“城造在山上，是不能隐藏的”（马太福音5：14下）。我们祈祷，求主使用小石城以马内利华语浸信会，使“这座造在山上的城”能“如日头出现、光辉烈烈”（士师记5：31），在新时代中为主发大光，照亮周围的人，使荣耀归于上帝。
我们诚挚地邀请您来参加我们教会的各项活动！让我们一同认识主，在祂的愛里彼此搀扶，共走天路。以马内利！
李春海牧师
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4月21日 牧者之言
马丁·路德的《罗马书》序言
此英文译本取自阿德莱德路德出版社 1966 年出版的版本。该版本于 1995 年首次由澳大利亚科罗曼德东New Creation Publications Inc. 出版 。1997 年、1998 年、2001 年、2003 年重印。 前 言 马丁·路德逝世已近 450 年，但他的著作仍然对我们说话。他在耶稣基督里被上帝的恩典唤醒，他的复兴的影响很快传遍了整个德国。他对唯独因信称义的见证继续在世界各地传播。由于渴望良心自由，别人建议路德自己阅读圣经。他这样做了，并且也讲授了圣经。公元 1515 年，他讲授《罗马书》，并在接下来的两年里讲授《加拉太书》。在这个时期的某个时候，“义人必因信得生”这句话给他带来了个人的确据，他确信自己——仅凭信心已被上帝所接纳。他写道：“我感觉自己重生了，我走进了天堂的大门”。 1521 年，他在沃尔姆斯的一个教会法庭上陈述他的信仰。正是在这里，他发表了现在著名的声明：“这是我的立场”、“我别无选择”。人们对他颁布了一项法令，为了“安全保管”，他被朋友偷偷带到瓦尔特堡城堡，并伪装成骑士并隐姓埋名，在那里待了九个月。在此期间，他将整本新约圣经从希腊语翻译成德语。他还为每本书写了简短的摘要或序言——类似于拉丁武加大译本圣经（Vulgate Bible）。这本《路德圣经》及其序言都是用大众化的语言写成的。 他为《罗马书》写的序言比其他人都长。它包含整封信的摘要及其教义的概要。其主要术语已定义且相互关联。更具体地说，它传达了保罗写给罗马人的信中显而易见的福音的喜乐和力量。路德这样评价罗马书：“越是全面研读，它就变得越宝贵，并且它的味道就越甘甜” 。 这份序言在其历史上产生了广泛而深刻的影响。最著名的事件关于约翰·卫斯理 (John Wesley)在1738 年，当他听到这篇序言被宣读时，他发现自己的心“异常温暖”。他悔改了，世界再次感受到了上帝宽恕的力量。 愿这本小册子鼓励许多人阅读保罗的书信，特别是认识神恩典的真理。 格兰特·索普 1995 年 7 月 马丁·路德的罗马书序言的序言 这封书信实际上是新约圣经的主要部分，也是最纯粹的福音。对于基督徒来说，不仅要逐字逐句地背诵它，而且要每天学习它，因为它是灵魂的每日食粮。它永远不会被读得或默想得太多和太好。越是全面研读它，它就变得越宝贵，并且它的味道就越甘甜。 因此，我也将提供我的服侍，并凭借上帝赋予我的能力，通过这篇序言准备一份介绍，以便每个人都能更好地理解它。因为迄今为止，它已被注释和各种废话所蒙蔽，而它本身却是一道闪亮的光，足以照亮整本圣经。 第一部分 解释这封信中所用的术语 首先，我们必须熟悉语言的问题，并理解保罗所说的这些词的含义：律法、罪、恩典、信心、公义、肉体、圣灵，以及相似词汇；否则，我们读这封书信就没有任何益处。 (a) 律法 至于这封书信中的“律法”一词，你不可按照人的方式来理解它，因为它指的是一种教义，告诉我们什么是我们必须做的，什么是我们不可以做的。这就是人类法律的意义，当我们做所吩咐的工作时，我们必须遵守这些法律，尽管我们的心可能无份。神根据我们内心的情况作出判决。因此，他的律法对我们内心提出了要求，并且它不满足于仅仅的行为，而是将所有与我们内心无份的行为都视为伪善和谎言。因此，所有的人都被称为说谎者（诗篇 116:11），因为他们没有一个人从内心深处遵守、也不能遵守上帝的律法。每个人都会发现自己厌恶善而渴望恶。如果没有对善的无限制的渴望，内心深处就不会依附于上帝的律法。在这种情况下，虽然对于肤浅的观察者来说，可能会出现许多善行和正直的生活，但肯定也有罪和应得的上帝愤怒。 因此，保罗在2 ：12、13 中得出结论，犹太人都是罪人，并说只有遵行律法的人才在神面前称义。他的意思是说，没有人是一个靠行为的遵守律法者。他是这样对他们说（第 22 节）：“你说人不可奸淫，自己还奸淫吗；”同样，第 1 节：“你在什么事上论断人，就在什么事上定自己的罪；因你这论断人的，却作同样的事”。他仿佛是在说：在公开场合，你们在遵纪守法中过着美好的生活，而你们却在对那些没有过着这样生活的人做出论断。你知道如何教导每个人；你只看见你弟兄眼中有刺，却不想自己眼中有梁木（太 7:3）。 律法要求心甘情愿地服从 因为，尽管你出于对惩罚的恐惧或对奖赏的喜爱，表面上通过自己的行为遵守了律法，但你所做的一切仍然没有自由的愿望和对律法的热爱，而是带着厌恶和约束。如果没有法律，你宁愿不这样做。由此可见，在你内心深处，你是律法的敌人。你教导别人不要偷窃——当你内心本身就是一个小偷，并且如果你敢的话，很乐意公开成为一个小偷，这意味着什么呢？从长远来看，甚至连明显的（违反律法）的行为，也不会被这些伪君子忽略。因此，你在教别人，而不是你自己；你也不知道你在教什么。你们还没有正确理解律法。事实上，除此之外，正如他所说的：“律法还加增了罪恶“（5：20），因为律法对人提出的要求越多，人对律法的敌意就越强烈，而他却无法满足这些要求。 律法是属灵的 因此他说，7:14：“律法是属乎灵的。”这意味着什么？如果律法是属于物质的事情，那么它的要求就可以通过行为来满足。但既然它是属灵的，那么除了发自内心的所做的一切之外，没有人能够满足它的要求。但这样的一颗心，除了圣灵之外，没有人能够赐予；这颗心使人们认同律法，使他们发自内心地热爱律法，从此以后做一切事，不是出于恐惧或约束，而是出于自愿。这样一来，律法是属灵的：它想要从一颗属灵的心被爱和被实现，并且律法要求这样的灵。如果圣灵不在心里，罪恶、厌恶和对律法的敌意就会存在心里，律法本身是良善、公义和圣洁的。 那么，你必须习惯这种说话方式，即“做律法中所包含的事情”与“成全律法”完全是另一回事。律法所包含的事物是人根据其自由意志和自然力量所做的或能够做的所有事情。然而，当一个人参与这样的工作时，他的内心仍然存在着对律法的厌恶和束缚，他无法摆脱法律的束缚。因此，所有这些工作都是纯粹的浪费和无用。这就是保罗所说的3:20：“凡有血气的，没有一个因行律法能在神面前称义。”由此可见，大学里的争论者和诡辩家在教导人们通过行为为恩典做好准备时，都是错误的向导。当一个人心里不厌恶、不喜欢任何工作时，他如何能通过工作为自己做好准备呢？这样一颗不甘心、悖逆的心所做出的工作，神怎能喜悦呢？ 只有通过信心才能实现 然而，遵行律法意味着带着喜乐和爱心去做律法的事，自由地过敬虔美好的生活，不受律法的约束，就好像有律法一样。 没有法律，也没有惩罚。然而，这种不受约束的爱的喜悦是由圣灵灌输在心中的，正如圣保罗在5:5所说的那样。但是，正如他在导言中所说，圣灵只有在耶稣基督里、凭着对耶稣基督的信心才能赐下。因此，除了上帝的道或福音之外，没有任何信心。信心宣告基督，即他是上帝和人的儿子，他为我们的缘故死而复活，正如他在3:25、4:25、10:9和10节中所说的那样。这就是为什么唯有信心才能称义并成全律法，因为它从基督的功劳中得到圣灵。然而，圣灵创造了一颗愿意且不受约束的心，正如律法所要求的那样；那么善行就直接源于信心。这就是他（使徒）在3：31节的意思。在他拒绝律法的行为之后，可能会让人认为他打算通过信心废除律法。 “不，”他说，“我们通过信仰建立法律”，也就是说，我们通过信心成全它。 （未完待续） Martin Luther’s Preface to The Epistle to the Romans This English translation is taken from the edition produced by Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide, 1966. This edition first published 1995 by New Creation Publications Inc., Coromandel East, South Australia Reprinted 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003. Foreword Martin Luther died nearly 450 years ago but his writing still speaks to us. He was awakened to the grace of God in Jesus Christ, and the effects of his renewal quickly spread through Germany. His testimony to justification through faith alone continues to spread around the world. In his longing for freedom of conscience, Luther was advised to read the Scriptures for himself. He did this, and lectured on it also. During A.D. 1515 he lectured on Romans, and, in the next two years, on Galatians. Somewhere in this time the passage, ‘The just shall live by faith’ brought personal assurance to him that he was accepted by God—through faith alone. He wrote: ‘I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise’. By 1521 he was before an ecclesiastical court in Worms, to give an account of his beliefs. It was here that he made his now famous statement: ‘Here I stand! I cannot do otherwise’. An edict was pronounced against him, and, for ‘safe keeping’, he was spirited away by friends to Wartburg Castle where he stayed—disguised as a knight and under an assumed name—for nine months. During this time he translated the entire New Testament from Greek to German. He also wrote brief summaries, or prefaces, to each book—similar to the Vulgate Bible. This ‘Luther Bible’, and its Prefaces, were phrased in the language of the common people. The Preface which he wrote for Romans is longer than the others. It contains a summary of the whole letter and an outline of its doctrine. Its main terms are defined and related to each other. More particularly, it conveys the joy and power of the gospel so evident in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Luther said about Romans: ‘The more thoroughly it is treated, the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes’. This small document has had a wide and deep influence through its history. The best known incident concerns John Wesley, who, in 1738, found his heart ‘strangely warmed’ as he listened to this Preface being read. He was converted, and again, the world felt the power of God’s forgiveness. May this booklet encourage many to read Paul’s letter and, particularly, to know the truth of God’s grace. Grant Thorpe July 1995 Martin Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans Preface This epistle is in truth the chief part of the New Testament and the purest Gospel. It would be quite proper for a Christian, not only to know it by heart word for word, but also to study it daily, for it is the soul’s daily bread. It can never be read or meditated too much and too well. The more thoroughly it is treated, the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes. Accordingly, I, too, shall offer my service and with the ability God has granted me prepare an introduction to it by this preface in order that it may be better understood by everybody. For heretofore it has been miserably darkened by glosses and all sorts of twaddle, while in itself it is a shining light, quite sufficient to illumine the whole Scriptures. Part I. Explanation of Terms Used in This Epistle In the first place, we must acquaint ourselves with matters of language and understand what Paul means by these words: law, sin, grace, faith, righteousness, flesh, Spirit, and similar terms; otherwise we shall derive no benefit from reading this epistle. (a) Law As regards the term ‘law’ in this epistle, you must not understand it after the fashion of men, as denoting a doctrine that shows us what works we must, and what works we must not, do. That is the meaning of human laws, with which we comply when we do the works commanded, though our heart may have no share in them. God frames His verdict in accordance with the condition of our inmost heart. His law, accordingly, makes demands upon our inmost heart, and is not satisfied with mere works, but brands as hypocrisy and lies all works in which our inmost heart has no share. For this reason all men are called liars, Psalm 116:11, because no one of them keeps, nor can keep, the Law of God from his inmost heart; everyone discovers in himself aversion to what is good and a desire for what is evil. Now, where there is no unconstrained desire for what is good, the inmost heart is not attached to the Law of God. In such a case there is surely also sin and merited wrath of God, although to a superficial observer there may appear many good works and an upright life. Hence Paul concludes, chapter 2:12, 13, that the Jews are all sinners, and says that only the doers of the Law are justified in the sight of God. He means to say that no one is a doer of the Law by works. This is the way he speaks to them, v. 22: ‘Thou sayest a man should not commit adultery, and thou committest adultery;’ likewise v. 1: ‘Wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.’ As though he were to say: In public you are leading a good life in the works of the Law, and you are passing judgement on those who are not leading such a life. You know how to teach everybody; you behold the mote that is in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the beam that is in your own eye. Matt. 7:3. The Law Demands Willing Obedience For although you keep the Law outwardly by your works, from fear of punishment or love of reward, still you do everything without a free desire and love of the Law, with loathing and under restraint. You would rather do otherwise if there were no Law. It follows, then, that in your inmost heart you are an enemy of the Law. Your teaching others not to steal—what does it amount to when at heart you are a thief yourself, and would gladly be one publicly if you dared? In the long run even the manifest work (against the Law) is not omitted by these hypocrites. Thus you are teaching others, but not yourself; nor do you know what you are teaching. You have never yet correctly understood the Law. In fact, in addition to this the Law increases sin, as he says, chap. 5:20, because man’s enmity against the Law becomes greater in proportion as the Law makes demands upon him, none of which he can fulfil. The Law Is Spiritual Therefore he says, chap. 7:14: ‘The Law is spiritual.’ What does that mean? If the Law were an affair for the body its demands could be met by works. But since it is spiritual, no one can satisfy its demands except by doing all that he does from the inmost heart. But such a heart is bestowed by no one except the Spirit of God; He makes men to agree with the Law, causing them to conceive a love of the Law from the heart and henceforth to do all, not from fear or constraint, but from a willing heart. In that way the Law is spiritual: it wants to be loved and fulfilled from a spiritual heart and requires such a spirit. If He is not in the heart, there abide in the heart sin, loathing, and enmity against the Law, which in itself is good, just, and holy. You must become used, then, to this mode of speech, viz., that ‘doing the things contained in the Law’ is quite another thing than ‘fulfilling the Law.’ The things contained in the Law are all those things which man does, or is able to do, in relation to the Law of his free will and by his natural powers. However, while a person is engaged in such works there remains in his heart a loathing of the Law and a constraint; for this reason all these works are sheer waste and useless. That is what Paul means when he says, chap. 3:20: ‘By the deed of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight.’ From this you see that the wranglers at the universities and the sophists are false guides when they teach men to prepare themselves for grace by works. How can a person prepare himself for what is good by works when he does no work without loathing and a dislike in his heart? How can God be pleased with a work that proceeds from such an unwilling and rebellious heart? Fulfilment Possible Only Through Faith However, fulfilling the Law means to do its works with delight and from love, and to lead a godly and good life freely, without the Law’s constraint, just as if there were no Law and no punishment. Such a delight of unconstrained love, however, is instilled in the heart by the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says, chap. 5:5. But, as he says in his introductory remarks, the Spirit is not given except in, with, and by faith in Jesus Christ. Hence there is no faith except by the Word of God, or the Gospel, which proclaims Christ, namely, that He is the Son of God and man, that He died and rose again for our sakes, as he states, chap. 3:25; 4:25; 10:9. 10. That is the reason why faith alone justifies and fulfils the Law, for it fetches the Spirit from Christ’s merit. The Spirit, however, creates a willing and unconstrained heart, such as the Law requires; and then good works spring directly from faith. That is what he (the apostle) means in chap. 3:31, after he has rejected the works of the Law in terms that might lead one to think he meant to make void the Law through faith. ‘Nay,’ he says, ‘we establish the Law through faith,’ that is, we fulfil it by faith. (To be continued)2024年4月14日 牧者之言
2024年教会暑期圣经学校
KJV Matt.19: 14 But Jesus said, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
暑期圣经学校（Vacation Bible School, 英文简称 “VBS”）是教会向社区提供的外展服侍，
我们上周日召开了2024年第一次筹备会议，确定以下内容。
日期：6月18-21日，晚5：30-8：00（周五“
异象：竭力传扬基督福音，与儿童和家长分享基督的愛，
主旨：以福音为中心，突出华人教会的特色，
预计目标：40个孩子
今年主题：潜水探险（SCUBA），以海洋世界为背景，
我们暂时分以下一些小组，并需要相关志愿者：
1. 教师组；2. 宣教组；3. 手工组；4. 敬拜赞美团队；5. 食物组；6.接待登记组；
7. 布置组； 8.宣传组；9.音响组；10.摄影及Video制作组；11. 青少年筹备《约拿书》剧组
欢迎积极报名参加VBS或VBS志愿者。
LRICBC-VBS-祷告指南
为参加 VBS 的孩子们祈祷：
• 为所有年龄段的孩子在VBS 期间听到福音祈祷。
• 祈求那些不认识基督的孩子能邀请基督进入他们的生命。
• 祈求基督徒孩子能够与天父更加亲近。
• 为不定期去教会的孩子们祈祷。
为 VBS 的志愿者祈祷：
• 求主赐给我们足够的志愿者来正确地教导和照顾我们的孩子。
• 祈求我们整个VBS 团队的言语和行动在这一周能尊荣和荣耀主。
• 祈求上帝赐福给我们 VBS 团队力量、耐力、
• 祈求主预备更多青少年志愿者，使基督徒青少年成为基督的精兵，
基督。
• 祈求周五晚家庭同乐夜的表演、
来参加。
• 为VBS 带领者在准备VBS 周和期间寻求上帝的指引时祈求智慧。
• 为VBS周我们的支持团队和食物团队等祷告。
• 为圣经学校之后的跟进行动祷告。
Jesus’ words of Matthew 19: 14 are the basis and foundation for our church’s children ministry. The Lord Jesus taught us: “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them.” On one hand, the original text of “let” is an imperative tone. The Lord commands us to invite children to come to Him. On the other hand, let’s not hinder them. “Hinder” means not to allow, to obstruct or to set up obstacles. The KJV translates “hinder” as “suffer,” which means to endure. This reminds us to tolerate and put up with little children. Children are not always lovable, sometimes they can be mischievous or restless. Yet the Lord asks us to welcome them. A church with many children is filled with the Lord’s presence, vitality, and blessings. A church that prohibits children from entering is hardly be called the Lord’s church.
Vacation Bible School (VBS) is an outreach ministry provided by the church to the community. It aims to educate children to know God, including faith courses, arts, crafts, games, etc. Each church can design its own faith curriculum or purchase a suitable faith curriculum. Our church successfully held the first VBS last year (please refer to https://thebaptistpaper.org/
We had our first preparatory meeting for 2024 last Sunday to determine the following.
Date: June 18-21, 5:30-8:00 pm (“Friday Family Night”); volunteers will arrive at 5pm to set up tables and chairs.
Vision: Strive to spread the gospel of Christ, share the love of Christ with children and parents, and help people to know the Lord.
Purpose: Focus on the gospel, highlight the characteristics of the Chinese church, and make the activities interesting and fun.
Goal: 40 children
2024 Theme: SCUBA, with the ocean world as the background, it will lead children to dive into a relationship with the Lord.
We divide into several groups and need relevant volunteers:
1. Teaching Team; 2. Mission Team; 3. Craft Team; 4. Worship and Praise Team; 5. Food Team; 6. Reception and Registration Team; 7. Decoration Team; 8. Promotion Team; 9. IT Team; 10. Photography and Video Team; 11. Youth Preparation Team for the Play of “The Book of Jonah”
Welcome to actively sign up to participate in VBS or VBS volunteers. Brothers and sisters who are interested in serving, please contact Mrs. Shasha if you have any questions.
LRICBC-VBS-Prayer Guide
Ways to Pray for the Kids Attending VBS:
• Pray for the kids of all ages who will hear the Gospel during VBS.
• Pray that children who don’t know Christ will invite Him into their lives.
• Pray that children who are Christians will grow closer to the Father.
• Pray for the children who do not attend church regularly.
Ways to Pray for Those Who Are Serving at VBS:
• Ask the Lord to provide plenty of workers to properly teach and care for our children.
• Pray that the words and actions of our entire VBS team will bring honor and glory to God through the week.
• Pray that God will bless our VBS team with strength, endurance, good attitudes, and the capacity to demonstrate Christ’s unconditional love to each child.
• Pray that the Lord will prepare more youth volunteers so that among them the believers will grow their faith and the seekers will accept the Lord.
• Pray that the play, presentation, and graduation certificate presentation on Friday Family Night will go well, and more parents will attend.
• Pray for wisdom for those leading VBS as they seek God’s guidance in preparing for and during VBS week.
• Pray for our supporting team and food team during the week.
• Pray for our follow-up after Bible School. Pray that we might make many connections in our community.
2024年4月7日 牧者之言
见证之日The Day of Testimonies
——记教会的复活节庆祝
约三千多年前，圣灵借大卫的口预言说：“
* 蒙神赐福
庆祝分两个部分。一部分是室内敬拜；另一部分是室外敬拜与活动。
* 十架苦路十四站默想
基督若不受苦，就没有复活。上周五受难节晚上，教会举行“
* 预尝天堂
《启示录》里天上场景的特点之一是“各国、各族、各民、
* 同工同心
“看啊，弟兄和睦同居，是何等的善、何等的美”（诗133：
*儿童复活袋
明芳阿姨亲手编织的复活节小兔子等手工艺品是小朋友的最愛。
* 众民喜悦
这次复活节庆祝大概有200多人参加，
大卫称颂主复活时说：“因此，我的心欢喜，我的灵快乐，
“Glad in heart, joyful in spirit, peacefully dwelling in the flesh”:
Easter Celebration in the Church
Over three thousand years ago, the Holy Spirit prophesied through the mouth of David, saying: “because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay” (Psalm 16:10). Around the year 30 AD, Peter confirmed during Pentecost that our ancestor David had died, been buried, and his tomb was still there. David was not speaking about himself, but about the resurrection of Jesus, as Jesus’ soul was not abandoned to Sheol, and his body did not see corruption (Acts 2:29-32). Jesus has risen! His resurrection conquered death, the grave, and the devil, granting new life to those who believe in him. The Church celebrates Easter to witness the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ transcending time and space and to share the good news of the gospel with others. This year, everyone in the church is filled with joy during the Easter celebration. Here are a few points to share with our brothers and sisters in the Lord:
• Blessed by God
The celebration consists of two parts: indoor worship and outdoor worship and activities. Regarding outdoor worship and activities, we want to express special thanks to God for the weather He has provided. Previously, there were concerns about the hot weather, and tents were prepared for shade. However, God prepared a heavenly canopy with clouds for us, providing pleasant weather, and everyone’s mood was comfortable.
• Via Dolorosa Candlelight Meditation
Without Christ’s suffering, there would be no resurrection. Last Friday evening, the church held a “Fourteen Stations of the Via Dolorosa Candlelight Meditation” for Good Friday. The Via Dolorosa is a 600-meter-long stone road in the old city of Jerusalem, believed to be the route Jesus took to be crucified. The Latin term “Via Dolorosa” means “the sorrowful way.” Traditionally, people divided this way into fourteen stations, marking the suffering Jesus endured. Through candlelight meditation, we immersed ourselves in the scene, reflecting deeply on the sufferings endured by the Lord and our own sins through songs, scripture recitations, prayers, a short video of “The Passion of the Christ,” and prayers. Many brothers and sisters were deeply moved.
• Pre-taste of Heaven
One of the characteristics of the scenes in Revelation is “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9). This year, our Chinese church and the Antioch Church (an English-speaking church that shares the same building with us but meets in different areas) jointly celebrated Easter outdoors. We sang English hymns, listened to English messages with Chinese translation, and partook in the Lord’s Supper together. This unity was a testimony to the life of oneness that Christ’s resurrection has bestowed upon us.
• Unity in Service
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). The celebration was pleasant, brothers and sisters loved one another, and served one another. There were beautiful worship, delicious barbecue and various delicacies, children hunted for Easter eggs, played on jumping house, enjoyed ice smoothies, and everyone exchanged greetings and conversations. This was the result of teamwork in service. The morning prayer team prayed daily in preparation for Easter, and brothers and sisters actively invited friends through WeChat messages and word of mouth. Particularly grateful were those who prepared barbecue skewers on Saturday. Such enthusiasm for the Lord is pleasing! Everyone shares a common desire: to let more people feel the love of God and the warmth of brothers and sisters!
• Children’s Resurrection Bags
Handcrafted Easter bunnies and other crafts made by Sister Mingfang were children’s favorites. This year, she made exquisite bags embroidered with crosses for 59 children. As elders distributed gifts to the children, they explained the meaning of believing in Jesus to each child, sowing the seeds of the gospel in their young hearts. Mingfang had each child sign their bag as a memento and prayed for them one by one.
• Joy Among the People
This Easter celebration had approximately over 200 attendees, making it the largest gathering in the history of our church. Many people who had never been to our church before joined us, giving us the opportunity to share the gospel with them. One seeker said, “This Easter event at the church was really good. Both adults and children were happy. The barbecue was so delicious, and I’m sure it took a lot of effort to prepare so many. Thank you for your hard work.” Another invited seeker couldn’t attend due to work schedule, but his wife came with their child. After the event, he actively asked for the church’s address and expressed his desire to make some contribution to the church. All of this is by the grace of God, and we give all glory to the Lord. Of course, there were also many shortcomings in our service. We are thankful to all co-workers for their valuable feedback, which will serve as valuable guidance for better service in the future.
David praised the Lord’s resurrection, saying, “Therefore, my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also rests secure” (Psalm 16:9). May the life of the Lord’s resurrection continually fill us, so that we may live our lives with joy in our hearts, gladness in our spirits, and security in our bodies, always anchored in hope!
