Since our arrival in Hong Kong on Jan. 3rd, Jane and I have been sleeping on our mattresses on the floor at our new apartment in Tiu Keng Leng for almost three weeks. Although boxes are everywhere, we were welcomed by the love and support of the staff and other disciples, like Sam and Ivan of the NTW Sector. In the days to come, we plan to visit different Regions for about a month each, until we have the chance to get to know as many disciples as we can. Hopefully, by the time our other two older daughters, Asiana and Chyna, arrive in Hong Kong from San Antonio, Texas, we would have decided to base in one of the Regions.
In these short three weeks, myself and the other 8 Evangelists of the China Mission Council have gone on a 62-hour Prayer and Fasting Retreat in southern China. Tomorrow, we will have our first All Church Staff Meeting in 2007. Then, every Tuesday from now on, the Regional Leaders will get together to pray and meet together for discipleship and synergy. We are committed to be unified and faithful to the leadership role that we are called to.
As we start the year 2007, two words are on my mind. One is an old Hebrew word, �Kadash,� which means 懀o be set apart and consecrated.� Although it is translated 蘔oly� in English, the real meaning in the original Hebrew has something to do with being different. Even in its Greek counterpart, �haggios,� the word that is sometimes translated into 𦽳aints,� also simply means 𦽳et apart.� This concept of being 𦽳et apart� should remind us that, as disciples, we must be different from the world, in our thoughts, values, actions, decisions, etc. Are we different from our colleagues, relatives, and classmates in these areas? Or, are our differences only limited to our church-going habits?
The other word is a Greek word, �koinonia,� which means community, fellowship, something common or shared. As a church, we embody a living example of such concept. Our commitment to one another and fellowship at the deepest level show we have koinonia with Christ and one another. Are we still committed to the meeting of the body? Do we make the effort to get with brothers and sisters for discipleship and deep fellowship?
Let us kadash from this world as we strive to live differently from the values and rat race of this world; let us also remain in the koinonia with one another, so that the Church can indeed become the hope to this lost world.
Steve Chin
Lead Evangelist
January 22, 2007 |
