Very interesting and lovely experiences in the last few days.

There was the expected, like renewing connections with people we met previously. Spending quality time with others in this place where we are more or less confined as compared to our usual situations where we face a lot of distractions and have to handle a lot of obligations. And of course, making new acquaintances.

The worship was marvellous as you can imagine, the words exuberant and exhillarating comes to mind.

The messages were a combination of old and new. Like touching base with our movement’s core values and seeing how the building of communities of hope should involve the church, businesses and youths. The latter struck a cord and a stirring amongst the youths at the meeting was very evident.

Ministry time was lovely.

I came away feeling that this conference was an integral part of an ongoing process that God has been working in Susan and I, equipping us in our role as church planters. And also and more importantly, moulding us into the persons he has destined us to be.

Here are some images of the gathering.

This morning, I shared about God’s heart for the nations. He desires to bless the nations. And he has commanded us to disciple the nations. Our country, despite its geographic size has admirable accomplishments. But as to why nations succeed, rise and fall, at the end it is God who has all wisdom and power, and it is he who raises up or disposes a ruler. His kingdom and therefore what he desires of all nations, people and tribes, is of justice, peace and joy. Jesus is the desire of the nations when they see the Church and its members display the manifold wisdom and splendor of God.

God’s kingdom in the past has made huge inroads through the work of foreign missionaries, the setting up of mission schools, and mercy works like the one exemplified by Mother Teresa. Today, there are great potential for making further inroads by empowering and releasing indigenous pastors to lead local church planting movements to disciple nations, using business as missions, and through micro-enterprises and community development projects (like bringing clean water, eco-tourism).

It is truly amazing the grace of God upon NLV and its members, and despite our size this is what we have been up to with regard to blessing the nations, discipling the nations, and displaying the manifold wisdom and splendor of God.

Micro loans given by NLV. Because we can.

There are now 19 Karen children staying in the new hostel which we are supporting in Chiang Mai. It is my hope that we can find ways and means to provide more support to Pii Chai and Tamla in order to see the children right through the end of high school and even to University.

Mercy works in Chiang Mai. Because we care.

We have just joined the Vineyard Indonesian Partnership to come alongside and work with Indonesian pastors to establish a Vineyard church planting movement in the nation. To date, there are 23 Indonesian church plants!

Vineyard Indonesian Partnership. Because we must.

Finally, Kingdom Inroads, which is an initiative of NLV. Kingdom Inroads serves to gather and deploy resources, and will pursue a strategy to preach the gospel of the Kingdom and disciple nations via a holistic approach of church planting, mercy works, community development and business as missions. Kingdom Inroads will seek to promote volunteerism internationally; research, develop and implement micro enterprises such as VolunTourism, and other community development projects such as clean water, to serve communities, church planters and support mercy works in our neighboring countries.

Kingdom Inroads & Voluntourism in Nepal. Because altogether we are better

Through the introduction of Jon, I met with Adolfo “Chito” Aquino recently during the latter’s visit to Singapore.

Chito and a number of other pastors founded and currently lead the LJOR Church in the Philippines. LJOR is the acronymn for the Lord Jesus Our Redeemer, and the church comprises of more than a hundred local churches spread all over the Philippines and elsewhere in the world. It is committed to: “Love God, Love One Another; Proclaim, Teach, and Advance God’s Kingdom to the Ends of the World.” Now isn’t that remarkably like NLV’s vision, to Love GOd, Love People, and Co-mission with Christ?

The elders of LJOR are open to networking with NLV and they have started coming to our Sunday morning meetings.

LJOR has a small Filipino fellowship going in Singapore and we are delighted to be hosting their Sunday afternoon meetings in our premises.

Early this month, I went with my friends, Kiat Hock and Jon to visit the Post Museum, which is off Little India and near Jalan Besar Road. We spent about 2-3 hours there cutting vegetables, peeling garlic, and preparing food packages after the meal was cooked. The servings which included semi polished rice mixed with white, and vegeatble stew was definietly very healthy and looked and smelt really appetizing. The food prepared that evening served 42 people in the nearby housing estate.

I pay the price but in many ways I do not. In Susan’s eye’s I seem overly passionate about our call but I look at the price that Jackie Pullinger paid to bring into her home to live with her, addicts and prostitutes. I thank you Father for this word of encouragement. After a decade’s work, Jackie shared that it had taken her so long to train one man to help, sent him to New Zealand to learn more but sadly he returned with new ideas, feeling a burden to work with children, and had to leave her to pursue this (as if there were no children to help there). And so she cried and cried. She had to start again, alone. So much words of comfort were offerred, in letters. But what she needed was for people to come alongside to do the work with her. The trouble was that it looked so easy. She had seen Jesus touch men, healed and changed them. She could not do it alone. Even Jesus had the 12. She despaired that much of the rest of the church is engaged in discovering their giftings rather than giving (and going). But look at how God has raised her up!