Secret Recipe !

It’s really a joy to be a church planter in JB for a year even though there are many NEW challenge, NEW mind, NEW surprise, NEW hope, and NEW future.  I feel like I am in Preschool and begin to know God personally.  Even though I believe God for over twenty years, it’s really a whole NEW chapter in my life.  I am still experiencing & learning the NEW things everyday.  If you really want to expereince God in a “short cut” way, church planting would be one of your best choices.  In Book of Job 42:5 “ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” 

Last week, a new believer Lisa (accepted Christ for few months ago & my wife Esther trained her for a few basic class) shared her testimony how God has changed her life from no peace to have security in Christ.  When the moment she accepted Christ, God has touched her heart & she repented with “full of tears & joys”.  Even until today, she still thanks God with “many tears”.  Here’s the SMS she wrote to me, “Today I went for my orthopaedic check up.  Doctor was surprised that he could hear no more sould after bending my knees.  He said must be due to the medical he prescribed.  I said may be and also told him I had a secrete recipe but I dun have it.  Thank God he is great !”  Wow, she described Jesus Christ as her SECRET RECIPE.  She said she would have more testimony next week.  Don’t you believe that Jesus is your secrete recipe in your life ?

A young graduate SuYin (accepted Christ one month ago), she shared with us that when we prayed for her, she felt the touched of Spirit with full of peace & joy.  She gave thanks to God for comforting her.  Now, she is attending bible study group & even prayer meeting (it’s rare !).  She is now like a good seed fell on good soil.  She is hungering & growing.  She even bought a bilingual bible immediately after she accepted Christ. 

The secret of the Caterpillar to become a Butterfly is to continue to eat the leaves without fail & one day it will DIE & a NEW life begin. .  Thanks God for your prayer, currently many are now eating the spiritual food happily (without force) & they’re even discussing the food daily. 

We need your prayer:  We have just formed a “Solomon Building Team” to raise fund for our very first & new church building.  Please pray for those who are willing to partnership with God for His Kingdom’s work.   If God has touched your heart to give to GLBC, please visit Care & Support

Feb News

At 28^th Feb, we have our very 1^st baptism at the new worship place.  In the past, we did it 2 times near the sea side, 1 time at pool side, and 1 time using other church’s baptism pool.  This time, we have it in our new church.  This “baby baptism pool” was given by our dear pastor Tony from Taiwan.  Amazingly, it was really a foldable & movable baptism pool.  We could baptise people at anywhere and anytime.  God is always doing a new thing beyond our imagination.

 On 28^th Feb (the last day of Chinese New Year), I shared about the story of Lazarus in an old folk home in Singapore.  How you could experience the new life again even when you think it is impossible. “Impossible is nothing” in Him.  When Jesus asked them to remove the stone of the grave, many are unwilling & grumbling with an unbelieved heart and mind “it is impossible ! No miracle! Lazarus is totally dead!” “Nobody can solve my problems”.  When we are willing to open our heart to let God works in it, we could be NEW again.  Nothing is Too Late for Him.  Praise God, an old ladies felt the hope & love of God, she rededicated her life to Jesus again.

Heb.11:6 So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.  We must learn to believe that He “rewards” and believe a father will always give the best to His children.    

As a new starting church, I need your continuous prayer support & partnership for His Kingdom.  We have begined 2 cell group at Febraury, and will start another 1-2 group at March.  Let’s work togther for His kingdom and let His name be grolified.

-          Joshua, The Lampstand Family-

Jan 10, 2010 : GLBC Open House

It’s such a wonderful time “10/1/10″  to have 6 pastors & their family to witness the opening event at GLBC.  Total attendence is about 50.  Dr. John Massey preached on Book of Joshua Chapter 3 “We have the presence of God & all the resources in him… follow him step by step”.  Dr. Ian Buntain encouraged us as a church planter to focus on God rather than human resources.   To God be the glory !

Welcome Friends

Welcome to Golden Lampstand Baptist Church in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.  中文请按此 
Homepage: www.glbc.org.my

欢庆圣诞节Christmas Celebration & Evangelical Meeting 
Date: Dec 18 (Fri) &19 (Sat), 2009 Time: 7:30pm @ GLBC
Special Speaker from Taiwan : Pr Tony

 

金灯台浸信会
Golden Lampstand Baptist Church
112A, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Worship Service: Every Sunday -10:00am

Giving to New Worship & Training Place

Golden Lampstand Baptist Church (GLBC) welcomes any churches or individuals who would like to give to a new Baptist church GLBC basic renovation of the worship & training place at Sutera, Johor Bahru.  We will begin to use the place by 1 Dec, 2009.

 

 

Basic Estimate Cost of Renovation GLBC worship & training place
Chairs/ Tables - RM 4,000
Sound System - RM 6,000   
Air-Con (4 units) - RM 10,000
Computer & LCD Projector - RM 4,000
Stage & curtain - RM 2,000
Carpet Floor - RM 4,000
Electric & lighting - RM 1,500    
Baby Room - RM 1,500
Painting – RM 1,500
Office Equipment - RM 1,000
Musical Instrument (Drum & Base) - RM 3,500
Estimate Renovation Cost:  RM39,000

Our 1st year budget is RM140,000 (with min. RM40,000 renovation).  Thanks God, we have already raised internally about 35% of renovation.  It’s always a challenge for our new church (20+ worshippers & 60% of them are new believers). 

Beside the renovation, we still need to raise 50% of the general operation fund externally.  However, we trust that our Lord will support our needs from time to time.  If you would like to give to our new mission work, pray & do as the Lord leads you. 

Amazing Grace…40% increase

God is good, all the time…
After last Sunday of 1 day basic disciple training for 10 believers, we have received “One fruit per day” for continuous 4 days.   People starts to share their testimony & gospel to their family members & friends.  When we pray & obey, God make a way !  We thanks God for their obedience.  Praise the Lord !

Pastor’s Testimony

Dear Family & Friends,

I never think of one day I will go to Singapore Baptist Theological Seminary to study Master of Divinity (After graduation from US, I told myself I am a free man ! But now I am His servant).  I never think of one day I will become a full time pastor (I told God that I could do any job except pastor.  My desire is to be a successful businessman to serve God but now I am doing God’s business directly!). I never think of one day I could preach on the pulpit (Sometime I had hard time to express my thought clearly).  I never think of planting a new Baptist church (Golden Lampstand Baptist Church) in JB, Malaysia without supporting from a mother church & I need to put my little faith on God fully (I know the difficulties of planting a new church.  I could have choose to work under some ‘rich church’ ! “why I need to choose the tough way”  I just can’t believe it ! ).  God always works in our life beyond what you think or believe.

As one of my mentors said that the one who choose to plant a new church is having ‘mental problem’.  I remembered that one of my family members told my wife that I am a bit crazy for the Lord.  Are you crazy to serve the Lord ?  If you are not crazy for the Lord, you might crazy for something else.  Matt 22:37, Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’

This month, I have a fruitful short mission trip to China.  By God grace, we have total four OU Sooner (Tony, Leon, Paul, & me) together to minister to the local leaders.  Amazingly, I had no bathing for four days in my whole life !  In this training, I learned the power of prayer & walk closer to God is the secret to effective ministry.  After the few days of training for the ruler people, I was left alone on the fifth day to give a whole day session to another city group in town (I called it advanced training). 

 I also thank God for the opportunity to do it alone so that I need to depend on Him fully.  In fact, I never expect people will bring three non-believers for the disciple training.  It is a real exercise for our faith.  In front of the people, I ‘force’ to use these ‘three real non-believers’ to train people how to witness & share gospel.  Praise God !  He honored His name.  All of them confessed their sins and accepted Christ as their savior.  God puts a fire into their hearts !  Are you on fire ?  John 15:8 My true disciples produce much fruit.  This brings great glory to my Father.

 Joshua Tham, The Lampstand Family

4. Send

In this part of the Golden 12 cell group strategy, the Christian begins to lead his own open cell, is invited to join a Golden 12 group and works towards developing his Golden 12 group (made up of leaders whom he will mentor).

We believe cell group is one of the most effective way of multiplication is done through the cells thereby allowing each leader to reach his spiritual potential. The cells fulfill Jesus’ statement;

“For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” Matt 18:20.

Within the cells, members will role model after their leader to evangelize, edify, form character and form values. A new believer joins the open cell and goes through the stages of Win, Consolidate and Disciple till he is ready to lead his own open cell ( Send stage). Once he catches the vision, he is in turn invited to join a Golden 12 group.

Golden 12 group. This is a leadership development group. It is made up of people who are currently leading cells. Up to 12 of these leaders will be grouped together and mentored by a leader who helps them to disciple their own group of 12. Golden 12 meetings are held once a week with the emphasis on mentoring.

Open cells. The main emphasis of the open cell is evangelism. It is made up of a leader and several members who are committed to meeting on a regular basis to evangelise, thus forming Christian character and values in the process.

3. Disciple

After new believers have been consolidated, they need to be discipled.
“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Heb 5:13-14.

Discipleship will also equip believers to obey the Great Commission:
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt 28:18-20.

The Three Levels of the School Of Leaders are conducted in the form of lectures and seminars.

SOL 1 – Covers doctrines such as salvation, repentance, the word of God and the Holy Spirit. There are different seminars for the Men’s, Women’s, and Youth Networks catering to their different needs. Level One focuses on theology and family.
Commitment 2: Maturity Covenant   (To grow people to spiritual maturity)

SOL 2 – Covers the church vision, cell group and strategies for growth. It also teaches the cell leader how to solve problems and how to choose a leadership team. The seminars teach about intercession, evangelism and service. This level focuses on cells and ministry.
Commitment3:   Ministry Covenant (To equip people with the skills they need for ministry)

SOL 3 – Teaches leadership. Believers learn about the call and the cost of leadership, principles of excellence in leadership and types of leadership. The lecturers also cover practical advice for preaching. The seminars teach consolidation, Holy Spirit and counselling. Level Three focuses on establishing and developing the disciple as a leader.
Commitment 4: Mission Covenant  (To enlist people to the worldwide mission of sharing Christ)

2. Consolidate

Consolidation is very important to keep the new believer in the church so he or she can be discipled. Because it is so critical, it needs to be properly done. Upon the prebeliever’s decision to accept Jesus as his Lord and Saviour, the consolidator or cell leader should:

• Get and verify the new believer’s particulars
• Pray for him with genuine concern
• Arrange for a visit
• At the home visit, assess his needs
• Thereafter, walk through the Pre-Encounter / T4T with him.

Pre-Encounter / T4T
The Pre-Encounter is designed to prepare the new believer for the Encounter Weekend. The Pre-Encounter is essential for the new believer to receive maximum impact and value at the Encounter Weekend. The lessons will walk the new believer through the basics of the Christian faith, covering topics such as the new birth, our salvation, the power of Scriptures and the principles of deliverance.

Encounter Weekend / Experiencing God Seminar
The Encounter is conducted over two days like a retreat. The Encounter is the new believer’s experience of coming face to face with God and His Word. During the weekend the participant is confronted with his past and is led to deal with all the negative influences in his life. It is also here that the participant and the vision receives the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Post-Encounter
Fresh from the Encounter Weekend, the believer goes through ten lessons of the Post-Encounter so that he is equipped with the Word of God to deal with the attacks of Satan.  The Post-Encounter teaches believers how to relate to the world, friends and problems and how to overcome temptation, the flesh, sin and the devil. The Post-Encounter teaching will produce greater fruitfulness in the disciples and will result in an unprecedented increase in the retention of new believers.

Commitment 1:        Membership Covenant
(To lead people to Christ and membership at GLBC)