弟兄姊妹主內平安：

農曆新年喜樂！願主的恩典一年比一年更豐富的臨到你！求主也使我們對祂話語的認識，一年比一年更加廣闊，讓我們對祂的愛，一年比更一年更加深厚，好使我們在祂裡面，能往下扎根，向上結果。在一年初始， 我們應該開始計劃在新的一年， 如何好好裝備自己， 並邀請人與自己一起好好追求主。

如何準備自己並邀請人參加聚會?

雖然目前仍屬冬季，但已有學生開始計劃如何在學校放春假時外出遊玩；所以現在是最好邀請人參加春假福音營的時機！很多人覺得邀請朋友參加教會的佈道會，已經是一件很難的事情，要他們參加中心幾天的福音營更是困難。以下幾點可以給我們一點提醒：

1. 儘早邀請人參加聚會 － 時間越晚，越不容易邀請。不要等到對方已買了機票才作邀請，此點一定無效。一般人出去渡假，都常是兩、三個月前就買好了機票，那麼我們預備自己參加聚會， 或邀請人來聚會是否更須要及早呢?
2. 自己先早早決定參加營會 － 要以身作則早早報名參加。千萬不要對對方說：「如果您去！我就陪您去，也會開車送您去。」福音朋友會在心中想：「聚會若是這麼好，為什麼您自己不去呢？」當然他就不想麻煩您送他或陪他去聚會了。我們應當對他們如此說：「我已經報名參加了這聚會，現在很誠懇地邀請您與我一同去參加此盛會」。
3. 平常就要多關心福音朋友－ 要完成主的大使命， 我們平常就要有這個心志，為主多得人。 要常常注意福音朋友的需要，多多去幫助他們，這讓他們感受到基督的愛與我們的愛，這是事前邀請的秘訣。
4. 隨時身上帶著報名單 － 把握每一個可能的機會作邀請的工作。請記得將報名單放在隨身的袋子裡，隨時為主工作。
5. 多次邀請 － 第一次雖被拒絕，但不要灰心，下週仍可繼續再作邀請的工作。多次的邀請，人心總會被感動。
6. 多人邀請 － 多人分別邀請，讓不同的人，按不同的恩賜與個性，從不同的角度與方式邀請，福音朋友會更加容易決定來參加聚會。
7. 跟進到最後一分鐘 － 在報名截止前再次邀請；出發去聚會前也再次電話提醒，免得對方雖已報了名，但若我們沒有跟進， 他們也很容易臨時退出。
8. 多多禱告 － 在整個過程中， 都要常常禱告，倚靠聖靈的大能， 方能成事。

三月福音營 (三月11晚至14日)：

三月福音營是傳福音的好時機，春假出遠門的人比較少，邀請人比較容易。很多學生聽了福音已有一段時日，現在正是收割的好時機。 因為春假過後不到兩個月，就是期末考、並準備畢業的時候，所以不要錯失傳福音的機會。 若我們現在就開始作邀請的工作，主必定會賜福我們手上所作的工。請我們弟兄姊妹首先就要快快報名參加，好帶動福音朋友也來參加。弟兄姊妹有時有錯誤的觀念， 認為福音營是給福音朋友的，所以弟兄姊妹不須去參加，免得多佔一個床位。其實弟兄姊妹若不來參加福音營，福音朋友也不會來參加。福音營中也有培靈與對基督徒的專題，可以滿足基督徒靈裡的需要。現在中心已蓋了很多宿舍， 也有兒童節目， 所以歡迎有家庭的弟兄姊妹來參加。現在就讓我們及早報名，並多多為福音朋友禱告，儘早作邀請工作。這次福音營的主題正是：「生命的抉擇」， 所以您及福音朋友豈可錯過?

福音營的講員是：馮偉牧師、與徐學舜長老，加州短宣隊也會來幫忙並分享專題。欲知詳情及下載報名表， 請至中心網站查詢。報名表也將儘速於近日寄至各教會與團契。

聖地進修團 (以色列歷史與基督生平)–以色列與約但(6月20日至7月1日)：

在我們一生中，若能夠親踏主耶穌所走過、所生活過的地方，這不僅讓我們能更身入其境地了解聖經， 更能讓我們體會耶穌的一生，明白祂為我們所作的、與所受的苦，使我們愛主更深。聖地進修團（只限基督徒參加）不是一個旅遊團，乃是要幫助弟兄姊妹更能了解聖經的歷史與地理，好讓我們更認識基督、與舊約的列祖與先知產生共鳴、知道新約中使徒與聖徒的教訓， 因為他們所行與所作的， 都深印在我們眼前，使我們更易了解聖經的教訓。

這次我們聖地進修團的特點是: 期間較長、要去的地方很多 (包括一般聖地進修團不會去的地方)、但費用卻是儘量減至最低。 所以除了一般常去及必去的地方外，還包括不少過去沒有去過的地方，如大衛最早的京城及亞伯拉罕與列祖常居之地：希伯崙及別是巴；撒瑪利亞婦人與耶穌談話的：敍加與雅各的水井；北國的京城撒瑪利亞等地； 行程也包括約但：約但河東兩個半支派之地，並外邦人：亞捫、摩押與以東等地。欲知詳情及下載報名表， 請至中心網站查詢。報名表也將儘速寄至各教會與團契。因機票費用越晚越貴， 請及早預留時間參加。

代禱事項：

1. 為冬令會信主的弟兄姊妹禱告，求主幫助他們繼續追求與成長！並能參加五月份的門徒與同工訓練營。
2. 為三月福音營的準備工作禱告，求主預備人心參加。
3. 為福音營的邀請工作禱告，求主的靈感動弟兄姊妹早日報名，並早早邀請福音朋友參加。
4. 為福音營的講員禱告，求主的靈工作，加添他們智慧與話語，在這新時代帶出新一代的果效。
5. 為迦南樓洗手間的加建禱告，求主使工程順利，能在福音營時完成使用。
6. 潘曉明弟兄因應他在加州母會的需求，將於短期內遷回加州，在母會事奉。求主保守他們一家的搬遷，並為密西西比州、阿拉巴馬州及田納西州各校園及教會的需要禱告。
7. 為五月門徒訓練營禱告，求主現在就預備弟兄姐妹追求的心志，不僅裝備自己成為主的門徒，又為眾教會建立新的生力軍。
8. 為江姊妹本月忙碌的年度稅務工作禱告，所有弟兄姐妹去年的奉獻收據， 將約於二月中 旬左右寄出， 謝謝您的耐心及等待。
9. 為六月聖地進修團的籌備工作禱告，求主帶領，並為弟兄姊妹開路來參加。
10. 為六月青少年門徒訓練營禱告，求主預備年青人的心來參加。
11. 中心需要更多對校園有負擔的同工一起在美中服事， 請代導並求主預備。
12. 為中心各同工的身體、靈命與事奉禱告，求主賜福。

敬祝以馬內利

高榮德敬上

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Peace to you in our Lord.

Happy Chinese New Year! May the grace of the Lord be yours even more abundantly than last year! Year after year, may the Lord makes our understanding of His word grow in more areas and our love for Him grow deeper, so we may take root in the ground and bear fruit in Him. In the start of the year, we should start planning how to equip ourselves and invite others to pursue the Lord with us in this new year.

How to prepare ourselves and invite others to attend meetings?

Even though winter remains with us, many students are making plans for where they will go during spring break. Therefore, now is the best time to invite people to attend the Gospel Camp during spring break! However, people feel that since inviting friends to an hour or two of church may fail, persuading people to spend a few days at the CWC Gospel Camp is even harder. Maybe. Maybe not. Here are some considerations for success.

1. Invite people as early as possible—The longer you wait, the more challenging it is to extend the invitation. Don’t wait until people already bought plane tickets for their vacation. Instead, simply note that people usually purchase plane tickets two or three months before their vacation time. So we should start even earlier in preparing ourselves for the meetings and inviting others.
2. Make an early decision yourself to attend the meeting—Be an example in registering early. Never say to someone, “If you go, I’ll go with you, and give you a ride.” The nonbelievers would think to himself, “If the meeting is so good, why depend on me?” Therefore, that person wouldn’t want to cause you extra work. What we should say is, “I have already registered to attend this meeting, so now I sincerely invite you to attend this wonderful meeting with me.”
3. Care about gospel friends routinely—To accomplish the Great Commission, we need to have a heart for people in our daily lives, to win people for the Lord. We need to routinely pay attention to the needs of gospel friends, to help them as much as we can, so they can feel the love of Christ and our love for them. This is the secret to being able to do invitations.
4. Carry the registration forms with you at all times—Seize every potential opportunity to invite people. Please remember to put registration forms in your bag, working for the Lord at all times.
5. Invite multiple times—After being rejected the first time, do not be discouraged. Again invite them the following week. Invite them many times and their hearts will be moved.
6. Invite through multiple people—Multiple people inviting on separate occasions will presents different approaches and from different angles, according to their different spiritual gifts and personalities. Gospel friends will more likely decide to attend the meetings.
7. Follow up until the very last minute—Invite them again right before the registration deadline. Call them again to remind them before leaving for the meeting. Even if they registered, they can might back out at the last minute. Follow up with them!
8. Much prayer—Throughout the entire process, pray continuously. It’s only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we accomplish anything.

March Gospel Camp (Evening of March 11th through 14th):

March Gospel Camp is a good opportunity for sharing the gospel. Long-distance vacation trips during spring break are few, so it’s easier to invite them to our meeting. Many students have heard the gospel for a while, and now is the good time for harvest. Less than two months after spring break is the time for final exams and preparing for graduation. Don’t miss the opportunity to share the gospel. If we invite them now, the Lord will bless the work of our hands. Please have our brothers and sisters register early, in order to motivate the gospel friends to also attend. Sometimes brothers and sisters have the incorrect notion that Gospel Camp is for the unbelievers, that brothers and sisters don’t need to attend, and Christians might be taking up sleeping room space which gospel friends should use first. In reality, if brothers and sisters don’t attend the meeting, gospel friends will not attend, either. Gospel Camp also has revival topics and other workshops designed for Christians, which can satisfy the spiritual needs of the Christians. CWC has built many dormitories, and there is a children’s program, so we welcome brothers and sisters with families to attend. Now let us register early and pray fervently for gospel friends, to invite them ahead of time. The theme for this year’s Gospel Camp is, “Decision of Life.” How can you or gospel friends miss on this?

The speakers for Gospel Camp are: Pastor Wei Feng and Elder Rupert Hsu. California Short-Term Mission Teams will also come and help with workshop sharing. Please go to the CWC website for details and the registration form. The registration forms will be mailed to each church and fellowship in the near future.

Holy Land Study Trip (History of Israel and Life of Christ)—Israel and Jordan (June 20th through July 1st):

During our lifetime, if we can walk on the places Lord Jesus has trod and lived, that experience will not only improve our perspective on the Bible, it will also help us know the life of Jesus, understand what He has done for us and suffered for us, all to help us love the Lord deeper. Holy Land Study Trip (Christians only) is not a tour group. Its purpose is to help brothers and sisters better understand the history and geography of the Bible, so we may know Christ better, to resonate with the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament, to know the teachings of the New Testament apostles and saints. What these ancients did impresses our eyes, and helps our minds better appreciate the teachings of the Bible.

Our Holy Land Study Trip this time is unique in that it is of longer duration. It covers more ground—including places usually not visited by other Holy Land Study Trips—yet the cost is the lowest in several years. Besides the usual must-see places, we will visit many places we had never been to before, such as Hebron, Beersheba, David’s first capital city, and the land where Abraham and the patriarchs lived; Jacob’s well at Sychar, where the Samaritan Woman spoke with Jesus; Samaria, the capital city of the Northern kingdom; and more. The itinerary also includes Jordan; the land belonging to the two and a half tribes east of the Jordan River; the land of the Gentiles, such as Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites. Please see the CWC website for details and the registration form. Registration forms will be mailed to each church and fellowship soon. Since plane tickets will be more expensive as the time draws closer, please reserve time to attend as early as possible.

Prayer Requests:

1. Pray for the brothers and sisters who believed in the Lord at the Winter Conference, that the Lord will help them continue to seek Him and grow! Pray they will be able to attend the Discipleship and Coworker Training in May.
2. Pray for the preparation work for the March Gospel Camp. May the Lord prepare people’s hearts to attend.
3. Pray for the invitation work for Gospel Camp, that the Spirit of the Lord will move brothers and sisters to register early and invite gospel friends well ahead of time.
4. Pray for the speakers for Gospel Camp. May the Spirit of the Lord work to add to them wisdom and words, that they will bear a new generation of fruit in this new age.
5. Pray for the restroom expansion project for Canaan Hall. May the Lord lead the work to go smoothly, so it may be completed and usable in time for Gospel Camp.
6. Brother Xiaoming Pan is responding to a need in his home church in California and will be moving back to California in the near future and serving there. May the Lord watch over his family as they move, and pray for the needs of campus ministry and churches in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee.
7. Pray for May Discipleship Training. Starting now, may the Lord prepare the hearts of brothers and sisters to seek Him, that they equip themselves to be the Lord’s disciples and build up new workers for the churches.
8. Pray for Sister Cindy Chiang’s busy schedule due to annual tax matters this month. All offering receipts from last year will be mailed to brothers and sisters around mid-February. Thank you for your patience.
9. Pray for preparation work for June Holy Land Study Trip. May God lead us and open the way for brothers and sisters to attend.
10. Pray for June Youth Discipleship Training Camp, that the Lord would prepare the hearts of the youths to attend
11. CWC needs more coworkers with a burden for campus ministry to serve together in the Midwest. Pray the Lord will provide.
12. Pray for each CWC coworker’s health, spiritual life, and ministry. May God bless them.

Immanuel,

Billy Ko (Pastor)