Letter from the Director-2012-07

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July 2012 Dear mission partners, In the first week of June, COCM staff from all over the world came for our annual staff retreat. This year, we had more than 60 people including some of our associate members and volunteers from mission cen tre. The theme of the retreat is “Serving from a Place of Rest”. We spent time to study and meditate upon the words from 1 King 19 and John 4. The conversation between God and Elijah became our inspiration and the life of Jesus and his ministry on earth also taught us how to serve from our weakness. It is through God’s word that we were prompted to look at our own life journeys and to reflect upon how God changed us along the way of our spiritual journeys with him. As missionaries, all staff workers are in volved in all sorts of ministry and some are even wearing several different hats. Most of us are very busy as we face a large mission field with so few workers. Therefore, it is very much needed for us to stop and retreat from the busyness. We came to realise that we can never be effective in our ministry without re flection of past experience and continuous recognition of God’s sovereign power in our lives. Please pray that all of our staff workers will be instruments for noble purposes, make holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work (2 Timothy 2: 21). Our COCM mission centre was busy in the third week of June (1822 June) as we organised a June Bible Camp. Many students and young adults came and spent a whole week studying the book of Hebrews to gether. Rev. and Mrs. Allen Chi, who came all the way from Atlanta USA, taught the participants how to use inductive Bible study as a method to study the Bible independently. Their teachings were substantial as well as lively. Many students can not wait to try out this method and carry back what they learnt dur ing this week to their respective Bible study groups. Our June Bible Camp was one of the modules in a series, which is part of our B.E.S.T. (Biblical Enrichment Short Term) programme. We are encouraged to see that many people are interested in this programme. Please pray that this programme will equip young people and help them to deep rooted in the Word of God. In this coming September, another team from Canada will come to help with another Bible Camp. They will focus on the teaching of the book of Job. I myself is looking forward to learning with many other students again. The first Sunday of July, I was invited to preach and to conduct a baptismal service at Bristol Chinese Bap tist Church (BCBC). I also brought along several of our COCM young volunteers with me to BCBC so that they could be exposed to the mission field in the UK. During the baptismal service, 8 people committed their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ and openly testified the life changing power of Jesus Christ through baptism. Bristol Chinese Baptist Church is not a big church but most of its congregation consists of stu dents and young families coming from mainland China. This is also the people group that COCM will prior itise our resources to reach out to in the next decade. Though the church is still in its early development stage, it has great potential to thrive if we can seize this opportunity to share the Good News with these mainland Chinese students and young adults, and to disciple them to be the genuine followers of Jesus Christ. Please join me to pray for the leadership of the church and unity of the church congregation that they will faithfully carry out this vision so that our partnership in the gospel will bear good fruit. Serving together in Christ, Rev. Henry Lu General Director

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In the first week of June, COCM staff from all over the world came for our annual staff retreat. This year, we had more than 60 people including some of our associate members and volunteers from mission centre. The heme of he retreat is “Serving from a Place of Rest”.

Transcript of Letter from the Director-2012-07

Page 1: Letter from the Director-2012-07

   July  2012    Dear  mission  partners,    In  the  first  week  of  June,  COCM  staff  from  all  over  the  world  came  for  our  annual  staff  retreat.  This  year,  we  had  more  than  60  people  including  some  of  our  associate  members  and  volunteers  from  mission  cen-­‐tre.  The  theme  of  the  retreat  is  “Serving  from  a  Place  of  Rest”.  We  spent  time  to  study  and  meditate  upon  the  words  from  1  King  19  and  John  4.  The  conversation  between  God  and  Elijah  became  our  inspiration  and   the   life   of   Jesus   and   his   ministry   on   earth   also   taught   us   how   to   serve   from   our   weakness.   It   is  through  God’s  word  that  we  were  prompted  to  look  at  our  own  life  journeys  and  to  reflect  upon  how  God  changed   us   along   the  way   of   our   spiritual   journeys  with   him.   As  missionaries,   all   staff  workers   are   in-­‐volved  in  all  sorts  of  ministry  and  some  are  even  wearing  several  different  hats.  Most  of  us  are  very  busy  as  we  face  a  large  mission  field  with  so  few  workers.  Therefore,  it  is  very  much  needed  for  us  to  stop  and  retreat  from  the  busyness.  We  came  to  realise  that  we  can  never  be  effective  in  our  ministry  without  re-­‐flection  of  past  experience  and  continuous  recognition  of  God’s  sovereign  power  in  our  lives.  Please  pray  that  all  of  our  staff  workers  will  be  instruments  for  noble  purposes,  make  holy,  useful  to  the  Master  and  prepared  to  do  any  good  work  (2  Timothy  2:  21).     Our  COCM  mission  centre  was  busy  in  the  third  week  of  June  (18-­‐22  June)  as  we  organised  a  June  Bible  Camp.  Many  students  and  young  adults  came  and  spent  a  whole  week  studying  the  book  of  Hebrews  to-­‐gether.  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Allen  Chi,  who  came  all  the  way  from  Atlanta  USA,  taught  the  participants  how  to  use  inductive  Bible  study  as  a  method  to  study  the  Bible  independently.  Their  teachings  were  substantial  as  well  as  lively.  Many  students  can  not  wait  to  try  out  this  method  and  carry  back  what  they  learnt  dur-­‐ing  this  week  to  their   respective  Bible  study  groups.  Our   June  Bible  Camp  was  one  of   the  modules   in  a  series,  which  is  part  of  our  B.E.S.T.  (Biblical  Enrichment  Short  Term)  programme.  We  are  encouraged  to  see   that   many   people   are   interested   in   this   programme.   Please   pray   that   this   programme   will   equip  young  people  and  help  them  to  deep  rooted  in  the  Word  of  God.  In  this  coming  September,  another  team  from  Canada  will  come  to  help  with  another  Bible  Camp.  They  will  focus  on  the  teaching  of  the  book  of  Job.  I  myself  is  looking  forward  to  learning  with  many  other  students  again.    The  first  Sunday  of  July,  I  was  invited  to  preach  and  to  conduct  a  baptismal  service  at  Bristol  Chinese  Bap-­‐tist  Church  (BCBC).  I  also  brought  along  several  of  our  COCM  young  volunteers  with  me  to  BCBC  so  that  they  could  be  exposed  to  the  mission  field  in  the  UK.  During  the  baptismal  service,  8  people  committed  their   lives   to   the  Lord   Jesus  Christ  and  openly   testified   the   life   changing  power  of   Jesus  Christ   through  baptism.  Bristol  Chinese  Baptist  Church   is  not  a  big  church  but  most  of   its  congregation  consists  of  stu-­‐dents  and  young  families  coming  from  mainland  China.  This  is  also  the  people  group  that  COCM  will  prior-­‐itise  our  resources  to  reach  out  to  in  the  next  decade.  Though  the  church  is  still  in  its  early  development  stage,  it  has  great  potential  to  thrive  if  we  can  seize  this  opportunity  to  share  the  Good  News  with  these  mainland  Chinese  students  and  young  adults,  and  to  disciple  them  to  be  the  genuine  followers  of  Jesus  Christ.  Please  join  me  to  pray  for  the  leadership  of  the  church  and  unity  of  the  church  congregation  that  they  will  faithfully  carry  out  this  vision  so  that  our  partnership  in  the  gospel  will  bear  good  fruit.      Serving  together  in  Christ,                                                                                                                                              Rev.  Henry  Lu                                                                                                                                                                                                      General  Director  

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   二零一二年七月    親愛的宣教夥伴們,            六月的第一個星期,有超過 60 位 COCM 的同工們從世界各地前來參加我們一年一度的同工退修會,其中更包括了我們的特約同工和在中心服事的年輕義工。此次退修會的主題是“安息,得力,事奉主”。我們在每個早晨都花時間學習和默想神的話語,包括列王記上第十九章和約翰福音第四章的內容。神與先知以利亞的對話給予我們很多啟示,而耶穌在地上的生命和

祂的服事也教導我們如何在我們的軟弱中來繼續事奉。神的話語再一次激勵我們來審視自己屬

世的生命並看到神如何在我們屬靈生命的旅程中塑造改變我們。作為宣教士,我們所有的同工

都同時參與多項不同的服事,面對廣大的禾場和人手的短缺,我們中的大多數同工平時都格外

繁忙。因此,我們很需要從忙碌中退下來休息。我們也漸漸意識到,有效的服事必需要常常停

下來反思過去的經驗,同時也需要不斷調整我們的焦點,知道神在我們的生命中作王掌權。請

為我們的同工禱告,求神幫助我們每一個人成為貴重的器皿,成為聖潔,合乎主用,預備行各

樣的善事(提摩太後書二章 21節)。            六月的第三個星期,我們的宣教中心迎來了六月的讀經營。很多學生和年輕人聚集在一起,拿出一個星期的時間來學習整卷希伯來書。來自美國亞特蘭大的齊一仁牧師和師母是這次讀經

營的主要講員,他們運用歸納式查經法來幫助弟兄姊妹學習解經,內容扎實且形式多樣,很多

學生學完後都躍躍欲試,並準備將他們所學的帶回到他們各自的團契中來運用。六月的這個讀

經營也是我們 B.E.S.T.  (Biblical   Enrichment   Short   Term)訓練課程的其中一個科目。我們很高興看到有很多人對這個訓練課程很感興趣,我們也禱告,盼望這個訓練課程能裝備更多年輕人

並幫助他們在神的話語上扎根。今年九月,從加拿大來的另外一支隊伍將前來幫助我們開展九

月的讀經營,而屆時學習的內容則是整卷約伯記,我也十分盼望到時能跟這些學生一起來學習

神的話語。            七月的第一個主日,我受邀前往布里斯托華人浸信會講道並主持受洗儀式,同時,我也帶上了中心的一群年輕義工一同前往,好讓他們對英國的宣教工場有更多體驗和認識。在當日的

受洗儀式中,一共有八位弟兄姊妹受洗歸入主名,並在眾人面前藉著洗禮公開見證耶穌基督改

變生命的大能。布里斯托華人浸信會不是一間很大的教會而且會眾大部份都是從中國大陸前來

的學生和年輕家庭,但這群人卻恰好是 COCM 在未來五到十年的時間中將優先關注的宣教群體。儘管這間教會仍然處在初期發展階段,但是如果我們能抓住現今的機會來向這群大陸的學生和

年輕家庭傳福音並訓練他們作主門徒,那麼教會在未來將會有巨大的發展潛力。COCM 也願意支持在英國和歐洲各地像這樣的教會,幫助他們成長和發展。請大家跟我一起為教會的領袖和

教會的合一來禱告,求神幫助他們能忠心實踐他們的異象,也求神祝福我們之間的福音夥伴關

系,並在這樣的合作中結出美好的果子。      在主裡與你們同工的,          呂子峰牧師  總幹事  

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 二零一二年七月  亲爱的宣教伙伴们,            六月的第一个星期,有超过60位COCM的同工们从世界各地前来参加我们一年一度的同工退修会,其中更包括了我们的特约同工和在中心服事的年轻义工。此次退修会的主题是“安息,

得力,事奉主”。我们在每个早晨都花时间学习和默想神的话语,包括列王记上第十九章和约

翰福音第四章的内容。神与先知以利亚的对话给予我们很多启示,而耶稣在地上的生命和他的

服事也教导我们如何在我们的软弱中来继续事奉。神的话语再一次激励我们来审视自己属世的

生命并看到神如何在我们属灵生命的旅程中塑造改变我们。作为宣教士,我们所有的同工都同

时参与多项不同的服事,面对广大的禾场和人手的短缺,我们中的大多数同工平时都格外繁忙。

因此,我们很需要从忙碌中退下来休息。我们也渐渐意识到,有效的服事必需要常常停下来反

思过去的经验,同时也需要不断调整我们的焦点,知道神在我们的生命中作王掌权。请为我们

的同工祷告,求神帮助我们每一个人成为贵重的器皿,成为圣洁,合乎主用,预备行各样的善

事(提摩太后书二章21节)。          六月的第三个星期,我们的宣教中心迎来了六月的读经营。很多学生和年轻人聚集在一起,拿出一个星期的时间来学习整卷希伯来书。来自美国亚特兰大的齐一仁牧师和师母是这次读经

营的主要讲员,他们运用归纳式查经法来帮助弟兄姊妹学习解经,内容扎实且形式多样,很多

学生学完后都跃跃欲试,并准备将他们所学的带回到他们各自的团契中来运用。六月的这个读

经营也是我们B.E.S.T.  (Biblical  Enrichment  Short  Term)训练课程的其中一个科目。我们很高兴看到有很多人对这个训练课程很感兴趣,我们也祷告,盼望这个训练课程能装备更多年轻人并

帮助他们在神的话语上扎根。今年九月,从加拿大来的另外一支队伍将前来帮助我们开展九月

的读经营,而届时学习的内容则是整卷约伯记,我也十分盼望到时能跟这些学生一起来学习神

的话语。          七月的第一个主日,我受邀前往布里斯托华人浸信会讲道并主持受洗仪式,同时,我也带上了中心的一群年轻义工一同前往,好让他们对英国的宣教工场有更多的体验和认识。在当日

的受洗仪式中,一共有八位弟兄姊妹受洗归入主名,并在众人面前藉着洗礼公开见证耶稣基督

改变生命的大能。布里斯托华人浸信会不是一间很大的教会而且会众大部份都是从中国大陆前

来的学生和年轻家庭,但这群人却恰好是COCM在未来五到十年的时间中将优先关注的宣教群体。尽管这间教会仍然处在初期发展阶段,但是如果我们能抓住现今的机会来向这群大陆的学

生和年轻家庭传福音并训练他们作主门徒,那么教会在未来将会有巨大的发展潜力。COCM也愿意支持在英国和欧洲各地像这样的教会,帮助他们成长和发展。请大家跟我一起为教会的领

袖和教会的合一来祷告,求神帮助他们能忠心实践他们的异象,也求神祝福我们之间的福音伙

伴关系,并在这样的合作中结出美好的果子。      在主里与你们同工的,        吕子峰牧师  总干事  

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Worshipping  and  serving  together  as  a  big  COCM  family  在COCM這個大家庭中,大家一同敬拜服事

The  staff  workers  holding  “Love  your  neighbor  as  yourself”  (four  Chinese  characters)  

同工們手中的字拼湊成“愛人如己”

Young  people  were  learning  God’s  word  together  at  Bible  Camp  

年輕人在讀經營中熱切學習神的話語 A  group  of  young  people  with  Rev.  Chi  at  Bible  Camp  

齊牧師和一群年輕人在讀經營中

8  brothers  and  sisters  openly  testified  the  life  changing  power  of  

Jesus  Christ  through  baptism 八位受洗歸入主名的弟兄姊妹  

Several  young  volunteers  from  COCM  mission  centre  went  to  Bristol  with  me  together  

COCM宣教中心的幾位年輕義工與我一同前往布里斯托