親愛的弟兄姐妹，

新年蒙恩喜樂！ 願主在新的一年，將屬天的平安與喜樂多多的加給您和您的一家，使您在未來的一年，能為主多結果子，作主十架的精兵！

校園事工的使命：為神國裝備新力軍

我們預計在這新的一年，又有數十萬的華人學生與學者來美國求學。看到這些學生與學者，我們知道這是神托付給北美華人教會的使命，我們要為主得著他們，建立他們成為教會未來的中堅力量，使他們能成為神國度的新力軍。這不是我們的口號，它乃是我們未來校園事工的方向，神給我們四年的時間在學生身上工作，我們期待他們成為怎麼樣的新力軍呢？

很多地方的校園事工，只是期待將學生帶領信主，就心滿意足，這些學生慕道一兩年，信主可能只有數個月，對真理知道得很少，連四福音書也沒有讀過一遍，我們能期待他們走進社會，為主作見證嗎？但當我們觀諸周圍的世界，許多國家都在培養下一代的新力軍，身為神國度戰場上的我們，難道不應該好好的訓練我們的下一代？在他們求學時，把這些年輕人交托給主，讓他們在進入大城市工作後，能進入大城市的教會，期盼在教會裡，經過完整的培訓，有年長的弟兄姊妹可以照顧與栽培他們，使他們繼續成長，鍛鍊他們總有一天能成為主的精兵。但目前東西兩岸的華人教會，其中一個問題就是缺乏年輕人，四十歲以上的人很多，四十歲以下的人就非常的缺少。這反應留學生畢業後，也沒有多少人能在大城市的教會有正常的教會生活，這批剛畢業的年輕人，屬靈的死亡率是非常的高，我們若不在他們求學時，將他們的靈命建立起來，他們進入社會後，也沒有辦法在教會中成長。

要學生成為神教會將來的中堅份子，就是要成為神國度的新力軍。新力軍不是新軍，乃是大有能力的勇士，是受過裝備的精兵，精兵不僅要接受訓練，也要帶著受苦的心志來裝備自己，正如美國的軍人，一開始的訓練，都是非常的嚴格，才能有好的裝備。我們若用輕鬆的方法作校園事工，我們所建立的可能就不是精兵，人數雖多，但可能誤事多於成事。要學生將來成為教會的中堅份子，就要在他們可塑造的學生時代，建立他們成為主的精兵，肯為主擺上，謙卑的充實自己，忠心的去學習神的話，為神的國擺上，默默的事奉主。聚會不是只來聽一些感人的故事、或吸引人的笑話，卻是肯付代價的去學習，能按正意分解真理的道，學習作主的小牧人，可以帶領查經，用神的話去供應其他學生的需要，又能成為其他同學的榜樣，影響別人一同追求主。學生在校園不能作主的精兵，將來也不能成為教會的中堅份子。

感謝主！中心的營會相當嚴格，對弟兄姊妹的要求也很高，但大家都知道，這是精兵訓練，雖然如此，但是來參加的人數卻是不斷地增加。雖然生活規則不少，功課的要求也很多，但大家都樂意參加。在剛過去的冬令會能在主的恩典中完成，是因為有一班精兵同心合意事奉的結果，他們分別在註冊組、餐廳、嬰兒、及廚房服事，雖然事奉都很重，但他們不僅願意事奉，而且帶著謙卑、順服、忠心與喜樂的心去事奉，這批弟兄姊妹能在冬令會全時間服事，還必須要參加三個營會（冬令會、訓練營與讀經營)，雖然要求滿高，但這班精兵願意接受挑戰，一邊事奉、一邊學習。感謝主！現在的年青人，與過去的年青人一樣，只要我們給他們正確的方向，愛心的鼓勵，他們會樂意接受挑戰，成全使命，他們可以成為主的精兵，也可以成為教會未來的中堅份子。求主使中心的校園事工，能建立更多學生在校園作主的精兵，影響同學歸向主，建立有屬靈根基的校園團契，預備自己畢業後，帶著精兵的心志，作個小牧人，回國帶職、或全職事奉，帶領查經班與建立教會。

冬令會：

兩千多人從美中各地、與東西兩岸來參加了這次的冬令會。絕大部分的弟兄姊妹都是開車超過五小時來參加，三分之一以上的弟兄姊姊開車超過十個小時以上來參加。感謝主！賜下熱切追求主的靈，也為我們賜下美好的天氣與旅程。這次的主題是：愛主深度行！主藉著這次聚會讓弟兄姊妹決定: 愛主更深、與主同行。約有三十位弟兄姊妹，決定要一生與主同行，走全時間奉獻的道路，求主繼續帶領他們，並使用他們的一生。感謝主！也帶領數十位福音朋友歸主，為他們成長禱告。也為大家在新的一年，要更深度地愛主禱告，讓我們每天與主同行，愛主更深！

十二月門徒與同工訓練營：

超過二百多位弟兄姊妹報名參加這次訓練營，人數之多使我們在不得已之下，提早截止報名，中心實在塞得滿滿的，其中有約一半是本科學生，研究生中也有一半是在讀本科時，就已經常來營會。感謝主！中心雖然沒有吸引人的活動或音樂，卻因神的話，吸引了數以百計的年青人來參加營會，神的話與基督的愛，激勵了不少年青人來受造就，他們追求的心志，實在令人感動。感謝主！新一代的學生，願意被主吸引、被主改變、被主得著，求主興起更多年青學生起來追求主與預備自己，校園事工才能有所突破，華人教會才能有希望。

一月讀經營：

十多天的冬令會與訓練營雖然吃力，但仍有數十位弟兄姊妹雖然疲乏，仍然追趕，連續參加三個營會，雖然一個營會比一個營會難度更高、更具挑戰性，但他們追求的心志，卻一週比一週更興旺，在他們離營之前，大部份弟兄姊妹已填交了三月、五月與八月的營會報名單，更有十多位簽上心志，要參加未來六年的讀經營，好好將整本聖經研讀一次，求主成全他們的心志。感謝主！藉著諶志豪牧師與高昭鑾老師的忠心教導、仔細的引導、豐盛的內容，使弟兄姊妹滿得供應，更體會神話語的甘甜。這次讀經營有一百位弟兄姐妹來參加，有十份之一是東西兩岸遠道來參加，求主藉著他們，將愛讀神話語的心志，遍傳各地。

三月福音營：

接下來的聚會將是三月十七至二十日舉行的福音營，主題是：奇異的愛，講員為：馮偉牧師與莫悅照長老，這是本學期最後的一次福音營會，趁著學期結束前，多得靈魂，讓我們這學期在福音朋友身上的工作，能開花結果；又趁著學生在畢業前，領他們歸主，學生一旦進入忙碌的職場，信主的機會就會大為減低，讓我們把握這學期最後的機會。福音營也有對基督徒的培靈信息與造就專題，弟兄姊妹要首先決定來參加福音營，才能鼓勵與帶動福音朋友來參加，讓我們自己早早報名，多為福音營禱各，靠信心多作邀請的工作。

代禱項目：

1. 請為每一位同工在經過繁重的聚會服事後，體力及靈力的恢復代禱。
2. 請為在冬令會中剛信主的弟兄姐妹的跟進代禱。
3. 請為在十二月門徒訓練及一月讀經營接受裝備的弟兄姐妹，在回到校園後，能夠忠心地服事神禱告。
4. 請為即將到來的福音營的準備工作禱告，也為各校園的邀請工作禱告。
5. 請為迦南樓男生洗手間的加蓋工程代禱。
6. 請在禱告中記念江士民姐妹，這個月要忙著趕行政工作的進度及準備報稅作業。
7. 請為同工們新學期的校園事工禱告。
8. 請為李正弟兄的簽證申請禱告，讓弟兄能早日參與中心的事奉。
9. 為中心的經濟、與求主預備更多的同工懇切禱告。
10. 為關靜淳姊妹過去十多年在中心的事奉感恩。也求主帶領她本月底退休後的生活。
11. 為維修同工 Daniel Long的妻子 Sharron，有高血壓， 甚至壓迫腦部有小中風，現在 Kansas City 的醫院住院檢查， 求主親自醫治，並加給家人夠用的能力與恩典。

願神祝福您和您的全家！

在祂裡面的
高榮徳
牧師/主任

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

May the Lord’s grace and joy be with you this New Year! May the Lord richly bless you and your family with His divine peace and joy this year, so much so that you can bear much fruit for Him and become a warrior for the Cross!

Mission of Campus Ministry: To Equip New Warriors for God’s Kingdom

Just as we have seen in the past, in 2017 we expect hundreds of thousands of Chinese-speaking students and scholars coming to the States to further their education. With these influxes in mind, we understand that the mission the Lord entrusts to the Chinese churches in North America is to win these newcomers’ souls and to equip them as a new generation of Kingdom workers. This is no slogan. It is the direction given to our Campus Ministry. After all, God gives us four years to labor and toil with these students. What shall we expect to see coming out from these new Kingdom workers?

From what I have observed, many campus ministries across the U. S. are content with merely leading the students to Christ. The students easily spend a couple of years as seekers and become believers a couple of months before they graduate. By the time they graduate, they had hardly finished reading the four Gospels once, and their knowledge of the Truth is spotty, to put it politely. Would you expect them to be able to effectively witness for Christ as they enter the workforce? As we all know, many countries around the world focus on training up their next generations. As we are privileged to be warriors for God’s Kingdom, shouldn’t we faithfully train up His next generation? We should lead these students to Christ while they are studying, in the hope that they would be joined into the local churches of whatever major cities they are going to work in. We hope that these new converts will further their spiritual growth as they receive complete discipleship trainings in their local churches. With much caring and shepherding by mature brothers and sisters within the local churches, they can continue to grow and be pipelined one day as prime soldiers for the Kingdom! Unfortunately, we observed that Chinese churches in East and West US are confronted with a problem: a majority of the congregations are people above their forties. Very few young people join these churches. What is this observation telling us? It points out that graduates are not able to integrate into their local churches and the spiritual mortality rate among new graduates is very high. If we are not able to equip them spiritually while they are studying, their future growth will be thwarted as they enter the society.

To grow these young students to be backbone of the Church, we need to equip them to be new warriors for God’s Kingdom. They will not be rookies at all but mighty warriors. They are equipped and not afraid to suffer, just as army soldiers. They undergo extremely strict boot camp without delay. If we take it easy in our Campus Ministry, we may attract a crowd but the people we grow are not disciples at all. They will be found useless for Kingdom’s sake. To grow the students into the backbone of the Church, we need to seize the opportunity to build them up while they are moldable as students: encourage them to offer themselves to the Lord, to proactively equip themselves with humble hearts, to be faithful in their study of God’s word, to be willing to sacrifice for God’s Kingdom, and to serve with servant hearts. We shall help them know that our gatherings or fellowships are not meant for sensational sharing or unwholesome entertainment, but to learn how to accurately handle the Truth, to be a little shepherd, to lead a Bible Study, to use God’s Word to meet others’ spiritual needs, and to set up a good example so as to prompt other students to seek Christ. To conclude, students who are not serving as Kingdom warriors when they are in school will be quite unlikely to function as the backbone in Church after they graduate.

Give thanks to God! Even though camps offered by CWC imposed strict rules and high expectation on brothers and sisters, the number of participants is ever increasing. The strict camp rules as well as heavy homework load did not deter the brothers and sisters at all because they all know that these are the trainings for Kingdom warriors. In God’s grace the Winter Conference in the past December was successfully concluded. I would like to give thanks to a group of faithful soldiers who served with one heart in registration, the dining room, nursery, and kitchen. Despite their heavy workload, these brothers and sisters served with willingness, humility, submission, faithfulness, and joy. They served full time at the Winter Conference and were also required to attend three camps (the Winter Conference, Discipleship Training Camp, and Bible Camp) with the determination to face the challenge. They learned and served at the same time. Praise the Lord! Young people nowadays are quite like former generations, in good ways. They are willing to take on challenges, accomplish missions, and to function as the Lord’s soldiers and the backbone of the Church as long as we provide them with correct directions and loving encouragement. May the Lord use CWC Campus Ministry to build up many more students as faithful soldiers in the Campus, who can influence other students to accept Christ, and build spiritually sound campus fellowships. May these students prepare themselves to be a little shepherd, a missionary, a lay minister or full time minister, a leader in Bible Study and the Church upon their graduation.

Winter Conference – More than two thousand people came from various places in the Midwest and the two coasts to attend the Winter Conference this year. The majority drove at least five hours while one third of them drove more than ten hours. Praise the Lord for kindling thirsty spirits to pursue Him and for blessing us with good weather and travel conditions. The theme this year was Loving the Lord Deeper! Through this conference, the Lord encouraged brothers and sisters to love the Lord deeper and walk alongside Him. Approximately thirty brothers and sisters decided to follow the Lord all their lives and to serve Him full time in the future. May the Lord continue to lead them and use their lives. Thank the Lord also for leading several dozens of nonbelievers to accept Christ. Let’s pray for their growth in the Lord. May brothers and sisters love the Lord deeper in this New Year! Let’s walk with the Lord everyday and love Him deeper!

Discipleship and Coworker Training Camp – More than two hundred brothers and sisters applied for this disciple training camp and as a result we had to move up the cutoff date. The Center’s camp ground was crammed! Nearly half of the attendees were undergraduates. Half of the postgraduate attendees were frequent campers when they were undergraduates. Praise the Lord! With the Word of God, CWC draws hundreds of young people to the camps without the appeal of attractive activities or music. The Word of God and the love of Christ encouraged many young people to come and be equipped. Their pursuing hearts were truly touching! Praise the Lord! May the new generation of students be drawn, be transformed, and be gained by the Lord! May the Lord raise up more and more young students to seek Him and prepare themselves so that the campus ministry will break through and there will be hope for the Chinese churches.

Bible Camp – Despite knowing how very exhaustive would the long period of the winter conference and disciple training camp be, several dozens of brothers and sisters pursued to attend three camps back to back. Although the level of difficulty and challenge of the camps elevates one after the other, their determination flared week after week. Before they left the camp, most brothers and sisters had completed the application forms for March, May, and August camps. Furthermore, there were over ten of them submitted their resolution to attend the Bible camps for the future six years and study the whole Bible once. May the Lord grant their wishes! Praise the Lord! Through the faithful teaching, careful guidance, and rich knowledge of Pastor Shen and teacher Kao Chaoluan, brothers and sisters were fed to full satisfaction and tasted the sweetness of God’s Word to a greater extend. There were one hundred brothers and sisters attended the Bible camp, one tenth of them from the two coasts. Through them, may the Lord spread their passion for the Word of God to all over the country.

Gospel Camp – The next meeting will be the Gospel Camp held from March 17th through 20th. The main theme is Amazing Love. The speakers are Pastor Wei Feng and the elder Y. C. Mok . It will be the last Gospel Camp this semester and we truly hope to harvest more souls before the semester ends. May our endeavor among the unbelievers blossom and bear much fruit by leading the students to Christ before graduation. When they enter the busy career life, their probability to accept the Lord will considerably decrease. Let’s seize this last opportunity of the semester. The Gospel Camp also has revival and discipleship topics designed for Christians. Brothers and sisters should decide to attend the Gospel camp first in order to encourage nonbelievers to join as well. Please register yourselves early, pray for the Gospel camp often, and invite your friends by faith.

Prayer requests:

1. Please pray for the recovery in spiritual and physical strength for each coworker, after the heavy ministry throughout the recent conferences.
2. Please pray for the follow-up and growth of brothers and sisters who accepted Christ during the Winter Conference.
3. Please pray that brothers and sisters who were equipped at the December Discipleship Training and January Bible Camp serve God faithfully after returning to their campuses.
4. Please pray for the preparation work for the upcoming Gospel Camp and for the invitation in various campuses.
5. Please pray for the construction work for the men’s bathroom addition project for the Canaan Hall.
6. Please pray for Sister Cindy Chiang this month as she will be busy with heavy administrative and tax related document works.
7. Please pray for coworkers’ campus ministries in the new semester.
8. Pray for the visa application of CWC new coworker, Brother Aaron Li. May he be able to join the work of CWC ministry soon.
9. Earnestly pray for CWC’s financial needs. May the Lord also raise up more coworkers.
10. Give thanks for Sister Ching Chun Kuan for her ministry at CWC for more than ten years. Pray the Lord will guide her ministry after retirement at the end of this month.
11. Please pray for Sharron, the wife of the maintenance co-worker, Daniel Long. Her high blood pressure has caused mini stroke in the brain and she is currently hospitalized in Kansas City. May the Lord heal her and supply her family members with enough strength and grace.

May God bless you and your family!

In Him,
Pastor Billy Ko
Pastor/Director