding us about coming back to Him and pursuing Him in the secret place. The moment Heidi Baker walked up, she immediately fell to her knees in prayer and did not get up until the meeting came to a close. She invited us to join her in a time of seeking His face. Even though there was no ‘preaching’ (at least not in the usual sense of the word), there was definitely a clear message of recalibrating our lives being brought across. As Heidi prayed, the same challenge was repeated over and over – Are you willing to be inconvenienced for the gospel, to surrender like never before so that God can use and send you? As the meeting drew to a close, we were reminded that the secret is the secret place; that it is only in pursuing God that we can live life fully. The challenge is for each of us – may we never stay stagnant, satisfied with where we are, but instead press in to the Lord.

IN THE HOUSE

A NIGHT TO

HONOUR ISRAEL

By Gillian Hu

In the first quarter of 2018, it was on the heart of our Senior Pastor to once again celebrate Israel in a big way. Back in 2015, Cornerstone worked together with Israel-related ministries and partner churches to host the first ever A Night to Honour Israel dinner. Held at the Mandarin Orchard, there were nearly a thousand people in attendance. Last year, we held our second A Night to Honour Israel dinner on Wednesday, 7th November 2018, bringing together the body of Christ and the local Jewish Community. It was a joy to stand with Israel as she celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of her nation! This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dinner took place at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre Ballroom. There were 90 tables, including six tables for the local Jewish community. Led by Pastor Timothy Chong, the organising committee comprised of volunteers and Cornerstone Community Church staff members. Our Guest of Honour for the evening was Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambassador to Singapore, her Excellency Ambassador Simone Halperin. She invited any and all to participate in a design logo competition to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic ties between both countries. In addition, Chief Rabbi Mordecai Abergel was also in attendance. As soon as the Rabbi took to the podium, he wasted no time in addressing the current rising anti-semitism. Two weekends prior to this dinner, a gunman had entered a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and claimed the lives of 11 Jews during a Shabbat service. Four others were also injured.

In his impassioned speech, Pastor Yang was emphatic about Israel’s 70th anniversary and its overwhelming success as a nation. He, along with Madame Ambassador, extolled the strong ties between Singapore and Israel on many levels. After the speeches, the Rabbi led us in a Kiddush toast, followed by the presentation of personalised gifts to both the Rabbi and Madame Ambassador. The talented emcee couple, Lynette & Jedidiah Tan hosted the evening’s programme and a ten-minute commemorative video was created especially for the dinner. This featured a number of individuals from the Jewish community who shared about living in Singapore and the history of both nations. Pastor Katherine Minoza-Cueson and Pastor Jonaver Luklukan, our Cornerstone pastors from the Philippines, serenaded us with solos and duets. A string quartet and solo violin performance by 14-year-old Olivia Yeo also provided

the evening’s entertainment. Jews and Gentiles took to the dance floor at the end of the evening in a Hora, an Israeli circle dance traditionally danced at Jewish weddings and celebratory events. And with that, the 2nd A Night to Honour Israel dinner came to an end on a high note. One Jewish guest commented how much they “loved all the speeches and felt so blessed to have the love and support from your [Cornerstone and the wider body of Christ] community.” As God’s chosen people, may the local Jewish community always feel that they have the love and support of the Christians! Le’Chaim!

GENERATIONS

FOPx 2018

By Josiah Yang

I’m sure many of you have heard of the Festival of Praise (FOP). FOP used to be a yearly affair where churches nationwide would gather to praise God together as one body of Christ. Today, we have FOPx, which was born out of a vision by the FOP Fellowship to see God move in the next generation. The FOPx committee is made up of youth pastors and leaders from various churches and from various denominations, with the same vision to see God’s name lifted high in the generations and in our city. FOPx holds two main events every year: FOPx Worship Night and the FOPx Conference.

The FOPx Conference The 2018 conference, Burn, was a conference where I personally saw different churches coming together as one body in Christ. The main focus of the conference, which took place in December, was to ignite a fire and a passion in the youths, to see revival in their schools and Singapore. I had the opportunity to lead the people in worship during a couple of sessions. Being able to see each one of them respond to the call of God in their vulnerable conditions, showed me that this generation can be saved! Every session was filled with tears and a crying out for God to move in Singapore. There wasn’t a single session that I didn’t feel God’s presence. In Timothy 4:12, it says, “Let no one despise you for your youth; but be an example of the believers, in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” These youths are the future leaders of our nation, and will shape Singapore to be a blueprint for other nations to follow. The defining moment of the conference was the final night session. During the past two days, seeing youths cry out for their schools and nation became a familiar sight, but on that particular night, it was different. Pastor Andrew Yeo, who heads the FOPx Conference team, came up to share his heart and the essence of FOPx. For the first time, the youths saw their pastor and leader weeping at the altar and crying out for our generation. The only thing running through my head was, “If he is so passionate for my generation, should I not be even more passionate?” 26

M A R K T H E S E D AT E S

AND JOIN US THIS YEAR!

FOPX WORSHIP NIGHT 7 Jul 2019 Saint Andrew’s Cathedral

I believe that this is just the beginning of something awesome that God is going to do in Singapore. As the Spirit challenges the youths to do greater exploits for the Kingdom and come up higher, I pray that this will bring about a growth and forward momentum not just involving the youth, but the rest of the church as well.

FOPX NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE 21 – 23 Nov 2019 Venue to be confirmed

The beauty of FOPx is that it isn’t just all talk, it’s an invitation to the youths from different churches across Singapore to partner with one another. Many have started prayer meetings in their respective schools, some have even started reaching out to their teachers. I believe this is just the beginning of something awesome in Singapore that God is doing. As the Spirit challenges the youths to do greater exploits for the Kingdom and to come up higher in knowing Him, I pray that this will bring a growth and a forward momentum which will involve the youth as well as the rest of the church, the body of Christ. a growth and forward momentum not just involving the youth, but the rest of the church as well.

S TAY T U N E D T O

https://www.fopx.sg/

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N 27

GENERATIONS

The Gen Camp 2018

SET ABLAZED FOR REVIVALS By Jezreel Cheong Family — Sometimes it means dealing with divorced parents, absent family members, estranged siblings, stepmothers or fathers and the fear, tension, abandonment and discomfort that come when dealing with issues. It’s no doubt that while contending for revival in our nation, schools and friends are of utmost significance, but as His sons and daughters, it is time for us to realign our vision to God’s original design for each of our families. Every family is imperfect, and as we work with the youths in Generations, we have realised the importance of speaking and dealing with the real issues in our families. We started planning for our end-year camp, Enkindling, in September 2018 and had the privilege of collaborating with FamChamps by Focus on the Family; a movement that raises young Singaporeans to champion family values. Every aspect of our programme, from the workshops, sessions, and discussions, to the groupings, games and activities – was meticulously planned with the intention of helping individuals understand the crucial role they play within their family as a child of God. During the process of intensive planning, our committee knew that God was going to do a divine work during camp. However, uncertainty still crept into our hearts as we wondered how this would pan out in the lives of our own families. (We could not actively participate in the same programmes as the campers). Little did we know what God had planned for us. With glimpses and gentle whispers, He simply revealed His heart to every committee member during the camp and I dare say that each one of us found a renewed hope to love our families more courageously.

I always had a distant and fearful relationship with my father. However, I was convicted to take the first step by initiating conversations with him whenever he drove me home from our camp meetings. I felt less fearful and apprehensive about relating with him ever since and realized that he actually cares for me.— HAZEL YUNG

Honour your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you. — Exodus 20:12 (NLT) Honour brings life; and we experienced its fruit during Honour Night on the 3rd day of camp. It was the first time we gathered both believing and pre-believing parents for a special dinner, for the youths to appreciate their parents and enjoy each other’s presence. In this atmosphere of honour, not only did we witness the raw emotions and tears shed by both parents and youths, we also saw the restoration of joy, healing of relationships, and a supernatural shift in households!

On the ride back after Honour Night, God powerfully but quietly began to reveal Himself as an understanding Father, and showed me why I felt fearful and unsafe when I related with my dad. He showed me that it is not about how perfect a family should be, but that through every imperfection, we can see His glory shine, and then be made perfect. That night marked the day where I began to see positive shifts in our conversations. — JESSICA SOO Enkindling essentially means setting something on fire, or starting something significant. It speaks of a revival and resurrection of things that are dead, and carries a sense of renewal of life and hope. This is the heart behind Enkindling – to spark a revival, but of a different kind: the revival of the family as a whole. We thank God that this camp was not just a one-off programme, but has catalysed a lasting movement for His Kingdom.

IN THE HOUSE

Kingdom Invasion Kids By Timothy Weerasekera

The second iteration of BRAVE ran over three days f rom 4 – 6 Dec 2018, with 530 children attending f rom 53 different churches. This is the only kids conference in Singapore of its kind. As the children were led in powerful worship by Brandon and Cathy Clancy, and sat still (mostly) through the deep teaching of Will Hart, many of them learnt that God cares about their desire to know Him and were encouraged to go all the way after Jesus. It wasn’t long, however, before they learnt their most powerful lesson of all – that Jesus wanted to meet them too. Where adult conferences sometimes build up to a climax of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring on the final day, at BRAVE, He was present from the very outset! Barely halfway through the first day and the Holy Spirit had already manifested powerfully in the auditorium. Children stood at the altar before the Lord, some quietly, others wailing at the top of their lungs as He touched their inmost and tender souls. From that point, encountering God in a powerful way at BRAVE would become a daily and normal occurrence. The children approached the Lord in earnestness and expectancy, simply believing that He was going to touch them. The adults were reminded of what draws the heart of God as we watch Him minister deeply to the little ones.

Special Needs Meeting Another highlight of this year’s BRAVE Conference was the two-day meeting for children with special needs. God remembers all His children, special needs or otherwise, and requires much of them - their worship, their surrender and their love! He desires to fulfil His holy purpose and destiny in each of their lives. But at this meeting, the Lord ministered not only to the children, but to their parents who have been given the assignment of loving harder than many others. These are the parents who must be more patient, more longsuffering and more resilient than many others.

BRAVE showed me something I’d never seen before. A community of parents who are teaching their children how to love Jesus and a community of children who are learning to give God what He demands of them – their hearts, their minds and their strength. Amidst this community of joy and big hugs, I found true Christianity in full force. A community that seeks the Lord without defilement or agenda, but with sincerity. As the Lord danced among the children and their parents, the Holy Spirit’s presence filled this meeting. During worship, one young girl with Down Syndrome took a silk shawl and danced over the other children, caressing them with the delicate cloth. It was beautifully moving to see how the Holy Spirit flowed through them so sweetly.

THOUGHTS FROM CHILDREN AND VOLUNTEERS “I felt God’s presence was heavy. I saw Jesus in a vision holding a candle and I cried again. I cried because I was reassured in the presence of God that I would not be lonely again. I felt loved and appreciated. I had a little depression but it’s getting better.” — Deborah, Participant

“One of the amazing things I saw was a boy encountering the peace of God. He would usually run around, but he stood still and let me lay hands on him in prayer. He hugged me and melted in God’s presence. There are many churches that have Special Needs Ministries, and we need these ministries that go after breakthroughs. We need to minister to the parents, help and encourage them.” — Pastor Clement Sim, Special Needs Meeting

The Coming Generation At BRAVE, the children also learnt about the God of miracles. To the delight of many, Will Hart recounted stories of how God would multiply gifts for African children. More than just stories though, the Lord came to minister to many of the wounded hearts in the room who were struggling with depression, nightmares, traumatic memories and unclean images.You would have been shocked to see the number of children who testified that they had been having these issues. This was a generation crying out for help because of the Enemy’s attack on their lives. The attack on this generation is precisely why BRAVE must equip this generation with the weapons of warfare: with the knowledge of how to seek the God who may be found in intimacy and vulnerability, and with the confidence that He will hear and draw near to them because of His overwhelming love for them.

BRAVE is raising a new generation of Christians who will know the intimacy and nearness of God from the days of their youth. These are the ones who will grow strong in him, experiencing His supernatural presence all through their lives. This will be a generation that overcomes by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.

“I have received just as much from this conference as any other child. I caught the heart of God for kids here and that’s something I don’t want to lose. There is nothing like seeing kids, in their heart of hearts, crying out for a move of God.” — Jeremy Graves, Volunteer

IN THE HOUSE

SCHOOL OF THE

PROPHETS DAN MCCALLUM SHARED SOME ACTIVATION TOOLS FOR MOVING IN THE PROPHETIC By Emma Lim

Has it ever occurred to you that God can sometimes use your natural senses to give you a prophetic word for someone?

We were delighted to have Dan McCallum with us for the School of Prophets last November. Everyone took home personal prophetic words during the sessions and many were encouraged by the accuracy of words released through fellow brothers and sisters in the congregation. Dan shared that we get better at moving in the prophetic when we practise often and stir up the gift. The Bible tells us that in the last days, the Lord will pour out His Spirit on all flesh, and that our sons and daughters will prophesy. When asked about the secret of his strength, the famous healing evangelist Smith Wigglesworth said that he would turn aside to obey at the slightest whisper of the Holy Spirit. The rate of our acceleration and breakthrough depends on how fast we recognise the voice of the Father before we move, and we should earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially so that we can prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:1). He gave us some practical tips to stirring up the gift of prophecy by: 1) exercising the gift so that it establishes understanding and faith, 2) taking greater risks of faith, 3) resisting the tendency to doubt. In Hebrews 5:14, we are exhorted to exercise our senses to discern good and evil. Interestingly, the Greek root word for “exercise” in that verse is gymnazō, which is also the Greek root word for “gym”.

Dan was joined by Bethany Hicks, who is a senior trainer at the Activate School of Prophecy, and they both took turns to facilitate the series of activation exercises which the congregation participated in. We broke up into pairs and prayerfully asked the Lord for a prophetic word for our partners using the activation tools! We were taught to use names to release words and to allow the Holy Spirit to use our senses to speak a life-giving word into our partner’s life. Just as Moses first saw the extraordinary burning bush, stopped and turned aside to an encounter with the Lord, we were challenged to ask the Lord what something that caught our eye might mean. Is He saying something to us or to our neighbour? To stretch our faith further, we also asked the Lord for a prophetic song for our partners, and although many were apprehensive and shy about singing, we experienced joy and peace in the House of the Lord as songs were dropped into the hearts of congregation members. Finally, we also stopped to ask God for something we could give away so that someone would be blessed, and portion of scripture that we could use to prophesy over their lives and build them up. What a joy it was to be able to bring edification to each other within the body! Certainly, we want to be able to take this into our homes, cell groups and spheres of influence as we build a prophetic culture in church.

IN THE HOUSE

2018

CHRISTMAS By Christine Teo People are like plants. We are shaped and nurtured by the soil we are planted in; and our roots determine our growth. Without the cultivation of careful hands, we can grow wild and tangled roots, desperately reaching any source for water. We can also harbour bitterness, like root rot in a plant, as we accumulate the wear and tear of life in our hearts, causing a blight on leaves once green with joy. This year’s Christmas production, My Grandfather’s House, tells the story of Ling, a devoted wife and mother, coping with the everyday tensions and struggles of her family, particularly the strained relationships between three generations of fathers and sons. A moving tale of love breaking through generational barriers and misunderstandings, My Grandfather’s House weaves a picture of the Father’s heart for us through the mundane ups and downs of family life.

My Grandfather’s House weaves a picture of the Father’s heart for us through the mundane ups and downs of family life.

My Grandfather’s House certainly struck a chord with audiences, with its heart-warming moments and amusing presentation of generational gaps within the family.

a father is put on display – a mere shadow of the immense love our Heavenly Father has for all of us.

The relational issues the family faces are familiar to many Singaporean families. Henry, an elderly man left fatherless during WWII and hardened by years of struggle, is unable to express his love for his son, Ted. Instead, he finds an outlet in his home garden, to which he tenderly tends. Ted, a stressed-out businessman who reluctantly took over his father’s restaurant business, yearns for his father’s approval beneath his bitter facade. In turn, Ted struggles to express his love for his teenage son, Zach, who finds his worth in online games, a habit which is driving a rift between him and his parents. Amidst these tenuous father-son relationships, Ling, Ted’s faithful wife, finds hope in God. Their young daughter, Kim, shares the message of the Father’s love to her grandfather, while Flora, the family’s domestic helper, offers warm advice and support to Ling. As disaster strikes the family, the unconditional, sacrificial love of

My Grandfather’s House certainly struck a chord with audiences, with its heart-warming moments and amusing presentation of generational gaps within the family. Presented in a beautifully designed and constructed set, with strong direction and performances from the cast, My Grandfather’s House was a commendable effort by the production team and a wonderful year-end treat for the Cornerstone community. Even though the entire cast did not have formal training in drama, they did a wonderful job in pulling off their roles! Most of all, we praise God for the 79 members of the audience who opened their hearts to God after watching the production. The drama production was inspired by Pastor Yang’s earlier messages on Seniors last year, which got the script writer, Tracey thinking about the unsaved elderly in Singapore and the topic of Fathering, which had been constantly brought up in 2018 through the Elijah 7000 meetings in church and the Generations Camp. The other themes explored included connecting across generations, teens and gaming as well as prayer during tough times. Many tears were shed, and many testified of how God spoke to them during the show, as the issues presented were very relevant.

Behind The Scenes

01. 01. GETTING AH GONG’S WIG READY DURING A SHOOT

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02. MOMENTS OF PRAYER AND DEBRIEFING DURING REHEARSALS

03. MEMBERS OF THE CAST AND CREW THAT BECAME LIKE FAMILY

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

Bless Mauritius Bless Mauritius took place from 12 – 17 November 2018 and is part of the Kingdom Invasion initiative to bless and bring the Kingdom of God to the nations. We had a team of 50 volunteers go out into the streets to be engaged in evangelism and outreaches, as well as serve at the leadership and youth meetings and training sessions. The week-long event culminated with the National Gathering that saw the churches in Mauritius coming together. Here are some of the testimonies from the team.

We saw God touch, heal and save many during this trip and all the encounters with Him were incredible. Personally, the highlight was being able to be a blessing to the local church. On one occasion, Pastor Dian activated the local church to go on a “treasure hunt”, which involved praying and allowing the Lord to show us who He wanted us to reach through some clues. These clues could take the form of certain attributes of specific individuals. In my small group, most of us were new to treasure hunts, and some were hearing God’s voice for the first time. By faith, they took time to pray and listed the attributes that were shown to them.

The first few people they approached did not possess the attributes, but they had the opportunity to bless them by praying for them. Finally, they found “God’s treasure”, the ones that were revealed to them! One lady was in tears when we told her that God was looking to bless her, as she had been crying out to God for help that day. The team spent time praying for her, encouraging and empowering her. They were even approached for prayer by the lady’s friend, a pre-believer! I cannot forget the excitement and joy that the local team felt after the treasure hunt! They were all amazed by what God did! One brother was even shouting ‘Jesus is Lord’ in public repeatedly. All these moments were priceless!

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Ning Li

Billy and Faye Kwan

Before the trip, we did not know what to expect. However, our group meetings and the subsequent training sessions helped prepare our hearts and equip us with practical skills for street outreach, healing and deliverance. Bless Mauritius gave us the opportunity to build relationships with the local churches. Being able to serve alongside the local brothers and sisters and to impart knowledge and experience in various aspects of ministry allowed us to develop a unique and meaningful bond with them. Even though we encountered challenges sometimes due to the language barrier, the Lord definitely was at work to unite us in spirit, so that we would be of one mind, heart and purpose. Miracles big and small took place all around, and we saw people being blessed, comforted, ministered and empowered. It was a beautiful thing to be able to see both the Mauritians and Singaporeans coming together, as members of the body of Christ, to provide an environment of love, accountability and encouragement, building up the entire body of Christ. We were amazed at how God utilised our individual gifts to reveal the love of Jesus to people! Images and words of knowledge gave comfort, hope and love to His people as we released what God had shown us and prayed for them. This stirred our hearts and we look forward to the day when people from every tongue and every nation will come together to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and worship Him together in one accord.

A year ago, God spoke to me about visiting Africa for missions in 2018. I first thought I was to go to Kenya, but when I learnt about the Bless Mauritius trip, I knew that that was where He wanted me to be. Up till then, my mission trips had always been to Asia, and I was nervous as this was a step out of my comfort zone. The highlight for me - the street evangelism! Like most people, street evangelism is not something that comes to me naturally. The language difference hindered us from reaching out to the majority of the local community so our partnership with the local church was crucial. The locals relied on us to lead and I had to act in faith and move forward instead of taking the backseat. I realised that when I allowed myself to be willing despite my fears, God’s grace abounds. The rejection was great, but the harvest was greater. I realised that many out there needed to hear that there is a God who loves them and that He is willing to go to the lengths to let them know that they are loved unconditionally. And it was an honour to be able to be that mouthpiece that brings hope to empty lives and wounded hearts. In this trip, I caught on the fire of evangelism and now actively look for opportunities to share the gospel. It was a breakthrough and an honour for me to witness and partake in the works of our Heavenly Father. Our Heavenly Father never fails to amaze, impact, heal and impart! I encourage many more ‘to come and taste that the Lord is good’. God is moving beyond the shores of Singapore, and seeing Him work in the nations enlarges my vision and brings a greater sense of fulfilment. God builds me up on every trip and besides being renewed, I have returned victorious!

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A year ago in 2018, we saw the Bless Pakistan video during one of Cornerstone’s services and we were deeply moved by what God was doing there. A year on, we had the privilege to join the Bless Mauritius mission team and it was truly a journey of faith for us.

Margaret Faith Chen

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INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

LOVE PAPUA

Lessons about love and hunger By Geraldine Tan

When I told friends that I was headed to Papua for a mission trip, many thought I was headed to Papua New Guinea (PNG). Close, but not exactly. Papua and PNG are neighbours – sharing what is the secondlargest island in the world, New Guinea. PNG is a sovereign nation while Papua, West Papua, and several other nearby islands are part of Indonesia. During our 8-day mission trip in November, my team visited Dr Suzette Hattingh’s ministry and had the opportunity to bless the local community through meetings for leaders and youth, as well as village and community outreaches. At a pastors’ and leaders’ gathering, she declared to the crowd that had gathered that night in the sports hall that she identifies as a Papuan and her desire is to be buried there when she passes on. That is the depth of the love she has for the land and its people. It was not just something that she said to ingratiate herself to them. Dr Hattingh, or “mom” as her staff call her, meant every single word, evidenced by the love and care she has for her staff at the Love Papua Centre (LPC), as well as the network of pastors she is training. I had the chance to sit in during one of her training sessions with the pastors in Manokwari, capital of West Papua. She is not just their mentor but friend as well. I saw how she knew them personally, teasing the pastors and laughing with them. But more than friendship, it is her deep love for them that comes from the overflow of her love for God that really taught me something. I observed how Dr Hattingh was concerned not just about their ministry but their relationship with God and their families. She was not afraid to speak the truth in love and challenge them (Eph 4:15, Pro 27:17). “My favourite instructions from mum is when she tells me to rest,” admitted Adolf Rahman, one of her LPC stuff, with a chuckle. As he is frequently on the road with Dr Hattingh – Rahman is her de-facto translator in Indonesia – she would order him to rest, like any caring mother would. 38

Dr Hattingh, or “mom” as her staff call her, meant every single word, evidenced by the love and care she has for her staff at the Love Papua Centre (LPC), as well as the network of pastors she is training.

Although the provinces of Papua and West Papua are majority Christian, there is still much work to be done. According to the Joshua Project, which tracks the spread of the Gospel among ethnic people groups of the world, there are 12 unreached people groups in both provinces. The area is also estimated to be home to over 250 languages and less than half of these people groups have access to Scripture in their heart language, that is the language a person speaks from birth and while growing up. The needs remain immense today even though it has been more than 160 years since the Gospel first came to Papua. It is a place where roads are so scarce that to travel between towns, one has to take to the air or the water – something I can testify to as my mission group took six flights and three boat rides during our eight days there. Despite the challenges, the pastors in Papua and West Papua are undeterred. Having witnessed the power of unity and corporate prayer that brought breakthroughs in Manokwari, pastors in other towns and cities are keen to start something similar too. Indeed, it is when the body of Christ unites that the world may know that Jesus Christ is Lord, as it is written in John 17:23. The pastors in the remote Wasior village in West Papua have been gathering to fast and pray for their area, which was ravaged in 2010 by deadly floods and landslides that claimed some 75 lives.

Their heart’s cry is a simple one: For God’s glory to rest upon their village. “All I want is for God’s glory to be on Wasior, for revival to break out in Papua and spread to the rest of Indonesia,” said Welianse Ina, who co-pastors a church in the village together with her husband, Paulus Iskandar Nanguri. It made me think about Singapore’s call as the “Antioch of Asia”. It is a term I’ve heard since I was a youth. Has its significance to Singaporeans faded? Are we zealously praying and putting action to our faith to see our nation fulfil its destiny? Are we as hungry and single-minded as the people I’ve met in Indonesia?

(This article was first published on saltandlight.sg and has been reprinted with permission) 39

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

Rote Island By Zoie Tan

As Singapore came alive with Christmas cheer last year, a team of seven young adults hopped on a plane bound for Rote Island, Indonesia for Cornerstone’s very first Couriers mission trip there. I sat down with team leader Woo Jun Wei, to hear about their time on the remote Island.

En route to Rote Island, a stopover was made at Surabaya to minister at a Christmas service in Cornerstone Faith Church, led by Pastor Paulus Lau and his wife Hana. And after prolonged hours of travelling due to flight delays and cancellations, the team finally arrived a day later than expected.

True to Indonesian hospitality, the church members cooked a sumptuous local lunch of rice and vegetables – meat was hard to come by, and the team tucked in heartily. After a short rest, the team headed out to conduct a children’s crusade under a makeshift shelter for 130 village children. Night quickly descended, and it was time for the team to do carolling, with candles as their only source of light. The next day, the villagers took the team around Rote Island, exploring the beaches and hiking up hills, still untouched by tourism. That night, the team gathered around a campfire with the locals and exchanged testimonies of how God had impacted their lives – it was a sweet time of fellowship for the group.

The landscape of Rote Island was dotted with cows, pigs and tiny village huts amidst a sea of tropical greenery - a different sight from the concrete jungle of Singapore. Beginning ministry upon arrival, the team preached their hearts out, shared testimonies, gave an altar call and many local villagers responded to the message.

On their final day in Rote, the team headed to the main campus in the city of Rote to do house visits and join a prayer meeting with the locals. This was the most enjoyable night for the team, and many prophetic words were released over the island. “There was such a move of the Holy Spirit,” Jun Wei replied when asked about the prayer meeting, where they also had the opportunity to pray for their Indonesian hosts. “We believe there were encounters with God, words and destinies released and a bonding of the body of Christ.”

Curious about how developed their city was, I asked Jun Wei what the city of Rote Island was like, “When we saw the fridge in the mama(sic) shop, our eyes lit up! We bought everyone drinks because we haven’t had anything cold in 2 days! We really learned to appreciate the convenience we have in Singapore.” Jun Wei recounted they stayed at a local school for two nights, and that it was an interesting experience showering with a bucket! “There was no electricity or running water, so we had to use torches at night. This meant that there were no fans and we were unable to charge our handphones,” he added. Despite the tough living conditions on Rote, and the long, bumpy car rides to get from one place to another, Jun Wei did not hesitate when asked if he would return. “I would definitely like to go back if I can. Pastor Paulus, the team and myself really feel like the Lord is doing something in Rote Island.”

BE PART OF THE CORNERSTONE CELL COMMUNITY AS A COMMUNITY, WE GROW TO GO! God never created man to live alone and it was always in the community with God and man that we would flourish and thrive in our lives. Cell community has come a long way since Cornerstone started. It is the environment where discipleship happens, where people can Grow and Go together. Cells are the incubator for disciples to be raised and sons and daughters to grow into maturity and fulfil their calling!

An edifying community with solid feeding of God’s word and watering of His Spirit forms an excellent environment to grow in faith! Cell is not just a group of people, but God’s people doing life in Christ! We grow together as we share testimonies of His goodness at Cell, pray, and study the Bible together with the Cell teaching packages and recommended books.

Grow in FAITH God always reveals His love through the people He surrounds us with. Living with people and learning to love people within a Cell context is a choice where we choose to “put on love, which is the bond of perfection” as outlined in Colossians 3:14. We may not be aware of how much our prayers, words of affirmation, acts of service and kind gestures can impact people’s lives for God’s glory. It pleases the Lord when we commune with one another in love and we celebrate the gift of community during Cell month. Church clean-ups and welcome parties for newcomers also help us bond and get to know those who have just joined us.

Grow in LOVE Cells are being equipped to do greater works and fulfil the Great Commission and Good Works that God has called us to accomplish. Cells have been engaged to Go and keep Going through mission trips, evangelistic outreaches and productions, as well as community service initiatives. These include visits to Nursing homes and reaching out to foreign workers in partnership with Cornerstone Community Services.

Grow TO GO!

INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

AMAZING KIDS CAMP INDIA

Surprised by God!

By Japheth Chew

On 9 October 2018, my team and I, led by Constance Chin from the Children’s Church department, set off to Pekeru Village in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh to conduct a pilot Kids Camp project for our local Cornerstone churches. Our team expected to have 100 children attend the camp, but we had about 130 children show up for our two-day kids camp from four neighbouring Cornerstone churches! Many children who attended the Kids Camp received visions of heaven, Jesus and angels. Testimonies poured in on how they heard God’s voice to love their friends and pray for their unbelieving parents. On top of the Kids Camp, we had the opportunity to preach at their Sunday service, prayer meeting, and a house group. We also ministered and prayed for many members of Pastor Raju’s and Pastor Karuna’s church. All in all, we had about 70 salvations and 10 healings throughout our time there!

After our Sunday service, a lady who was blind in her right eye came for prayer. After praying for her, I covered her left eye and asked if she could see anything. While initially she said no, after continued prayer, she started to see shadows! Happy with the results, my translator moved on to the next person thinking that the miracle was over. However, I felt there was still more that the Lord wanted to do, so I persisted in prayer and asked her what she could see. She then pointed to my glasses and said she could see them. When asked about the colour of the glasses, she gave the correct answer! We kept on praying and eventually, she could see my batik shirt and identify all the different colours on it! A miracle had just taken place! It was an amazing trip, and we thank God for the wonderful privilege of being a blessing to Pastor Raju, Pastor Karuna and the local Cornerstone churches in Andhra Pradesh. We are grateful that the Kids Camp was a success and the strong sense of unity in the local Cornerstone team. All glory to God!

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 served daily 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.

IN THE HOUSE

EXPANDING INTO THE HEART OF THE CITY! TO MAKE ROOM FOR GROWTH, WE NOW HAVE SERVICES IN BUGIS+ By Emma Lim

Sometime back, Pastor Yang spoke to Cornerstonians about the need for a second facility, as the place where we dwell had become too small for the growing congregation. After much prayer and planning as a church, we have finally expanded into the heart of the city this year and started running services at our second campus – Bugis+. The new year began on an exciting note as we launched our very first Cornerstone Bugis service in January, drawing a crowd of almost 600. Due to such an overwhelming response, a second service was soon started a month later to cater to the growing congregation.

True to the Cell ministry’s slogan, “it’s better to-gather”, one of our Cornerstone cells also came forward to serve complimentary coffee and cookies to our visitors during the first month of the launch! Pulling together their own funds and resources, they decided to do something special as a Cell to bless the community at Bugis+. While the aroma of coffee was inviting, the kind gesture was warmly received by many who came and stopped for a time of fellowship over a cuppa. Cornerstone Bugis now has meetings every Sunday at 9am and 10.30am, with Children’s Church running at the second service.

It has been heart-warming to see new faces at our Bugis+ services and to be able to hear the testimonies of our visitors who live in the area. Each Sunday, our dedicated team of staff and volunteers at Bugis+ are up as early as 6am to get everything from the musical instruments to the booths transported over and set up from scratch. Every ministry plays a significant role in the running of the service as we all serve with excellence, and help is certainly welcome!

Invite your friends and family to join us at Bugis+ or step up to serve on the team as the Lord continues to enlarge our tent and grow us as one big family. All hands are needed on deck! We are so excited to be able to cast our nets further and to see what God is about to do.

COMMUNITY BUZZ

Cornerstone Development Initiatives (CDI) Award Presentation Ceremony 2019 By Evelyn Loh

This year’s Cornerstone Development Initiatives (CDI) Award Presentation Ceremony took place on 26 January 2019. Organised by Cornerstone Community Services (CCS) since 2008, this is the event’s 12th run since CDI’s inception. Professor Fatimah Lateef, Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC was present to grace the joyous event as Guest of Honour. Besides giving out the CDI School Allowance to help students from underresourced families cope with rising costs, CCS has also launched two new awards – the CDI Advancement Award and CDI Inspire Award, which are given to students who excel and show improvement in their studies. This year, over 250 primary and secondary school students received the CDI School Allowance. There were three recipients for the CDI Advancement Award and 30 recipients for the CDI Inspire Award. 46

The students were given bright t-shirts to wear with the tagline, “Born to Fly” at the ceremony. In the opening address, Pastor Daphne Yang, President of CCS encouraged everyone to set goals for themselves and take small steps towards achieving them. Professor Fatimah Lateef also shared her own inspiring story of her childhood to motivate the students to pursue lifelong development and learning. Attendees were then treated to a drum cadence and dance performance, followed by an outdoor carnival where they enjoyed a sumptuous spread, including a buffet, popcorn, ice-cream, candy floss, churros, and activities like balloon sculpting and polaroid taking at the photo booth. Madam Inda, who attended the ceremony with her three children, was beaming with pride as she shared how her daughter, Marsha did well enough in her PSLE to make it to the Normal Academic stream. Marsha was one of the 30 recipients who received the CDI Inspire Award. It was indeed a fun and enjoyable time for everyone and I look forward to another exciting CDI ceremony next year.

COMMUNITY BUZZ

Lo-Hei Luncheon with Seniors By Wendy Tan Located in Ang Mo Kio, Cheng San, the new Cornerstone Senior Centre (CSC), an initiative of Cornerstone Community Services, is an integrated wellness centre that promotes the overall well-being of seniors so that they can age-in-place. Fully equipped with a living room, resource centre, gym, therapy room, multi-purpose room, thrift and snack shop, CSC offers programmes such as exercises, workshops, interest groups, outings; and provides services like senior befriending, home care/help, medical rehabilitation services and more. CSC offers a wide range of programmes and services catered for the seniors with the objective of strengthening their physical, emotional and mental well-being. This Chinese New Year, over 60 seniors and volunteers turned up at the very first Lo-Hei luncheon at Cornerstone Senior Centre. The event, held on 13 February, was organised with the aim of blessing the seniors staying around Cheng San area during the Chinese New Year season.

Everyone was in a festive and joyous mood, and they received a pleasant surprise when Mr Ang Hin Kee, Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC showed up to give out customised red packets to them. The special highlights of the event included a lion dance and song performances by the adorable children from MY World Preschool and Happy Babies group. The seniors were very delighted to see the young performers entertaining them, and it was a heart-warming sight to see the children serving food to the seniors during the lunch that followed. Volunteers were also there to show their support by mingling with the seniors, facilitating an ice-breaker game to engage them and assisting with the Lo-Hei session. At the end of the luncheon, the seniors were all smiles and came up to the staff and volunteers to express their appreciation for organising this event. It was truly wonderful to see an intergenerational gathering of both the old and young celebrating this significant festive season with love and joy. This is at the heart of CSC - to foster strong three generational bonds within the community.

LIVING TESTIMONIES

THE BIBLE COLLEGE OF WALES –

A Season of Preparation By Vivien Mery Sim

I was challenged though, on the point of finances. One day the Holy Spirit spoke to me, clear as the sky, to “pay the price” to know Him, and to not take up the financial subsidy that the church would eventually offer. Although this was a huge struggle, I finally accepted it and learnt to count it a worthy price. Along the way, I saw provision coming in different forms: generous friends and family, cheap flight tickets, a kind doctor who waived off a huge cost, and strangely – a case of delayed baggage that allowed me to claim the maximum amount from my insurer!

Six years ago when our leadership decided to purchase and restore The Bible College of Wales, I remember longing to one day be able to visit the place, and then admiring those who eventually went. Over the years I had expressed my desires to God in countless silent prayers, yet I knew that He would only send me there in His appointed time.

My BCW journey itself was marked with several incredibly raw and honest moments with God as well as people. From the first week, God began answering questions and doubts that had been upon my heart for the longest of time. He also brought to remembrance many prayers, promises, and prophecies that I received from a decade ago, and had long forgotten, assuring me that those were not stuff of youthful wishing but came from the depth of who He has made me to be. Over the three months, He continually revealed Himself as a faithful and covenant-keeping God. Though we may have forgotten and given up, yet He never forgets. He is patient while being zealously committed to our success and to finishing the work that He has started in each of us. It was a deeply restorative season; one I myself never knew I needed.

True enough when the time to go came around, I found that He had already paved the way ahead. Somehow it was a fitting time to release some of the responsibilities that I was holding on to, and I was also able to land a well-timed internship in the interim period after my university graduation and prior to BCW. Looking back now, I can see with even greater clarity how He had planned everything perfectly in good time. It was also during that interim period when I crossed paths with people whom I needed to reconnect with after the BCW term.

Yet while I was refreshed on a personal level, the experience also realigned us all to a higher vision as the Body of Christ. There was something we witnessed in the diversity of nations that was represented by the class, staff, and lecturers that had profoundly shaped our faith beyond the classroom. We trust also that God handpicks individuals and that every batch has a special assignment. Likewise, our dean, Cath Woolridge, had a word for our class: Battalion Deep. She shared that we are called to be a battalion that would usher in the revival presence of God and

It was my third day after arriving in Wales. As I took my first stroll around the Italian gardens, miles away from the familiar noise and hustle of life back in Singapore, I began to notice the divineness of the moment. It felt surreal that I was standing where I was.

go to great depths of encounter with Him. It was a word that increasingly resonated with everyone as we continually sought God and prayed for the nations together. The twice-weekly Blue Room prayer meetings was a particularly significant highlight. As a class, we were being trained to battle in prayer, intercession, and exuberant praise as we lifted nations and governments to the Lord. God always showed up and we would never fail to leave with an expanded heart and burden for the nations! While my stay was brief, going to BCW was one of the best investments I have made in life. The encounters, testimonies, and revelations that have been imparted will go a very long way. Months later, I still look back at the truths and lessons that God taught me at BCW to prepare me for my current assignment and His future plans for my life. If you are wondering whether BCW is for you, I challenge you to bring this before God and seek His mind on this. We are given a great privilege to have the Bible College as part of Cornerstone’s inheritance, and if you desire to go, surely He will make a way for you at the right time!

Bible College of Wales

The School of Ministry is a 3-month course designed as an intensive programme of learning, reflection and spiritual development. Based around a core curriculum of theological and practical training for ministry and leadership, it will equip you for a greater level of service in your calling.

Course Information

2019

2020

/ Autumn

2020

/ Spring

/ Autumn

2 Sep — 22 Nov

2 Mar — 22 May

31 Aug — 20 Nov

Registration opens: 01 Jan 2019

Registration opens: 01 Jul 2019

Registration opens: 01 Jan 20120

Registration closes: 31 May 2019*

Registration closes: 31 Dec 2019*

Registration closes: 31 May 2020*

01 Aug 2019

01 Feb 2020

01 Aug 2020

*for countries where applicants require pre-approved visa on arrival