Spread Issue No. 3
Transcription
Spread Issue No. 3
T H E PA P E R O F S O L O M O N ’ S P O R C H . T R I A N N U A L . V O L 1. P4 P13 WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MISSIONAL GOD IN THE WORKPLACE P5 Supplement M A BOOKLET OF MISSIONS TESTIMONIES Q&A WITH SP’S MISSIONARIES ISSIONS ISSUE 3: MISSIONAL LIFEST YLE M ISSIONS And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” —Luke 10:2-3 Third Issue Third Issue Roaring Lambs WHAT DOES GOD HAVE IN STORE FOR US IN 2015? SP As we celebrate our 12th anniversary this year—the biblical year of authority and apostolic influence—I have been asking myself what is going to be our impact in our city, workplace, and home. As I have been praying and fasting, I have really been drawn to this image of a roaring lamb. Jesus tells us He is sending us out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16). We are to be wise in our relations with the world while also being gentle and humble in heart. An incredible balance—a radical middle. 3 3 READ We are lambs, but not the quiet, passive type. We are the kind that roars, the kind that has an impact. Jesus embodies this kind of lamb. He is the Lamb who took away our sins, but He is also the Lion of Judah. He cared for the lost and marginalized, and also went to war against dead religion. Missional Lifestyle WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE MISSIONAL? In Christianity, being missional means living out the posture, thinking, behavior and practices of a missionary in order to engage others with the Gospel. Luke 10 gives us a master plan of evangelism, which is as follows: 1. Bless/Pray: This is the first course of action we should take. Genuine spiritual transactions take place when we speak blessings in Jesus’ name. 2. Fellowship: Hang out and spend time with others. Don’t be a weird Christian that no one can relate to, but also remember that you are not of this world. 3. Meet needs: Try to meet the needs of people, not only material ones. 4. Preach: “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” (Colossians 4:5-6) This issue of Spread focuses on our missional lifestyle. How are we to be a witness to a world that God loves? You will read testimonies, articles that will challenge you, and learn of opportunities to get involved in God's work of redemption. 5. Results: We should focus on making God happy. SPers, let our community feel our roar! Remember, our goal is not to win the lost. Our goal is to love God and please Him. God is most overjoyed when we lead someone to Jesus: I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:7). Because He lives, hello Pastor Samuel Song Let’s take the pressure off ourselves, and just try to love God and make Him happy. 2/F Two Chinachem Plaza, 68 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong WWW.SOLOMONSPORCHHK.COM NEWS FROM SOLOMON’S PORCH ACROSS ASIA FACEBOOK.COM/SOLOMONSPORCHHK Editor’s Foreword THE SPREAD TEAM LUKE 10:3 SAYS THERE IS MUCH TO HARVEST, BUT THE WORKERS ARE FEW. THIS PASSAGE REMINDS US THAT EVERY MISSIONARY COUNTS. BUT WHO IS A MISSIONARY? AU D R E Y YO O WO N G , E D I TO R audrey.yoo@gmail.com RENO ONG, DEPUT Y EDITOR ongreno@gmail.com The Merriam-Webster Dictionary simply defines a “missionary” as a person undertaking a mission. Under this definition, all followers of Christ are missionaries. Each of us is called to fulfill a divine mission: spreading and exemplifying the Gospel. The word missionary—as an adjective—also refers to the state of being very enthusiastic and eager about doing a job or supporting a cause. How passionate are we about upholding God’s truth and love at home and elsewhere? In other words, are we missionary Christians in every sphere of our lives? S A M A N T H A WO N G , C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R sam@samishome.com H A N N A H H WA N G L E E , A R T P R O D U C E R hannahandjohnlee@gmail.com In this issue, we explore what it means to be missional and how we can become better missionaries—regardless of where we live and work. We hope these pages will encourage you to examine your life as a missionary and take charge of your missional calling as a beloved child of God. JOHN LEE, ART PRODUCER HONG KONG BEIJING SINGAPORE Last year, we launched an Alpha program for inquiring Christians and nonbelievers; 12 people accepted Jesus as their Savior after completing this course. We also started the SP Leadership Institute. In late 2014, we finished renovating the ninth and 10th floors of our building for Noah’s Ark—our children’s ministry—and the Youth Group. Noah’s Ark grew by 124% last year. At present, we have 25 teachers, but we need twice as many to support a third service, which is in the works. Our theme for 2015 is Word and Power. Our newly appointed CAREgroup leaders have been an incredible and increasingly bright spot in our ministry. Their love and commitment to serving their small-group members have really made an impact in our fellowship and in the city. This year, we will launch our second service. In the summer we aim to multiply from our current number of six CAREgroups to 12. By this summer, every member of SPBJ will be able to participate in CAREgroups. Please continue to pray for the development of our current leaders and the cultivation of new servant leaders this year. We now have four different house churches and new ministries, including Outreach and Women’s Ministry. Our Outreach Ministry has been particularly active with two major initiatives—a day out for underprivileged kids at Universal Studios and involvement in the Purple Parade to raise awareness for people with special needs. We kicked off 2015 with six newly baptized brothers and sisters. We also had our very first Growing in Christ discipleship course. We plan to launch a women’s Bible study and mothers’ playgroup that will run regularly. This year we hope to move into a new and permanent venue. hannahandjohnlee@gmail.com Illustrations by Hannah Hwang Lee TONY POON , FILMMAKER Soli Deo gloria, tony@poonfilms.com Audrey Yoo Wong For our list of contributors, please see p14. To contribute art and editorial content, contact us above. 3 4 3 3 Q&A Go & Obey For so the Lord has commanded us, “I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.” —Acts 13:47 SP SPONSORS FIVE FULL-TIME MISSIONARIES WHO ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT ASIA. HERE, THEY REMIND US THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN IS A MISSIONARY—REGARDLESS OF WHERE HE OR SHE IS PLACED. Illustrations by Hannah Hwang Lee and John Lee CHINA JAPAN CAMBODIA ASIA Lianne Cheng Sophia Cheng Grace Chung Jessi K. 1. What gave you the conviction to go on missions? 1. What prompted you to engage in missions? 1. What gave you the conviction to go on missions? 1. What gave you the conviction to go on missions? After I gave my life to Jesus, I was praying for God to share His heart with me. I felt His indescribable pain and burden for the lost of every nation, and especially for China and the Chinese. Since then, I knew that that was my calling. It is very clear from the Great Commission that every Christian is called for missions. So, wherever you are, that is your mission field. 2. What have you learned from being in the missions field? Mission work is about people; people are very complex. On top of this, Japanese culture is very indirect, and there are many unspoken rules. There will be a steep learning curve for me. I joined a two-week mission trip to Mongolia in 2006. The leaders of the trip pointed out that toward the end of the trip, most people got tired, but I seemed to get more energized, and I wanted to stay longer. They really challenged me to look at missions, but this was after two years of praying about it. I felt like I thrived doing ministry. I didn’t know that this was my calling until I went with my best friend on a short-term trip to the country. Papa did an overhaul on my heart—suddenly I was in love with the nation, and knew I had to come back. After that first trip I wasn’t sure whether I had the courage to go, except that I was so very discontent with my life in Canada. Once I purposed in my heart to go, I felt such peace. 2. What are some struggles you have? 2. What have you learned from being in the missions field? God was and is always working, everywhere, with or without you. You are not the savior of your city, school, friends as we might mistakenly think. Just be ready and in tune with God, and He will put you in the right place at the right time to do the small tasks He has prepared for you. 2. What are some struggles you face? 5. Prayer requests? For guidance and encouragement. 3. How can “nonprofessional” missionaries adopt a missional lifestyle? Lianne has stepped down as of March 2015 Be conscious that we are called to make disciples of all nations and share with them what Jesus has taught us. This call applies to us whoever and wherever we are. After all, Peter was a fisherman and not a preacher. 3. What advice would you give to those who are considering going on missions? Missionaries are always desperate to just go. Be really patient and take time to prepare, whether it’s five, 10, 15 years before He sends you. Don’t run ahead of God. Be proactive in learning and preparing practically, but also just relax and learn the life lessons He is teaching you every day in your current “normal,” nonmissional life. He will use everything and bring all of your experiences together for a purpose. 4. What can we do as a church body to support missions? Pray. If possible, organize a mission care group that will gather to pray for missionaries in specific detail. Subscribe to missionaries’ newsletters. From time to time, write to us. Identify the love language of missionaries; mine is receiving gifts ;) 4. What can we do or what is our role as a church body to support missions? 5. Prayer requests? Opportunities and capacity to share God’s love and truth. To stay intimate with God and to remain healthy. Salvation of my family. I like the analogy that it takes a whole country to mobilize, motivate, send and support the troops. You can give financially, help or offer any relevant advice in your area of expertise, send care packages, visit and see what we’re doing, or even just saying a few encouraging words, letting missionaries know you’re thinking or praying for them, because we don’t know unless you tell us. 5 Conflict with other foreign missionaries has been the biggest struggle. At the end of it, I realize not everyone is on the same page, everyone deals with conflict and communication differently. I have to be diligent and faithful to what God has asked me to do, but I have to honor and respect that somebody might not come from the same perspective. 5. Prayer requests? People are valuable, therefore, relationships are the most important thing. Continued wisdom and discernment in my role, in the ministry. Greater love for Jesus, and out of that would flow greater love for those with whom I live. Physical and spiritual protection. Please pray for an amazing community going forward. Pray for my housing. 3. What advice would you give to those who are considering going on missions? Ask God. Obey Him. Obey Him straight away, obey Him with joy. 3. What are some struggles you have? 5. How can we pray for you? I definitely struggle with responding to need, instead of being carefully tuned into what God is asking of me. There is always more to do, but I can’t change the world single-handedly, and that’s not what He requires of me. For my language learning (miracles would be handy in this area!), for divine appointments with influential people in this city, for safety (security-wise). 4. How would you recommend “nonprofessional” missionaries to live the missional lifestyle? 4. How would you recommend “nonprofessional” missionaries to be missional? Put intimacy with the Father first, and then John 5:19-20: Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.” We’re all missionaries. I think people have to make it deliberate. First, they’re daughters and sons, and after that we’re called to be the light to the world. You’re not a banker who happens to be Christian, you’re not a teacher who happens to be Christian. You’re a follower of Jesus who’s been placed in the field of finance or teaching. 6 2 2 3 3 My Friend IF YOU COULD SEND A MESSAGE TO YOUR PAST SELF, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? IF YOU HAD A FEW MOMENTS WITH SOMEONE, HOW WOULD YOU SHARE THE GOSPEL? WHEN KINGSTON HO PENNED THIS SONG, HE ASKED HIMSELF THE SAME QUESTIONS. THIS SONG HIGHLIGHTS THE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH GOD ONCE WE ENTER HIS PRESENCE, HENCE THE TITLE "MY FRIEND." To watch the music video and read our interview with Kingston, go to the SP website. By Kingston Ho (featuring Eunice Yeung) My friend, This is a letter for you I'm just a messenger a bearer of good news This is the truth It saved me, it could save you I took a leap of faith and I came through the other side made new I was a slave too Then the cage, shackles and chains disintegrated by the power of the Way, Truth, Life When He drew me to the light, gave a blind man sight It's because He paid the price I escaped doom I was spiritually dead, now I'm born again Freed from a system of fraudulence I found my way back to the Source with His map and coordinates He called me and I couldn't ignore it was of greatest importance He's revealed what our purpose is But are you gonna serve your purpose here On this place we call earth which has been cursed We remain fallen in its hemisphere Please let me share Take a look around, man is born into sin Since the fall we're all flawed, we're all warped within But we were meant to walk with Him Have fellowship with the Lord our King We broke His law and since We've been separated from Him In the absence of light we will perish 7 In Adam all die, it’s his sin we inherit And hell is the only thing our souls really merit so I cherish Chorus My friend, my friend Can I introduce you to my friend? My friend knows you better than you know yourself, my friend My friend, don’t you wanna know Him? Once we're born and the umbilical cord has been cut All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God We walk in the dark Man's thoughts and heart are corrupt In conformance with the devil's insubordinate plot Caught in his clutch, our destination's scorchingly hot Divorced from the one who formed us we are fallen and lost, still We stand proud and live according to us Our own terms, our own standards Ignoring the cost What we think we can afford we cannot Our sinful nature is rebellious so warnings are mocked The truth is told and in our arrogance we scorn and we scoff We're sick to the core, yet support is dauntlessly snubbed Unlawful, we trust blindly in the forgery of self-sufficiency To be our own lord, our own god ‘Cause He’s not visibly like that for which we sordidly lust Idolatrous, we adore and give glory to what ought to be God So complacent, we feel we’re self-taught to adjust Believing through our good deeds we do more than enough, but One day we are all to be judged Understand the righteous anger of the Lord can’t be dodged We’re all guilty You can keep on taunting the clock But tomorrow you could be a rotten corpse in a box I’m talking in love Please don’t think I’m causing a fuss I’m just writing to you so you know the door isn’t shut His blood was poured on the cross We are all sinners That includes you, yes, you are a sinner Look for an excuse, self-delude in the mirror But no one is exempt or immune, you are in the Path of the wrath of God Now you’ve heard will you laugh it off? Or do you find that my remarks disgust? I speak with the harshest tongue because I love you but do you know the love of the Father’s Son? Listen— God Himself Came down to earth in the form of a person Took on our burden Lived a life we couldn't—sinless and perfect He changed the verdict Freedom was purchased What we deserved was taken endured, He Suffered and died for our sins when the fact of the matter is We are not worthy Nailed to the cross God was brutally murdered See the wages of sin is death But His sinlessness was sufficient to relinquish debt So death was conquered He was buried but on the third day He rose from the dead Now the chosen elect are atoned for He bled for our sake Punished in our place There's no one He can't save Don't you know that He's the light? Will you acknowledge or deny my friend, Jesus Christ? Music video produced by Tony Poon 8 Local Outreach Local Outreach Reaching Out to Our Neighbors The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. —Luke 4:18-19— In recent years, I've learned a valuable lesson in consistency. I've learned that doing small things well with regularity is as valuable—if not more so—than doing great things occasionally. But in life, perceptions of the lofty often undercut the everyday. In terms of missions, we frequently fall into the trap of placing a premium on supposed "great works" for the Kingdom. Traveling to other nations to preach to underserved communities, giving up one's career to focus on ministry and ultimately major sacrifices in our lives—these are all honorable deeds. Yet equally honorable are the good acts we aspire to in our daily routines and in a more immediate, frequent context. It is written in Luke that "he who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much." Missions therefore start at home, wherever we are placed, and with neighbors who are near. Let us therefore look near before we look far, and let us not let ambition blind what we should be doing in the present. —Reno Ong TESTIMONY Living Out Love By Timothy Tang When I started doing local outreach a few years ago, I didn’t call myself a follower of Jesus. Just a believer, at best. An outreach staff asked me to serve in Egape to teach English to children. I thought, “How can I?” I wasn’t a teacher. I thought I wasn’t equipped, but I hesitantly agreed because the ministry needed people. Over time, I learned to teach by depending more on God. I realized it wasn’t about teaching them English, but about loving them, bringing joy to their learning opportunities and sharing His goodness. Living out love is the essence of Christian living. This is a missional life! It is daily life, not a once-in-a-while mission trip. I am grateful that the outreach team gave me opportunities to become a follower of Jesus—learning about depending on God, loving people, practicing “being missional” locally every week, building strong bonds within the SP community as well as with our neighbors. TESTIMONY Small, Godly Things By David Woo In our daily walk, we are surrounded by so many people who hunger for intimacy, for a more meaningful relationship. We don’t need to go overseas to live a missional lifestyle. I think Hong Kong is a very individualistic society and a convenience-oriented society. An aspect of our society is c onveniently ignoring or marginalizing the people around us. However, when we step out in faith and put ourselves in the inconvenient and uncomfortable position of remembering the people around us, we can experience how the harvest is plentiful. This does not have to take the form of commitment to and participation in a church ministry. This does not have to take the form of bodycount-style, one-off conversion tactics. This does take the form of walking humbly with our God, partnering with Him to be a part of other people’s journeys—regardless of whether we play a great or small part. In our daily walk, we are surrounded by so many people—the security guards in our buildings, our drivers, our wait staff, our janitors, our colleagues—who hunger for intimacy, for a more meaningful relationship. They would gladly receive any gift, word of encouragement, touch or act of service. When we shower them with love, we are also giving them an opportunity to love us. We are living the missional lifestyle in these small, godly things. Whether I am greeting people at the elevator for Sunday service, serving dinner to the elderly at the St. Barnabas shelter, or walking through the halls of the University of Hong Kong, I realize how prideful I am, how I don’t know how to love my neighbor as myself. Yet God is so compassionate and gracious with us, and gentle and humble in heart. Even now, as I finish writing this manuscript in my faculty common room, I encountered a staff member with whom I had never spoken until this morning. She had tendered her resignation today, and would become a kindergarten teacher, but she didn’t know if teaching was her life’s vocation. I thank God for an opportunity to share Jeremiah 29:11 with her and to encourage her to discover—not only her life’s vocation—but why she was born. She asked if I were a Christian, and if I went to church, which one. She was a Christian, but did not attend church. Praise God for another opportunity to encourage her to belong to a community of believers. Perhaps she and I will never see each other again in this life, but that’s besides the point. By God’s grace—through this encounter—she and I have broken stranger culture and have seen His Kingdom come and His will be done in this place. We have become a bit more like Jesus. I thank God for His grace, and the opportunity to reach out to people in Hong Kong. In this city, God reached out to me so that I could no longer ignore Him, my sin and His grace. Hallelujah! I thank God that in this place of greatest weakness, insult, hardship, persecution and other difficulties in my life, God’s power is perfected, and I am becoming strong. DAVID WOO ATTENDS ISLAND HOUSE CHURCH. HE LIKES MEETING AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE, RESEARCHING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN SCHOOLS AND RUNNING. I am grateful that the outreach team gave me opportunities to become a follower of Jesus. You may say there are only a handful of local-outreach ministries and that you don’t have a “heart” for these groups. If I waited for my heart to warm to teaching English or children, I would have missed these God-given opportunities around me: to serve Him, to please Him, to encounter Him, to put serving Him above my needs, to put Jesus at the center. I am so glad I didn’t miss out! TIMOTHY TANG ATTENDS ELEMENTS HOUSE CHURCH. HE LIKES HIKING AND READING. 9 10 3 1 3 4 RECIPES FOR SERVING & ENTERTAINING FROM THE SP FAMILY Styling & Photography by Hannah Hwang Lee CELEBRATIONS FAMILY Ronald’s Vivian’s CURRYLICIOUS 6-LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE Preparation time: 10 to 15 minutes Cooking time: 1 to 4 hours Serves 10-12 Curry is one of my favorite dishes: I love the fragrance from Thai curry, and I love the heat and heavy spices from Indian curry. I’m combining both elements in this recipe. This recipe could easily feed eight to 10 hungry members of your house-church family! This cake was originally commissioned by Pastor Sam Song for his wedding anniversary. This was long before my bakery—Piece of Cake—had officially launched, and I didn’t have a signature chocolate cake on my menu. I went through dozens of chocolate cake recipes from top chefs, testing out a layer at a time, putting together the best layers from each recipe. After two failed attempts and 29 hours of messing about in the kitchen, the dream chocolate cake was born! INGREDIENTS 12 pieces of whole chicken leg (separate thigh and drumstick) 400 mL of coconut milk 1 L of chicken stock 2 medium-size onions (finely chopped) 4 medium-size tomatoes (roughly chopped) 8 cloves of garlic (minced) 1 lemon (juice and zest) 1 lime (juice) 2 pieces of lime leaf (ripped) oil soy sauce, white pepper and salt for seasoning Ingredients for curry powder 1 tbsp. of ground turmeric 1 tsp. of ground cumin 1 tsp. of ground coriander seed 1 tsp. of sweet paprika 1 tsp. of smoked paprika powder 1 tsp. of cayenne pepper 1 tsp. of ginger powder (or 2 cm of grated fresh ginger) 1 tsp. of chili powder (optional) ½ tsp. of ground cinnamon ¼ tsp. of ground nutmeg 6 to 8 pods of cardamom PREPARATION 1. In a big pot or wok, cook the chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic and lime leaf on medium to low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. 2. Mix all the spices and toast them on a pan or oven to bring out the flavor and fragrance. 3. Combine the toasted spices to the onion mix, add chicken, coconut milk and stock. 4. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for at least one hour or however long to achieve desired sauce consistency. The longer you cook the curry, the tastier it becomes. 5. After the sauce thickens, add lime juice, lemon juice, zest and seasoning. 6. Serve with rice or naan. INGREDIENTS AND PREPARATION 1. Boil water with sugar. 2. Beat egg whites until they start to form soft peaks. Add boiling syrup and continue to beat until mixture is stiff. Put aside. 3. Melt chocolate in double boiler. Put aside. 4. Melt gelatin (with a little bit of water) in double boiler. Put aside. 5. Beat cream until it reaches a medium consistency (when you turn the mixing bowl upside down, the contents should not fall out of the bowl). Put aside. 6. Pour chocolate into cream and stir. Add rum to the mixture. 7. Add egg-white mixture into 6. in two to three batches. Stir well. 8. Add melted gelatin into egg-white mixture and stir as fast as possible. 9. Pour a dollop of the mousse onto the crunchy base and place a layer of sponge cake on top of it. 10. Pour two thirds of the dark chocolate mousse into the mold. 11. Place another layer of sponge cake and pour the remaining mousse on top of it. 12. Refrigerate. Ingredients for crunchy base Ingredients for hazelnut praline mousse 45 g dark chocolate 23 g hazelnut paste 90 g feuilletine flakes 15 g unsalted butter 1. Line a 9-in. ring mold with grease paper. 2. Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler. 3. Mix the chocolate with hazelnut and butter. Add feuilletine flakes into the mixture. Stir well. 4. Press the mixture into the base of the ring mold until it covers the 9-in. base. 5. Refrigerate. Ingredients for chocolate sponge cake 3 eggs 72 g caster sugar 27 g flour 18 g corn flour 18 g cocoa powder 36 g salted butter (melted) 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Line two 8-in. round molds with grease paper. 3. Sift all dry ingredients. 4. Beat eggs with sugar until it is creamy white in color. Add flour, corn flour and cocoa powder. Add melted butter into the mixture before pouring it into the cake molds. 5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes and cook cake. Ingredients for dark chocolate mousse 160 g dark chocolate (70% Valrhona) 30 g sugar 30 g water 2 egg whites 5 g gelatin 10 g rum 200 g whipping cream Jacinta’s cake pops with a variety of decorative styles 11 12 5 g gelatin leaf 50 g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 2 medium egg yolks 1 tsp. caster sugar 75 g soft praline or hazelnut spread 250 mL double cream 1. Soak the gelatin in a bowl of cold water for about five minutes to soften. 2. Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler. 3. Beat the egg yolks, sugar and 2 tbsp. of water in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water until the mixture becomes hot and fluffy. 4. Squeeze the gelatin to drain it. Add it to the egg and sugar mix. Stir until it dissolves. 5. Add the praline or hazelnut spread and melted chocolate into the gelatin-egg-sugar mix. Whisk until the mixture reaches a smooth and creamy texture. 6. Cool the mixture to room temperature. 7. Whip the cream until it becomes stiff. Gently mix the cream into the egg mixture without over stirring it. 8. Pour the mixture into the cake ring, on top of the dark chocolate mousse layer. 9. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Ingredients for dark chocolate ganache 255 g cream 255 g dark chocolate (chopped) 43 g unsalted butter 1. Heat the cream in a pan until just before it starts boiling. Pour it over the chopped chocolate. 2. Allow it to stand for five minutes. Add butter and stir slowly until it becomes smooth and glossy. 3. Remove the mousse cake from cake ring. 4. Pour ganache over the mousse cake. 5. Add Valrhona dark chocolate crunchy pearls around the base of the cake. You’ve got yourself the dream chocolate cake! Missional Lifestyle in the Workplace Work Heartily for the Lord Bringing God to Work REFLECTION THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE WHO DENY THAT EVERY WORKDAY IS A CHALLENGE. WE ASK OURSELVES: HOW CAN WE BE MISSIONARIES IN THE OFFICE WHEN WE ENCOUNTER DIFFICULT SITUATIONS OR COLLEAGUES? LET'S START WITH REMINDING OURSELVES THAT THERE IS DIVINE PURPOSE IN OUR WORK. By Jungmin Lee How do we glorify God in our workplaces? It doesn't start with "doing" but "being," that is resting secure in the knowledge of our identity in Christ as loved children of God and abiding in Him. As we receive the Father's love and then reciprocate that love to Him, we will naturally reflect Him in our lives, including the workplace, and people will be drawn to His light (John 15:5). Many of our colleagues, workplaces and industries are captive under spirits of fear, worry, jealousy and rejection. When we are grounded in the deep knowledge of our identity in Christ and filled with His love, joy, peace and truth, we will be strengthened to act in the opposite spirit and pray in agreement with our Father for "His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven." Through all this God will tear down strongholds in our workplaces, set his captives free and He will be glorified. Remember that worship is not just singing. Our work, indeed our whole lives, is a holy "fragrant worship offering" to the Lord (Ephesians 5:1-2). As Cain and Abel learned, worship is about the heart (Genesis 4). As we respond to the Father's extraordinary love, let us be inspired to "serve with our whole hearts" in our workplaces "as if serving the Lord and not men" (Ephesians 6:7). Like Abel, let us give an excellent offering "pleasing to the Lord." Pray daily for a deeper revelation of the Father's love for you (Romans 8:38-39) and for the joy of the Lord to fill you at work (Nehemiah 8:10) as you serve Him wholeheartedly. JUNGMIN LEE CO-LEADS OLD PEAK ROAD HOUSE CHURCH. HE LIKES WIDE OPEN SPACES, MEETING WITH HIS HOUSE-CHURCH FAMILY ON TUESDAYS AND HIS LOVELY WIFE HYUNJIN. Remember Your Real Boss By Ahyoung Baek-Chang Like any other ministry, workplace ministry should be prayerful. It is not by our power or strength but by the Spirit of the Lord that people come to know Jesus. Since the first day of work, I’ve been praying to God that He would identify the right people for me to minister. Then I try to keep them in my prayers, asking God to use me if there’s a window of opportunity for salvation. Starting from the people that Jesus placed in my heart, I started to share about His works in my life, His words and His heart for them. More often than not though, I don’t succeed. Nevertheless I give myself a pat on my back because I planted a seed in someone’s heart. That way I don’t get discouraged by disappointments. I may never see it bloom in my lifetime, but one day, in His time, it will. Second, remember who your real boss is. Doing everything for the Lord is the key to workplace ministry. Jacob and Joseph did not become bitter at Laban and Pharaoh's houses because they understood that God alone can order their lives. Consequently, you will be recognized for your work, which will open more doors to minister to others. His name is all over us. Third, rejoice always. I personally struggle with this the most. Yet it ties in well with the previous points. When you walk into your daily job prayerfully, knowing Jesus is your real boss, you have strength to rejoice despite any afflictions and mistreatments. Why? Because you know Jesus is fair, good and loving. He's got your back even as everyone else fails you. When you operate in confidence and joy in all circumstances, it allows non-Christians to see the power of Jesus in action. I pray in Jesus' name that SPers will collectively fulfill the divine purpose God has in our workplaces. Until He releases us to the next assignment, we should not withdraw. We are all sent to advance His Kingdom by forcefully taking back what was stolen. AHYOUNG BAEK-CHANG CO-LEADS AUSTIN WEST HOUSE CHURCH. SHE LIKES DOING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WITH HER FAMILY, WATCHING KOREAN TV DRAMAS AND HER BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN CHLOE AND DAVID. SHE OWNS AND WORKS AT THE RESTAURANT TAKOREA IN CENTRAL. 13 FROM THE PULPIT What’s your favorite book of the Bible? ON EXPANDING HORIZONS That’s a tough question. Whenever I’m lost or feel like I need to start again, I always go back to the Book of James. It’s the first book I used for my quiet time with the Lord when I was 15; I returned to this book after leaving the church altogether for a year when I was 22. God has spoken to me so clearly through the book of James at so many critical points in my life. He is so faithful. Jamie Donaldson 1 We need to see ourselves as an essential part of God’s team, an incredible socialnetworking enterprise that is taking the world by storm! How did you become involved with SP? I fell in love with Annie Shin. She was one of the original five members that prayed for Pastor Sam Song to come to Hong Kong. She also was SP’s first full-time missionary to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, under the care of Pastor Sam Song’s parents. If you weren’t a pastor what would you be? Steak chef. OMG. No doubt. I know that I would be the best in the world. O.K., maybe not the world, but definitely in Asia. I used to cook 80 steaks for SPers every year after the fast for our annual appreciation dinner. I loved it. It never once seemed like work. Which superpower would you like to have? Ask Pastor Sam Kim STUFF YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO ASK THE PASTOR BUT NEVER HAD THE GUTS TO (TILL NOW) 2 Take stock of the gifts and talents you already have and anticipate how God will use those things to do something miraculous. Illustration by Hannah Hwang Lee MARK YOUR CALENDARS MAR 9 - MAY 18 Alpha Course Q1-Q2 APR 5 Easter Sunday MAR 30 - APR 3 Passion Week APR 25 - 26 Alpha Retreat MAY 1 - 3 SP Retreat Flying. I have flown in my dreams before like Superman. Actually, many, many times. It’s really cool. I hope you can all experience it like I have. 3 Get ready to use your gifts for something much bigger and more fruitful than the little miracles you have seen. 4 To stay in touch with P. Sam Kim, contact him at: SAMKIM.HK@GMAIL. COM Back-cover Instagram by Samantha Wong, @samishome CONTRIBUTORS A H YO U N G BA E K - C H A N G LIANNE CHENG PA S T O R S O P H I A C H E N G G R AC E C H U N G JAMIE DONALDSON KINGSTON HO JESSI K. JENNIFER KHONG 14 PA S T O R S A M K I M VIVIAN LAM JUNGMIN LEE RONALD NELSON T I M OT H Y TA N G D AV I D W O O EUNICE YEUNG Don’t miss out on what God wants to do with you.