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While serving with the dance team during the G12 Conference, I reflected upon our worship services to God and the statement shared from somone’s observations that FCBC’s services looked like 5566 concert. As I saw the multitudes of worshippers gathered together with a single desire to give worth to our God at every worship sessions during G12 conference, I came to a realisation…that our worship services IS a concert to God! The lightings, video and sound systems, musicians and their instruments, chorale, singers, dancers, the confetti and balloons and all, are all part of the mega extravagant concert that we put up for our one, and only, and mostimportant concert audience…God Himself.

And there is a big difference between a normal concert vs. a worship concert; That is the congregation is part of the components. In a normal concert, the audience paid money, sit there and expect to be entertained and be pleased. In a worship concert, it’s the other way round, that God is to be pleased with what we put up for Him.

People say what extravangance a church would put in, in terms of the money and effort towards their worship services. Is it a waste?

Certainly not.

The root word of worship comes from “giving worth”. So remember that worship, is giving worth to our God, who is worthy! I say, we continue to give extravagant worship to God, because God deserves the extravagence!

Written by: Shi Xiong (Ps Danny & Evelyn’s Tribe)

I think the Lord showed me something that maybe I had always known but refused to believe during the G12 conference. How can many of us call ourselves Christian and yet only behave like one in church or amongst a church community. In church, we’re polite and we seem so “pure” but once out of church, say, in school, we continue to sin. Continue to swear, continue to hate, continue to lie, continue to disobey God. We sometimes tend to tell ourselves “oh, there’s still another time to repent and everything will be alright.”But the truth is that we’re just lying to ourselves, trying to justify ourselves. Well, I don’t know if that’s what happening but I know that I was kinda like that. This is something that i’m ashamed of. I guess this G12 conference was a wake up call. I have to be the best I can, to follow Christ in every way. Its not about our image but our process and progress. Why be hypocrites? I hope that everyone will be able to proudly say, ”I’m a part time student BUT a full time Christian!” =]

The G12 conference also showed me that all glory belongs to the Lord. As in ALL and EVERYTHING we have belongs to the Lord. I realized that sometimes, we have to sacrifice some things we really love. That’s probably the hardest step I have to learn to take, its probably one of the hardest things to do too. And we may sometimes question the Lord, asking him “Why? Why take something we love away from us.?’ We may wonder that if He loves us and want us to be happy, why take the thing we love and let us feel grief? And the answer for that is simple. It is because He is our Father. He created us and He knows what’s best for us. He knows us better than anyone on earth and better than even ourselves. Sometimes, we have to just offer everything up to Him and let Him lead the way.

Dear Lord, Father, I pray that everyone will be able to put all their trusts and faith in You and that we’d all be able to grow even more strongly with Your words and wisdom. Father, I pray that through us , more will come to know You as their God. May everyone be a blessing to others and dear Lord, bless also the person reading this. In Jesus’ holy name, Amen =]

Written by: Jolyn Lai (Ps Danny & Evelyn’s Tribe)

 This year’s G12 Conference was a conference of firsts for me. It was the first time I sat there and not wished I was someplace else and it was also the first time I tried so hard to keep awake after meals, in a lecture/conference setting. Jokes aside, let’s cut to the chase – What have I learnt from this year’s conference?

I never fail to be amazed at how Pastor Cesar engages us in that fatherly manner of his. Never the bible thumping speaker, his messages sounded to me like how a father would speak when teaching his son how to ride a bicycle. Gentle and encouraging yet firm when necessary. However, the message that made me sit up and listen intently, came from Daniel Khong. Not so much for the novelty factor of listening to him preach though. The message he brought sounded deceptively simple but in reality it’s pretty complex.

Entering into the Kingdom of Light

1. Love God and not the world

2. Be Christ-Like and not just Christian

The main gist of the message revolved around Jesus’ reply when asked what is the greatest commandment (Mark 12:28-34).

1) Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.

2) Love your neighbour as yourself.

Paul further condensed these 2 down into just one commandment. Now, that sounds pretty simple to follow.

The whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” (Galatians 5:14).

Neighbour? The hypocritcal, showoff, foul mouthed classmate/colleague that we have. Check. The guy sitting next to us in the train/bus who smells and looks like he has not bathed in months, the very same guy who just unhygienically spat on the floor a few seconds ago. Check. The magnitude of it started to sink in at this moment and what made it more stunning was the word ‘Commandment’. Ok.. That means it’s not optional, not something we can close one eye to.

Without loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, I daresay it’s impossible to love your neighbour as yourself. For me though, I’ll start progressively by loving my brothers as I would myself (John 13:34-35) and I pray that someday I would be able to love everyone… like Jesus would.

Written by: Benjamin Lee (Ps Danny & Evelyn’s Tribe)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

John 14:1-4  

I was strongly blessed with this verse repeatedly since 6^th January 2007 during SP.Primers Stayover Camp.

I remembered on the last day of the camp, Kenny woke us up in the morning for worship. It was supposed to be only us, Christian. But suddenly all year ones came in the room and sat down with us too. In my mind, I was like thinking; they must have thought we’re having some morning games or breakfast. Then, Kenny shared with them that we would be doing worship and they’re welcome to join us. I was afraid of the respond the year ones would gave as most of them are non-Christian and some don’t really like us to pray or worship in front of them. The respond? Some of them leave the room while a few remain sat down with us. But that does not affect Kenny, as he continued to start the worship session

However, it affected me. Somehow, I can’t worship the Lord at all; fear and worry build up inside me. I was worried at how the year ones who sat down with us would look at me worshiping the Lord.

After the worship, Kenny invited us to take a corner and spend our time with God. I got up and went to the next room as I don’t know how to face the year ones in the same room.

Before I was even praying to God, a voice spoke inside me. “Why are you afraid?” “What are you afraid of?” “Are you afraid to acknowledge me in front of others?”

Tears filled my eyes as I admitted to the question. Yes Lord, I’m afraid. I need your power. Then, I feel a strong urge to open my bible. Without thinking, I flipped open my bible. As I opened my eyes, the verse from John 14:1-4 fixed my eyes on it. “Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me.” I felt so amazingly comfort by these words as I cried out to God even more.  

The verse appeared to me many times whenever I felt the lack of faith and courage in me to admit to others out there that I am a Christian and even to say a pray or worship in front of them.

But the Lord has been working through this with me and especially after the Encounter Weekend (2^nd-4^th March), I felt so much more lighten, free and heal.     

Today, I can jump up and shout, “I’m a daughter of God!”  

So brothers and sisters, I hope my testimonial would even bring courage and faith to some of you who’re afraid to admit to others that you’re a son/daughter of God. Seek for the Lord, you’ll be amazingly touched by Him just like I am. Amen! 

Written by: Diana (Ps Danny & Evelyn’s Tribe)

Before going to the Encounter Weekend (2nd – 4th Mar) anchored by Ps Rol & Ps Lai Fun, I was unsure whether to go as a guide or a participant. Taking on the role of a guide to minister to the people at the Encounter seemed like a challenge to me as I felt that I was not spiritually ready and I had worries such as what if I didn’t know how to minister to others. Taking on the role of a participant seemed like an easier option where I could just be ministered by others together with my sisters whom had just joined my cell group. But after praying and also hearing an advice of a brother who said,

“People go Encounters to encounter God, NOT guides”,

  

I decided to go as a guide. And after the Encounter, I did not regret my decision because God showed me that as long as my heart is willing, He will partner me with the Holy Spirit to minister to His people. Though I went as guide with the intention of just serving my fellow brothers and sisters, God had some surprises in store for me.

During the session of “Receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit”, I fell under His power and I felt immense pain in my heart as if the pain of the whole world was inflicted on me. I was very puzzled as I knew that I had hurts but the magnitude of them was not that great so I kept asking God why was I in such pain. And He revealed what pain could do to a person. The current hurts that I was holding to were not enough to make me experience the pain that I was feeling when I fell under His power but if I continued to hold onto them, they would kept snowballing and one day I would experience that kind of immense pain which was indeed very excruciating. I believe God is teaching me to renew my heart by releasing every single negative emotion to him regularly even when I think they are insignificant for we do not want to allow the devil any opportunities to inflict prolonged or immense pain on us. God has indeed blessed us in this Encounter and by faith I will continued to believe that
 

“He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” ~Philippians 1:6~.

  

Written by: Michelle (Korine’s Tribe)