| Dear brothers and sisters, Peace to you in the Lord!
“How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose heart are the highways to Zion! … They go from strength to strength, every one of them appears before God in Zion.” Psalm 84: 5, 7 “…Weary yet pursuing.” Judges 8:4 Spring in the Midwest seems to have arrived late this year, with a lingering chill in the mornings and evenings. Nevertheless, this cannot hide the fact that spring is the most beautiful season of the year: green leaves have filled the branches, the sky is a brilliant blue, the lake is azure, and the grass is lush. Every time I walk through the scenery of the Center, watching the sunrise and sunset by the lake, I cannot help but marvel at the greatness and wonder of God! If it weren’t the time of flipping the calendar from April, I wouldn’t have realized May was already upon us. I used to think December and January were the Center’s busiest seasons, but for the first time—this year—I’ve discovered that the bustle of spring and summer rivals that of winter. What have I felt like over the past two months? It’s like a stove with five burners all going (when a typical household stove only has four), because from now until nearly the end of September, the Center has many meetings and activities scheduled: 1. May Discipleship Training (Evening of May 17 – Noon of May 22) 2. May Lay-Minister Training (Evening of May 22 – Noon of May 25) 3. June Youth Camp (Evening of May 31 – Noon of June 6) 4. Paul’s Missionary Journey Holy Land Study Tour (June 15 – 27) 5. August Bible Camp (Evening of July 26 – Noon of August 1) 6. August Discipleship Training (Evening of August 2 – Noon of August 8) 7. August Short-term Missions (August 21 – 30) 8. September Short-term Missions (September 11 – 20) Because the gaps between these events are so short, we must begin preparations now. Since God has prepared such a rich feast for us, not only I ask that brothers and sisters to remember the Center and every coworker in your prayers but also hope that you, upon receiving this letter, will participate in at least one or two of these events to equip yourself for the Lord’s use. Details follow below. The theme of our prayer letter this year is ‘Rooted and Built Up, Attaining to Maturity’ (Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 4:13). In this issue, Pastor Charles Huang, one of CWC coworkers, will share with us: |
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A Person Blessed by God |
| How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree {firmly} planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3) God delights in blessing people because “God is love” (1 John 4:16). We all desire God’s blessing, but are we ready to blessed by Him? A person who is blessed by God is able to discern right from wrong and good from evil. The prerequisite for being blessed by God is to flee from worldly things (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17) and detesting evil. For Christians, this is a choice: choosing to walk in God’s will and His ways rather than drifting along with the world. The “wicked” described by the Psalmist are not necessarily those who commit heinous crimes; rather, they are those who live in darkness, devoid of God’s Word. Before we believed in the Lord, we also “walked according to the course of this world” (Ephesians 2:2), but after believing, we should set our mind to live for the Lord (Galatians 2:20). The psalmist illustrates how the wicked fall into sin step-by-step: 1) Following sin (Walking), 2) Contemplating how to sin (Standing), and 3) Enjoying the pleasure of sin (Sitting). Once a person entertains the thought of sin, they begin to dwell on it, and eventually, they fall into it and enjoy it. Once this process begins, it is very difficult to pull away. However, Joseph serves as a wonderful example: when he faced temptation, his immediate reaction was to “flee.” When we encounter temptation, we should also “flee” without a second thought; otherwise, we give the evil one a foothold. Christians should be set apart from the world—this is what it means to be “sanctified” or “consecrated” (Rom 12:2; 1 Thess 4:3). This is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus. The prerequisite for being a person who can be blessed by God is to not live in habitual sin.
Those blessed by God delight in His Word because it reveals who He is, guides our life’s path (Ps 119:105), and is with sovereignty and power (Luke 1:37). Some said that we should read the Bible as one reads a love letter—meticulously and slowly, as if every reading were the very first time. Indeed, we cherish God’s Word for no other reason than our pure love for the Lord our God. When we adore His Word, we naturally immerse ourselves in it, longing to meditate on it day and night. Jesus said He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35); when believers constantly meditate on His Word, it nourishes our spiritual lives. God’s Word becomes a part of our very being, gradually transforming our minds (Rom 12:2), helping us make decisions that please Him, and guiding our lives according to His plan. If a child eats snacks before a proper meal, they won’t be able to eat the regular food. In the same way, if we focus too much on secular things and think too much about the world, we won’t have time for spiritual matters, and we will gradually lose interest in them. May the Lord grant us a self-controlled (disciplined) heart (2 Timothy 1:7), so that we are not consumed by the world and forget our first love for Him, but instead remain steadfast in meditating on His Word. Those blessed by God rely on His grace. The psalmist says: “He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Ps 1:3). For Christians to experience God’s grace, they must be like a tree whose roots reach deep into the soil to draw water. Christians should always face life with a positive attitude, counting God’s blessings and remembering His past guidance—from the gift of salvation to the smallest details of daily life. In every circumstance, whether in prosperity or adversity, we should maintain a vibrant spiritual life and spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ (2 Cor 2:14-16). Since we are reborn by His grace, we should also live by His grace. Therefore, James tells us to find joy in trials (James 1:2) so that our lives may reach maturity (James 1:4) and bear fruit in every season of life. God delights in blessing His children, but the prerequisite is to discern good and evil through His will and to cherish His Word. May the Lord help us become blessable. In the busyness of life, it is easy to neglect spiritual disciplines and forget regular personal devotion and prayer. I would like to encourage brothers and sisters to participate in the May “Discipleship Training Camp” and “Lay-minister Discipleship Training Camp”, withdraw from the secular world to devote our time to the Lord, draw near to Him studying His Word, and rekindling our devotion and commitment to Him. Discipleship camps help us steadily “be rooted and built up, reaching spiritual maturity,” so that we may be growing into people who are truly blessed by God. |
Future Meetings |
| (1) May Discipleship Training (May 17 evening – May 22 noon) |
| Speakers include Pastor Allen Chi, Pastor Xiao Yuan, and CWC coworkers. Pastor Yuan serves in the D.C. area and is a frequent speaker at the Center. Pastor Chi is joining us for the first time; he served with Campus Evangelical Fellowship in Taiwan for ten years and has burden for and experience in student ministry. He currently serves as the Senior Pastor of Atlanta Chinese Christian Church North. Topics include: The Sermon on the Mount, Understanding the Identity and Authority of Jesus, Ecclesiastes, 1 & 2 Timothy, and The Path of Disciples. Every evening there will also be spiritually enriching messages such as “The Secret to Living in Harmony” and “We Also Are in the Cloud,” giving us opportunities for reflection. The registration form has been posted on the CWC website, and the deadline is May 14. Please download it and register as soon as possible. Please click here. |
| (2) May Lay-minister Training (May 22 evening – May 25 noon) |
| The Lay-minister Training is specially designed for full-time working brothers and sisters and will be held over Memorial Day weekend. In addition to Pastor Xiao Yuan, speakers also include Pastor David Hsu and Elder Aron Fu. Pastor Hsu currently serves as senior pastor of West Houston Christian Church and has written several expository books. He will teach us how to study the Bible. Elder Fu, formerly a software engineer for many years, has faithfully served in the church and earned a master’s degree in Biblical Studies and Expository Preaching. He now serves as an elder at CCIC–Sunnyvale. His life of pursuit and service is a role model for working believers. The messages they will share include: Genesis (the inner struggles of faith), Book of Titus, the Calling to Be Salt and Light, Seeking First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and “As for Me and My House” (a Christ-centered family). The evening spiritual messages will be: “Drawing Near to God (His Questions to Us).” There will also be three workshops: For full-time workers: “Walking with God in the Workplace”; For other believers: “Serving the Lord in Unity Across Two Generations”; For college staffs and faculties: “Deepening Campus Ministry”, etc. These topics are quite fresh and engaging. Although this is only a three-day training, we have invited three speakers. This is a special event we have set aside for full-time workers for Pastor Ko believed that since students are more transient, while working adults tend to be more stable in one place and slightly older, equipping these working individuals well will be a great help to the local churches. Students are required to first attend the discipleship training in May before they can stay on and participate in this additional program. The registration form has been posted on CWC website, and the deadline is May 14. Please download it and register as soon as possible. Please click here. Also, please pray for this meeting, for the speakers, and for your own heart to be well prepared to participate. |
| (3) June Youth Camp (Evening of May 31 to noon of June 6) |
| The Youth Camp has always been highly anticipated by the youths. However, it is not an ordinary recreational camp; rather, it is a discipleship training camp similar to that for adults. Participants are required to be born again and to attend the camp full-time. We will have several speakers, including Pastor Steve Tan, who is known by many of us, from Emmanuel Chinese Baptist Church in Overland Park, Kansas, and Pastor Berry Edwards, the senior pastor of Warsaw Cedar Grove Baptist Church (formerly a math teacher at Warsaw High School, who frequently teaches at the Youth Camp), and Pastor Jason McCray, currently the senior pastor of Warsaw Bible Church. The main theme message this time is: “The Salt and Light of the World.” Other messages include: “Spiritual Weapons,” “Culture and Christianity,” “Viewing Cultural Challenges from a Biblical Perspective,” and “The Journeys of Faith of Abraham, Joseph, and David,” etc. Please refer to the website for more details. What makes this camp different from adult discipleship training is that we have also arranged outdoor water activities that young people enjoy, in addition, we will take them to nearby nursing homes for mission trip in one afternoon. Please encourage and motivate your children and the youths in the church to participate. The registration form has been posted on CWC website, and the deadline is May 28. Please download it and register as soon as possible (click here). |
| (4) June Paul’s Missionary Journey Holy Land Study Tour (June 15 – 27) |
| Following our Holy Land Study Tour on “Exodus to Canaan and the Life of Jesus” 3 years ago, this year we will continue with an on-site study of “Paul’s Missionary Journeys” from June 15-27. We will visit Turkey and Greece. In Turkey, we will primarily visit all of the seven churches of Revelation and also Patmos (a special arrangement not usually included in standard tours). From Troas (where Paul received the Macedonian vision), we will cross into Greece and follow Paul’s second and part of third missionary journey. The next time we organize a “Paul’s Missionary Journeys” study tour will be six years from now, so please seize this opportunity. Some people have asked me, “When is the registration deadline?” We don’t have a set deadline—only a capacity limit, which is the seating capacity of one tour bus (44 people). As of today, 36 brothers and sisters have already registered, so those who are interested are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible. For more details, please visit CWC website. |
| (5) August Bible Camp (July 26 evening – August 1 noon) |
| This time we will study the “Poetry and Wisdom Books”. Nearly 50 brothers and sisters have signed up. If you desire to pursuit God’s Word, the reading schedule and registration form are available on our website. The strict registration deadline is June 15. Please register early and begin preparing your assignments. Detailed information is available on the website. Detailed information is available on the website. |
August & September Short-term Missions (August 21-30 and September 11-20) |
| Since there are many scheduled events, I need to begin the planning and preparation early for the short-term mission trips in August and September. This year, Labor Day falls later than usual (September 7, though it is still the first Monday of September), and universities also start later, so we have arranged the mission schedule accordingly. Thank the Lord! So far, four churches from California and Washington States have confirmed that they will come for the Midwest short-term missions in August. In addition, five churches from California, Texas, and another from Washington State will come for the September missions, with few more churches still finalizing their plans. The churches that have confirmed are already actively preparing, organizing, and training their team members. Next, I will arrange their mission itineraries. Following our usual practice, the August teams will primarily serve in states closer to the center, such as Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Illinois. The September teams will go to places farther away, such as Arkansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Alabama, North Dakota, and South Dakota. We ask that churches and Bible study groups in the Midwest also begin preparing to cowork with these mission teams, who are willingly giving of their time and resources to share the gospel. I hope to complete at least the August mission schedule by mid-June. Please pray for the gospel work in the Midwest. |
Sunday Online Bible Study & Prayer Meeting |
| Every month we post the prayer requests on our website. You can remember us in your personal prayers, or pray for us at your church’s prayer meetings. However, a great opportunity to pray together with the center’s coworkers is during the Bible reading and prayer meeting led by the coworkers every Sunday night at 7 PM. This prayer meeting also has the purpose of helping everyone to start preparing for the Bible Camp in advance, so that when the time comes, you won’t be caught unprepared and think about giving up. Of course, if you are not attending the Bible Camp, you can still systematically study the Bible with us. This semester, we will be studying the ‘Poetry and Wisdom Books’. In the first 30 minutes, the coworkers will lead everyone in studying the Poetry and Wisdom Books chapter by chapter plus guidance on how to study, write outlines, and topical reports. In the second 30 minutes, we will pray in one accord for CWC ministry and coworkers according to the monthly prayer calendar. So if you are willing to pray for us, you can join our Bible reading and prayer meeting. In order not to affect the brothers and sisters’ work and school the next day, we have shortened it to one hour (7:00-8:00 PM Central Time). We will use Zoom, with the ID: 85888709271, and the password: 567482. We invite everyone to come and study the Bible together and pray for the center. |
Thanksgiving and Prayer Requests |
| 1. Please pray for the intense preparations for the Holy Land tour, May Discipleship Trainings, May Lay-minister Training, June Youth Camp, and August Bible Camp. Pray that participants will be built up and helped.
2. For coworkers: ○ Mrs. Sylvia Ko: Please continue to pray for my allergies, asking the Lord to ease the physical discomfort. Thank the Lord for granting special grace, and for keeping me safe as I drive to drop off and pick up my grandchildren and travel for acupuncture treatments..○ Sister Cindy Chiang: Please pray for her as she actively and busily prepares for the two discipleship trainings in May, Youth Camp in June, Holy Land study tour in June, Bible Camp in August, and short-term missions in August and September. May the Lord grant her abundant spiritual strength, physical energy, and wisdom, and allow her to experience the promise, “As your days are, so shall your strength be.” ○ Pastor Qinglong Liang: Pray that the Lord will guide him to learn to pray in all aspects and to depend at all times on God who answers prayer; to prepare, according to God’s will, for the Discipleship Training from the 17th to 22nd and the Lay-minister Training from the 22nd to 25th; to diligently accompany and lead others to be disciples of Jesus at the Christian Witness Center and in Columbia and the surrounding areas; and to lead his wife and three children to live according to God’s will. ○ Pastor Charles Huang: Please pray for Pastor Huang’s pastoral care and evangelism ministries at the Champaign church, that the Lord will grant him words, wisdom, and spiritual strength. Pray also for the church’s outreach ministry in the Fall semester, that the Lord will bring new students and make the church a spiritual home for them. Please pray for the second child, Jeremy, regarding his direction and studies after graduating from high school; for Mrs. Huang’s health and sleep; and for his older brother’s family as they move to the United States—that they may find a job and have a humble heart to come to faith to the Lord. ○ Coworker Scott Jerome: Pray for upcoming camps, the three foster boys and their parents, and their church as it is investing in another church that isn’t doing well. 3. For Finances: Pray for the various monthly financial needs of the center (general expenses, building funds, training expenses, etc.), asking the Lord to demonstrate His abundant provision and to allow more people to experience the blessing of giving. 4. For More Workers: Pray that the Lord would touch and guide more new coworkers to join the CWC ministry, so that the gospel work in the Midwest may experience even greater growth and flourishing. |
Emmanuel
In the Lord,
Sister Cindy Chiang