Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings from the Christian Witness Center in Warsaw, Missouri. May the grace and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and your family!
Meetings Concentration Months
I always thought December and early January are CWC’s busiest months.Three heavy meetings are held in those two months. Now that May is here, I realized the coming two months will also be quite busy, with four intensive meetings ahead. Ipray and wish that you can attend at least one of the meetings and be equipped in the Lord.
- May Discipleship Training (May 20-25)
This meeting is set up for ALL the children of God, no matter how long you have been in the Lord. The Lord has prepared two speakers for us—Pastor Timothy Lin and Daniel Shen. They will teach us from the Bible on serving, Christian character, Christian growing, and discipleship. However, this particular Discipleship Training is not one extra meeting pouring more head-knowledge unto your brain. You can use this period practically, in fellowship with other brothers and sisters from other churches. Likewise, serving one another by cleaning the rooms, washing the dishes, sweeping the floor, praying together, and talking with those Godly speakers, will refresh you in your spiritual journey.You can not gain such opportunities through listening to recorded sermons. So, please mark your calendar and prepare your heart to come. - Lay-Minister Discipleship Training (May 25 to 28)
We know the difficulties people face to arrange days off from work to attend the longer meetings. This Memorial Day weekend meeting is for you, so that you can also be refreshed in the Lord for serving, Bible growth, and other equipping. Joining pastor Timothy Lin and Daniel Shen, Pastor Phil Chiang will be in this meeting. We ask that students (ie. F-1 student visas) and housewives without school-age kids, please attend the Regular Training to give more space in this Memorial Day Weekend Training to those with full-time jobs (ie. H-1 visa holders). Forms for both May Discipleship Training meetings are posted on the web, to download and send to the Center.Earlier is better! This will help us prepare the food, handouts, and rooms for you. - Youth Discipleship Training (June 10-16)
For all the youth who will enter into 7th grade and above and are born-again Christians, this meeting is for you. Our speakers will be Pastor Peter Fong, Pastor Jason McCray and Mr.Barry Edwards (Warsaw High School teacher). All the forms (application and canoe consent forms, etc.) are also posted on the web. Please apply as soon as you can! - Paul’s Missionary Journey Holy Land trip (June 17-28)
So far we have 35 adults and children signed for this trip. Praise the Lord! This number is more than we expected. Even during the preparation period, we did face some difficulties, such as high air fare and the US dollar losing value, but God is so good to us and help us. Please remember this trip in your prayers. We pray for not only a safe trip but a fruitful Bible-learning journey. Did you notice that the departure date is only one day after the Youth Camp?Pray for strength for all the workers and travelers. - August Bible Camp (July 29-Aug. 4)
Though this meeting will not be held in May or June,the strict application due date is June 13! We praise the Lord that from January, some areas have had regular Bible Study groups and have read the assignment (the Pauline Epistles) faithfully every week. Those Epistles are not easy, so last-minutes preparation is not possible. If you plan to sharpen your Bible-studying skill, please apply as soon as you can, because most attendees turned in their forms in January and have studied hard since that time.
Ministers Update:
- Sister Cindy Chiang—All the Center’s meetings preparation, office works (accounting, books, CD, government, etc), is upon her shoulder alone. She also has her regular weekend campus ministry. She asks you to pray for her wisdom on time management and having intimate relationship with the Lord daily despite her heavy schedule. Also, please continue praying for her dental treatments, now under way.
- Pastor Joel Li—The Lawrence Church meeting has officially moved to Veritas Christian School!! Breaking a history of afternoon meetings, the Chinese Church there can move their Sunday worship to the morning. As a result, Pastor Li needs your prayer on the wisdom to adjust the ministering schedule in Lawrence and Manhattan. He may need to teach Sunday school in the early morning at Lawrence Church and drive immediately to Manhattan Christian Fellowship for his 2nd and 4ths Sunday services there. He said, he can do some visitation at Manhattan Sunday afternoon. He will also keep his commitment to help the Topeka Church for their Sunday service. You can tell how full his hands are! He also will go back to Chinese Church in Christ- North Valley (one of his sending churches at San Jose, CA) for their mission conference on May 18 to 20. Please pray for his message preparation.
- Sister Vivian Tsen—While she is ministering in Iowa State area (Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Cedar Falls, Davenport etc), she needs your prayer support on the wisdom to help them. For some areas, they need the fervent hearts to share the Gospel. For some areas, the coworkers’ Lord-loving hearts need to be stirred up again. She praises the Lord that even though the ministry is busy; she has had a good and close relationship with the Lord. She prays that this relationship will enlarge her vision of His work and stir her to pursue Him more eagerly.
- Sister Ching Chun Kuan—Stationed in Columbia, Mo. Not only she is helping the Columbia church, she also shares Pastor Ko’s busy ministry load. Besides the usually leading Sunday school and Bible Camp small study group, she will care for the church women’s needs and the needs of the young adults. She specifically asksyou topray for those moms or wives whosehusbands are notbelievers. Also she prays that her eyes can be opened by the Holy Spirit and know the Word of God more so she can know how to minister to the flocks God entrusts to her.
- Brother Alan Stephan—Alan and his wifejust had two weeks vacation time with theirfamily members in Arizona. Right now he is back and busy with all the preparation for the coming events. Pray the Lord to bless his hands to be the blessing of those who come to the Center.
- Pastor Billy Ko—In the past one month, I spent much time on the road. For the coming month, my hands are full with areas further from my usual base, such as Mississippi, Arkansas and Illinois.
- Bother Dennis Wong will have their third child in July, so he has left the Center’s campus ministry. While he is still living in Fayetteville, he will still spend his time to help that church. Please also remember him and his family in the prayers too.
But He said to me “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
God bless you all.
Serving God together with you,
Billy Ko
Director