YM CAMP 2011! -SHINE FORTH- Light Up The World

"To go into FAITH adventures with the Lord where i have never been before!"- One of my main new year resolution for 2011 on 1 Jan 2011.  

In the beginning process of playing camp, God reminded me to re-look into the calling that He has called me. Dated back on 7 October 2008 at a Campus Crusade World wide day of prayer meeting. This was what was He impressed on my heart on that very day, “To reach out to the world, by starting with equipping the people in the church to prepare them for outreach to the World.”

And now YM Camp 2011 is over, and going in to the year 2012, where the YM theme is  following up on SHINE FORTH: Light Up The World...its like a glimpse of that vision really coming true?

Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

YM CAMP 2011! -SHINE FORTH- Light Up The World has certainly been my most memorable YM Camp since God transformed my life in my first camp in 2005. It started with a huge learning curve since being tasked to lead this camp in early January 2011. However, nothing beats the fulfilling process just learning on the job & seeing God's hand leading us throughout the year as we planned for this 10th milestone YM Camp & largest camp of 390 campers!

(YM Camp Committee 2011! :)

I'm so grateful for my camp committee for being able to share this fulfilling process planning camp together! They have truly beared with me through the countless meetings along the way! Will always remember the EXCITING first few weeks when God revealed to us the Camp theme verse & theme so strongly to us! Yet also the tense meetings we had just deciding on the group names alone! And also the many productive afternoon meetings with Ps Raymond just brainstorming on ideas for the Night or prayer & Covenant service where God just change our plans when camp came! But on hindsight, would not be exposed to so many elements of prayer without those brainstorming sessions! 

All in all, its truly been one fulfiling enjoyable process of planning camp and have truly learnt so much working with different people of different personalities, working styles & believe have grown one of my weaker spiritual gift of administration pretty much too.

Yet there are so many others I really need to thank for! With Paul, bobby, Ps Ivan & Mag working together to come out with a really awesome YM CAMP theme song, which eventually won the First Prize for the best song at the Truthmin Song writing project the "Even the Rocks Cry Out 2",and all the sub ministry that worked so hard leading towards camp!And many who so willingly volunteered to help before, during & even when camp ended where they stayed behind to do all the packing!

Flash back of the year prior to YM Camp 2011...

Having said all this, below are some amazing revelations from God before Camp, which can now openly share since camp has past & God has fulfilled to those visions!

God's hand in finding our Camp Speaker (Feb to April)

Spend many hours in my weekend duties in camp, listening to audio sermons online from different preachers all over Singapore in search of the right speaker for camp! And after long time seeking God! God prepared for us the right speaker Ps Daniel Chua, after meeting him on 2 April 2011 where there & then he agreed to speak for our ym camp, committing this as the only camp in 2011 he will be speaking at after spekaing to many camps in previous years.

Below are the amazing accounts of how we narrowed down to Ps Daniel chua after going through so many various preachers! And God just confirmed it in such divine ways!

Conversation with the Lord about YM Camp all the way back in 20 Feb 2011, during a weekend duty in camp, waiting on the lord for His vision & the specific speaker for camp!

Facebook conversations with 2 different people at around the same time...

Conversation with a friend who knew Ps Daniel Chua whose name pop up to me during my prayer time, & I didn't really know who he was prior to this...

My heart was in excitment when God confirmed by this reply by Ps Andy Lim...

Few days later, without mentioning Ps Daniel's name to Ps Andy. God just confirmed through him with just a general description of the kind of preacher I was looking for.

23 Feb 2011

A Schematic vision of YM Camp 2011, which I only shared with Wanlin on 23 Feb 2011. Didn't really share this "plan" with the camp comm as didn't want to narrow what camp wld be like so early in the year. But somehow God's Sovereignty did carry it through so similarly to that plan!

3 April 2011

God's Divine revelations of the Camp Theme

 YM Camp 2011 Theme Story

YM Camp Theme Verse which was highlighted in this supposedly clean bible from Mag's bible! 

Dec 6 - 13 Dec 2011

Conversation with the Lord prior to YM Camp 2011... And reading this on hindsight now after camp, God was certainly faithful with what He said! :)

(Spend a couple days reflecting & talking to God for the upcoming ym camp. And hesistantly shared this during the time of listening prayer at YM GAP before camp on 9 Dec 2011 as didn't want to put such a high expectation of camp. But somehow had this very strong impression from the Lord that His going to sent His Holy Spirit down into this camp! As the story of Acts 2, just came so strongly, as it will come like the day of pentecost. "The Presence of the Lord will fall like FIRE & many lives will be TRANSFORMED!"...

YM CAMP 2011 14- 18 DEC 2011 (Day 0 to Day 4)

Photos below courtesy from various ymers who posted on FB... =)

14 Dec 2011 Day 0

Preparation of Camp!

Day 0- Ops Room

(Ops Room!)

15 Dec 2011 Day 1

(My beloved Camp Group INA!)

INA Camp Group Vision: " SHINE FORTH in Unity & Enthusiasm helping one another to seek God & grow together in Christ as Transformed youths of Christ through Prayer"

Night Games ended with Lights forming a cross... A CITY ON A HILL.

16 Dec 2011, Day 2

Beautiful Illustration which Ying Kheng shared at her plenary session!

Day 2- Pre Service Prayer

Testimony of my First PERSONAL ENCOUNTER with the Lord...at this camp...

During the opening Night Rally worship...was at the back of the auditorium and sense that somehow there was still this barrier that was still preventing the campers from worshipping God freely... that brought me down to my knees & as our

was praying... God just broke me down... and told me so clearly that like almost an audible thought in my head... "Ben, no matter how much we can try to make it good, I'm the One leading this Camp, no human effort, technicalities or planning can compare to what I can do...Just Surrender everything to Me".... there & than, I just felt a great sense of peace filling my heart & realised how broken I am trying to "please" people making this camp as good as it can be, but at the end of the day, I should please God more than people! And He desires our TOTAL 100% SURRENDER! And that was when His Holy Spirit just filled me! Which just broke me into tears... knowing that I'm nothing without Him, and that His Sovereignty will just sweep into this camp! Allowing God to be in FULL TOTAL CONTROL!....

And than came the opening sermon by Ps Daniel Chua, who spoke on the beatitudes. What it takes to be in the Kingdom of Heaven... And what struck me was when His opening message was about the need for us to "HUNGER". That was the exact word that was revealed to Ps Raymond at YM Gap on 9 Dec 2011 too!

At the end of his sharing, He called up all the leaders, as he prayed for everyone to be filled with the Holy Spirit before we can serve & minister... there again right infront of the altar...God broke me down again...and I just knew the Holy Spirit was filling us all in a very special way... as the leaders were all being empowered to minister to others... from than on....God just moveddddddddddd!

I guess this is what it means when our YM Committee talks about  "TRANSFORMED LEADERS, will lead to TRANSFORMED YOUTHS"... God certaintly did just that!

17 Dec 2011, Day 3

INA Camp Group doing morning devotion

Day 3- Wrote this devotion, as this topic was very close to my heart! :)

(Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” , this was the exact verse which Ps Daniel Preached in his sermon later too!)

Morning Service

God came in a very special way again! As many rededicated their lives to Christ & some even inviting Christ into their lives for the first time!

Light Up the World! Churches build all over the world!

  

Night Rally

(The final pre-service prayer before the final night rally! God just came upon the leaders yet again filling us with His Spirit to lead!)

Final Night Rally

Ps Daniel gave his final "Commissioning" message! Where he shared on Acts 2 & Isaiah 6! Two key verses that was shared at pre-camp prayer meetings too! As he encouraged everyone to step out & SHINE for for our Lord! 

Acts 2:1-2, "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting."

Isaiah 6:8, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” 

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

And during the ministry time...God just movedddd in such a powerful way like never before...as His Holy Spirit came down & filled so many campers like never before! Hearts were opened, soften, set on Fire!!! And practically every 390 camper & even visitors that night were being prayed for! Everyone was just in total surrender to the Lord! And the "vision" of my conversation with the Lord prior to camp all came flooding back! God certainly has been faithful as He promised! As His Majestic Soveriegnty just led everyone into Praising Him at the end of this camp!

My beloved youths from GEL@ YM CAMP 2011!

Another personal highlight for me was seeing everyone from my sec 3 youth group GEL coming together & praying for one another! Seeing them mature over the last 3 years has certainly been one of the most fulfilling desire for me as their leader.

17 Dec 2011, 1120pm, at the back of the Sports School Auditorium we made that GROUP COVENANT together to continue to encourage one another in LOVE as we grow in depth with the Lord in Unity!

Night of Prayer...

Our plans were change yet again by God...as we truncated our detailed Night of Prayer to a shorter segment, with a powerful Liturgical prayer for the youths, followed by praying for our communities, family, friends & places we are at! And ended with a personal time of Holy Communion as act of sealing our commitments to the Lord!

18 Dec 2011, Day 4

Testimony sharings....

Testimony Sharing, Alex Lim the next Sec 1-3 Camp Commandant 2012

(The commitment slips of every camper as they put up their commitments into an envelope from their grp!)

(My beloved Crosstrainers who worked so hard planning one of the most meaningful camp games ever!)

Photomontage of YM CAMP 2011

YM Camp 2011 Photomontage

YM CAMP 2011 Afterglow video...

YM Camp 2011 Afterglow Video

God's Sovereignty certainly reigned at this camp! As the Holy Spirit came down in such a powerful way, empowering everyone in a deep personal way.... Next step, is for us to continue to SHINE FORTH that Light after camp! And this is where it matters most! The Everlasting fruits! And that is certainly the prayers of our hearts! =)

(The 10th milestone YM CAMP 2011! SHINE FORTH: Light Up the World!
6 Tribes!
24 Groups!
72 Leaders!
390 over campers making this the largest camp in YM history!)

Photomontage of YM CAMP 2011

YM CAMP 2011 Afterglow video...

God's Sovereignty certainly Reigned at this camp! As the Holy Spirit came down in such a powerful way, empowering everyone in a deep personal way.... Next step, is to continue to SHINE FORTH that Light after camp! And this is where it matters most! The Everlasting fruits! =)

Post Camp, 29 Dec 2011...

Read this from Martyn Llyod Jones- JOY UNSPEAKABLE today, we had a glimpse of this pentecostal power of the Holy Spirit coming down in mighty reviving power!

Pre-Camp Preparations!

Ever since early Jan, when Marcus approach me to lead in this year YM Camp... 11 months have past... since our first camp committee officially met up on 20 March 2011.

God revealed the camp theme to us in a divine way on 3 April...

http://benlau89.blogspot.com/2011/12/ym-camp-2011-theme-story.html

And as the months past & planning took place!

God has reminded me to re-look into the calling that He has called me too. Dated back on 7 October 2008 at a Campus Crusade World wide day of prayer meeting again. This was what was He impressed on my heart on that very day, “To reach out to the world, by starting with equipping the people in the church to prepare them for outreach to the World.”

And now looking at how camp is going to turn out, it seems like a glimpse of that vision coming true?

Camp Day -2 - Pre-camp preparations....

1 More day to YM CAMP 2011, DAY 0!!!!!!!

YM CAMP 2011- Theme Story

Camp Theme Story

WESLEY YM CAMP 2011

This is the story of how God divinely revealed the camp theme to us…

SHINE FORTH

Light Up The World

Matthew 5:14-16 - “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven"

On 3 April 2011 the camp committee gathered, having sought God individually on His direction for this year’s camp. As we shared what God had impressed on our hearts separately, we were so amazed at how it all agreed with each other! Even more divine, was that God had revealed to two of us the same verse, Matthew 5:14-16.

One even had that verse already highlighted in her bible even though she had meant to keep that bible clean and "highlights-free". While seeking God on the camp theme, she opened her bible and was particularly surprised that, of all verses, only this one was highlighted! The fact that everyone was aligned to and shared this vision makes us believe that it was a divine revelation from God.

(Mag Phua's only verse highlighted in her bible!)

The theme “SHINE FORTH” is based on the verse above, and the tagline "Light Up the World" speaks of God's heart & plan for the entire world. God’s light is already in us as Christians, and to Shine Forth is our obedient response to God’s call to see beyond ourselves, to love, serve and give ourselves to others. When we do that, God's Glory will shine through us and in turn He is glorified. The more we love, serve and give, the brighter God’s light will shine.

Here’s something more amazing. In the same weekend that we formed our camp theme, the Desperation band from the USA visited our Youth Ministry. The team leader shared a powerful testimony about a mission trip to Uganda they had embarked on to build shelters for people. As they were building for a widow, she suddenly knelt down, cried and praised God. The team was amazed at her response, and later found out that for years, this widow had been waiting for such a day to come; though others did not believe her, she knew that God would provide this for her some day. This testimony simply reinforces the truth of our camp theme verse to “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

“As we are blessed to be a blessing, we should touch the lives of others and we should spend ourselves on behalf of others. Be ready to step out right now. God will show you the way. Just go. Spend yourself, risk it. When God calls you to something and you are uncomfortable with it, run to it. God will meet you there!” - Jon Egan (Worship Leader, The Desperation Band, New Life Church)

As we look at all the previous camp themes that precede the 10th YM CAMP, we see how the foundation for YM has been laid in previous years. Now, as a church, are we ready to take the next step: to Shine Forth and Light Up the World?

YM CAMP THEMES from 2002 to 2011:

YM CAMP 02- HAND ME ANOTHER BRICK |

1st YM camp; various sub-mins came together to officially get YM going in 2003

YM CAMP 03- LETS PLAY CATCH! |

Equipping youths on outreach, evangelism and missions

YM CAMP 04- B.G.R (Basic God Relationship++ -1) |

Relationship with fellow YMers; evangelism to friends aka lifestyle outreach

YM CAMP 05- MISSION SECRET | Surrendering the secret places of our hearts

YM CAMP 06- F.E.A.R | Featuring Extreme Awe and Reverence

YM CAMP 07- DESTINATION | Knowing our Destination

YM CAMP 08- KING OF GLORY | Knowing the KING OF GLORY

YM CAMP 09- LIVING FOR OUR KING | Knowing how we can live for our King

YM CAMP 10- SEEKING | To importance of Seeking God

YM CAMP-11- SHINE FORTH-LIGHT UP THE WORLD | The next step of stepping out & Shining for Christ!

The week of many "FIRSTS"...

Past week since last thursday has been one of the most fruit-filling an enjoyable periods with many "Firsts"

Thursday

Where we started our FIRST ever G.E.L ysg, mentoring session for the peer leaders in my sec 3 youths small grp. Where yunying invited us to her place as we began our first session with one of my Aysgl, Hilary, & the 4 peer leaders, YY,Charmaine, Josh & Robin! So proud at how each of them have mature over the years & are willing to step up to lead!

That night, had my FIRST meeting with this really smart & nice vietnamese boy at Rev Ivan's place, where he and his wife been like a house parent to this boy.

Friday

Had our FIRST, ever "band" meeting, aka a smaller mentoring grp led by Rev Ivan Tan. With Paul & Xunliang. Where for the first time, the 4 of us actually came together & shared our ENTIRE life story of our Journay with the Lord! Felt so encouraged hearing from each of them as we prayed for one another there after. And after today we have gotten the name the "BPX" group! Aka Ben,Paul, Xunliang!

Right after YM GAP prayer meeting for camp, we had our FIRST, after GAP supper tour, where we had an unprecedented 5 cars, with like 15-18 of us? Amazing supper at swee choon dim sum & eaten one of the best Bah Ku Teh & fish shop at Tangjong pagar after.

Saturday

The FIRST time the Camp theme song was played at The Saturday Service!

Sunday

And finally sunday! One of my most JOYFUL sundays of the year. Where FINALLY! My peer leaders led for the FIRST TIME! YAY!!!!!!!!!! Felt really like a proud father seeing them taking the initiative to lead!

See videos below!

(Below is the video of their teaching of our small grp verse,"And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:14)

(Robin & Charm was teaching the grp how to memorise our small grp verse by having the idea on their own of breaking out the verse into drawings! Check out their drawing! =D)

"N"... over all these vitures... love...

Over all this Virtues....Put on Love...

End of that Sunday, we our FINAL CAMP COMM MEETING, where for the FIRST time we re-look at our first ever meeting where we wrote down our expectations of being in the camp comm & for camp. And after that we walk through visualising the 5 days of camp from day 0, 9am to day 4, 5pm.... We made it! WOW!

3 - 5 Dec, Combined Sub-ministry Retreat 2011

Was just reflecting on the recent combined ministry retreat this year, I can clearly say this is probably one of the most meaningful & spiritually led ones. Although this year I was here more as a support role as a staff in YM, I got to see a little more of the happenings at the various sub-mins which encouraged me so much. Taking a step backs seeing the new Crosstrainer heads stepping up has truly encouraged me so much! And I believe Max & Glenn are going to do a fantastic job leading the new generation of crosstrainers.

God just moved! During the worship, the feet washing time, the various sharings & ministry times!

On the first night, after Marcus sharing of YM Vision & Mission for the year! And the various submin heads did the feet washing for their members that night, cld really sense the presence of God just filling the place, as everyone ended up praying for one another.

Even the last day, Ps raymond gave an excellent message on enjoying the process & not focusing on the outcome. And it followed with a really sacred time of ministry, as people just prayed for one another, and God's presence just came, convicting the hearts of so many of us there. Its encounters like this which you will just treasure & hope it will never end.

Below are link to some of the earlier years of my blog postings since my first sub-min retreat (Pardon my rambling & bad grammar in the earlier years)

First combined Sub-ministry retreat 2006

http://benlau89.blogspot.com/2006/11/great-x-trainer-retreat-and-successful.html

Second combined Sub-ministry retreat 2007

http://benlau89.blogspot.com/2007/12/wesley-ym-combined-sub-ministry-retreat.html

Third combined Sub-ministry retreat 2008 (one of the more memorable ones!)

http://benlau89.blogspot.com/2008/12/combined-subminscrosstrainer-retreat.html

Forth combined Sub-ministry retreat 2009

(Didn't post much about it, as only came to visit them on the last day of retreat due to army commitments)

Fifth combined Sub-ministry retreat 2010 (Handling over here...)

http://benlau89.blogspot.com/2010/12/crosstrainer-retreat-wesley-ym-camp.html

And finally! Now the Sixth combined ministry retreat 2011, which has just past....

Some of the images from this 6th Combined Sub-ministry retreat!

(opening icebreakers!)

(Testing of the YM Camp games!)

(Testing of the YM Camp games!)

(The final morning ministry time!)

(The new generation of Crosstrainers!)

(YM Combined Sub-ministry retreat 2011)

Why we Serve in Ministry?

Shared this at the recent combined YM Sub-ministry retreat 2011 with the Crosstrainers! As I was preparing this sharing, I was reminded myself at how I started serving my first ever ministry in YM, & it went back all the way at the end of 2005 after my first YM Camp which transformed my life! Experiencing God's love just compels one to want to step up & serve. And with some influence from vyan too, that was what prompted me to be involved in my first ever subministry, The Crosstrainers which was serving for the last 6 years & now taking a step back for the new leaders to take the baton!

Sharing base on book, “On Being a Servant of God” – By Warren W. Wiersbe

Why do we serve in crosstrainers?

1) Christ Love Compels Service!

2 Corinthians 5:14 - 21

New International Version (NIV)

14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

It’s because of Christ love for us that compels us to serve others! It’s because of His reconciliation to us, and he wants to reconcile the World back to Him!

“Ministry takes place when divine resources meet human needs through loving channels to the glory of God.”

God has freely given to us – so we should freely give to others.

We don’t deserve grace; you simply receive it as God’s loving gift & then share it with others.

What’s the difference between channels & reservoirs?

In ministry we are Channels of God’s resources, not reservoirs. Ministry is a wonderful opportunity for making life that’s loved for others. It’s an opportunity to be like the Lord Jesus Christ.

“… true Christian Ministry can put grace in the hearts so that lives are changed and problems are really solved”

A godly leader once told me, that when we minister to others, we must be careful when giving personal advices & trying to solve other people problems. We are all imperfect beings and what we advice may only be a stop gap measure. Instead we should point them to Christ and allow God’s grace to minister to their needs.

A lot of us think fall into the trap of being manufacturers when he called us to be distributors.

Manufacturers are like the story of 5 loaves & 2 fishes, when disciples thought it was their responsibility to come out with the food, however Jesus just took the lad’s food, looked up to heaven, bless the food, and ask His disciples to distribute to the multitude. And it just multiplied before their eyes! Once you accept yourself as a distributer of God’s riches and not a manufacturer, you will experience a wonderful new freedom and joy in service. Once we accept ourselves as a distributor of God’s riches. You won’t be afraid of new challenges because you know God has the resources to meet them.

2) Spiritual growth in Ministry

Instead of asking “How can I get out of this?, we should ask “what can I get out of this?”

As you grow in your spiritual life & step into the world daily, you will inevitably face challenges along the way. It can be true pressure in school, pressure from family, and even as you serve in the ministry. However, I want to assure you that each challenge will help you to grow if you face it with a godly attitude towards it. There will be times where you will be stretch, and times you will be tested.

But remember to ask God, “what can I get out of this?”

One of the bigget faith building moments came in my time serving with the crosstrainers.

Testimony of Ubin event @ Destination Again 2008

Was looking back at an old email which Adriel sent to the crosstrainer comm after that event, Breakthrough 1 & 2 was added by me, the rest was from Adriel's email.

The amazing BREAK THROUGHS!

Break Through 1- 19 Jan 2008- God Revealed to us Pulau Ubin from that rainbow after we prayed at YM GAP the day before our first recce on where to hold our march event.

Break Through 2- Second recce 17 Feb 2008- Called the manager of ubin resort, shocked us with a budget of $18 000, the Xts gathered to pray, call again on same day. Brought it down to $10 000.

In the midst of these planning, was rushing a school assignment, and at the back of my mind was this event, I decided to take a break from my sch work, & get some encouragement from the Word, and God just showed me this verse…

Romans 4:20-21

New International Version (NIV)

20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

(Below extracted from Adriel Email's to the Crosstrainer games comm In 2008)

Breakthrough 3 - The event was still too expensive as the guy initially wanted a minimum of 300 pax for $10k. YM Comm then took the decision that if could not get at least 150 signups by that sunday, we would not go to ubin. We polled the ministry last sunday and got 180 replies. We then spoke to the manager and he agreed to reduce the minimum sum to 200 pax. The final figure at ubin yesterday was 208 persons.

Breakthrough 4 - Next then the ferries broke down, and God provided the ferry through Emmeliene's parents.

Breakthrough 5 - By thurs, we still had no port for the ferry. And God again, God provided the port arrangements.

Breakthrough 6 - Then it rained. I remember as I was driving to punggol yesterday morning and it started to rain. A YM leader who was with me said, "Its raining!" I said, "Dont worry, it will stop." He replied, "You sure are confident". I said, "Yes, the number of breakthroughs God has given us over the past 2 weeks, I am absolutely confident the rain will stop." The moment we stepped foot on ubin, as we all saw, God stopped the rain.

Breakthrough 7- After the event, Sandy and I met up with the manager and we pressed him, and guess what, we got a 10% discount on the price! So you guys are well within budget!

Amazing right! Like what warren wiersbe said “If you can explain what’s going on, God didn’t do it”.

Right till today, that has been the greatest faith building testimony serving in crosstrainers!

Like Wiersbe says: “If you can explain what’s going on, God didn’t do it”

And through such tests, this is where spiritual growth builds Godly Character.

Many Christians think they can get by in spiritual ministry because they have charisma and can attract and hold an audience, but it takes more than a wining personality to influence people for Christ; it takes godly character.

It’s been said that people are like trees: the shadow of the tree is reputation, the fruit of the tree is personality, but the roots of the tree are the most important partcharacter!

Another thing we need to know is we are called to be Holy. But we should remember to channels that to others.

Holiness is a very practical thing.

Romans 5:5

New International Version (NIV)

5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

This verse, reminds us that the Holy Spirit can empower one to take on any ministry challenges!

1 Cor 10:31 “whatever you do, do all for the glory of God”

Serving God with the Spirit of Excellence

Gladwin use to share with me this...

“Why give God’s kingdom the crumbs when we are capable of giving Him our best?”

Dangers of service in Ministry

Having said all this, one danger in ministry which I believe I have fall a lot of times, is when we serve people more than God. And that’s one danger which we need to be very careful. We try to please people with what we can do. Like making it the best crosstrainer game possible, not saying that’s wrong, but it’s wrong if we are doing it for ourselves!

And I want to highlight this, that some of us see ministry as a place to fill our emotion needs or as a club to make us popular or in the “in” crowd! We serve because of the people our friends are there! That’s an issue which we must be very careful not to fall into, as if pride sips in, this is where it will give the devil a foothold to bring us down. And another extreme is we live for the ministry. If the ministry is taken away from us, we will collapse with it. We need to remind ourselves that none of us is indispensable. At the end of the day, everything belongs to God! And all this is His ministry.

Philippians 2:3-4

New International Version (NIV)

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

3) Stepping up & out to serve in Ministry!

“When God put us in a situation for which we feel totally unprepared & in which we aren’t at all comfortable. His actually giving us room to grow!”

1) Each job prepares us for the next one.

2) The Lord may move us when He see’s we are ready.

Looking back the last 6 yrs since God transformed me, I see God’s hand in the areas he led me to serve in. And each job & task has prepared me for the next one. E.g. in my time in crosstrainers, had many opportunities to plan games at retreats, camps & big events. Serving in campus crusade for Christ in TP, organising events for the Christians on campus. Even in my time in army, where I’ve probably grown the most, being challenge in many areas in ocs & in the unit, being exposed to planning for real operations. And all this has actually prepared me to this day, to actually prepare for my biggest challenge yet like in the upcoming YM camp. A task which I would never imagine being able to take on if you ask me 2 yrs ago, as even right now a lot of it has been on the job learning. But yet I’m so excited as I have seen God’s faithfullness countless of times & I know that I know that He will never put one in situation he cannot handle.

So my challenge to you all, if your leaders challenge you to step up, either in this ministry, task you to plan an event, and you feel you are unprepared, unequipped! Do see it at how God is preparing you for the next!

Do your work by faith and leave the results to God!

God wants us to be players not spectators!

God want us to be distributers not manufacturers!

God wants us to be channels not reservoirs!

It’s all our job to always prepare the younger generations, to step in and take over.

2 Timothy 2:2

New International Version (NIV)

2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

It’s such a Joy in Serving Jesus, and it’s a greater joy to seeing God blessing the younger ones to bless others!

“Even people in authority can’t do much about changing the world. But I can do something bybringing God’s presence into the world in which He has put me, & that’s what ministry is all about.”- Warren Wiersbe.

My Challenge to you!

Can we bring God’s presence and be that ministers for God wherever you are! Take opportunities toallow God to use you as loving channels to serve others, minister to their needs.

After hearing all this,

Let me ask you all that question again? Why are we serving in crosstrainers today?

Can you be that true minister for Christ where ever you are?