HOPE CITY CHURCH
– our LPD Church of the Week
Thanks to Anna (Ben) Crumback at Sointula Community Church for producing the Church of the Week!
Hope City Church is a church that we
all have a part in. It began in the hearts of a young pastor and wife, Phil and Grace Yung,
serving in a church they loved, yet feeling a call to something new, something
outside of their then current ministry, and something outside an existing
church.
As we walked with this couple, they went through a process of discernment and
assessment, which affirmed a call to church planting. They became LPD Church
Planting Missionaries in 2012, went through a church planting bootcamp,
followed by an internship in southern California, and were mentored and coached
by Charlie Worley and later Steve Sharpe.
Our district invested in them financially, as did churches and individuals. We
set up an Advisory Committee, and walked with them as they gathered a Core
Team, and discerned what God was inviting them to join Him in birthing.
Hope City Church
was birthed, has grown towards maturity, and now is reaching out to the
community of Central Burnaby and beyond. It has moved in status from a church
plant to a church that is now managing itself and continually refreshing its
call to mission.
Leaders have been raised up, disciples have been made and grown, and Phil and
Grace have been joined by a staff team that includes Andrew (Tiffany) Syyong
and MIchelle (Aaron) Low.
It has been a joy to walk alongside this work of God, and to enjoy the
partnerships that God has used along the way. Vancouver Chinese EFC
commissioned them. Our district, ANACEFC (Association of North American Chinese
Evangelical Free Churches), district churches and individuals supported them
financially. Our district and the EFCC provided coaching and mentoring to them
and volunteers from district churches served on our Advisory Committee.
Phil and Grace have grown as children of God, as a couple, as a family
(Karissa, Micah and Kayla), and in ministry, and God is using them at Hope City
and beyond. Phil serves on our LPD Board as Director of Church Planting and Development,
and I appreciate his heart for church planting and for the church planters that
he encourages and cares for.
There is an old saying (attributed to several notables) that simply states, “There is no limit to the amount of
good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit,” and this is
so true. Hope City Church is the fruit of the efforts and gifts of many, and we
are thankful to serve together to this end. As Paul reminds us, “What, after all, is Apollos? And
what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has
assigned to each his task.
I planted the seed,
Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who
waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have
one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.”
(1 Cor. 3:5-8).
***
Mimic or Mission?
As leaders, we must
discern between leading people in obedience to God’s call, “pushing”
people towards our personal agenda and “following” the trends of our
day and culture.
Just as an attitude of thanksgiving can be difficult if a person is thinking
about what he/she does not have, so an attitude of thanksgiving can be
challenging in a church when our focus is on what our church does not have. Our
worship is not on par with… Our pastor’s preaching is not on par with… Our
children’s program is not on par with…
Rather than celebrating our church, and what God has been doing, we might focus
on where our church might be “lacking.” Take time to reflect on and
share where God has been at work. Take time to celebrate when lives have been
transformed. Celebrate and build on what God has been doing!
Here is an article that encouraged us to complement, rather than compete with
other churches.
3-reasons-to-celebrate-not-compete-with-other-churches/
I have seen a lot of
trends over the years, and seen churches attempt to respond to changing
culture. From hymns to upbeat music; from messages illustrated by stories to
video clips (and back to stories); from pews to chairs, from suit and tie to
casual dress; from King James to NIV – to “The Message,” there have
been a lot of trends.
Sometimes the changes can be good – removing what might be considered
“barriers” to people attending our church. Sometimes changes are
frankly “dumb” and short-sighted. Leaders inflict change upon a
church, only to have this change reversed by the next pastor.
People may become cynical – and rightly so.
How do we discern between the voice of culture and the call of God? Here is a
helpful article:
4 Practices to Help You Discern Between the Holy Spirit and
Leadership Gurus
4-practices-to-help-you-discern-between-the-holy-spirit-and-leadership-gurus/?ecid=PDM188932&bid=1734380535
Related to this, here is
an article on why I’m thankful for the local church:
why-im-grateful-for-the-local-church/
Finally, here is a Thanksgiving word of encouragement from Ed Stetzer, “A Thanksgiving Prayer From Old.” thanksgiving-prayer-from-old.html
***
Please Help
Vancouver Gospel Home
Church is a Korean church plant that meets in Coquitlam. We have
enjoyed coming to know Pastor Daeho Cho, and are working with them, as they
make application to join our district and the EFCC Family.
Sadly the facility their church rents was recently broken into, and all their
sound equipment was stolen.
If your church can donate either equipment or funds towards replacing what was
stolen, this would be a great blessing to these brothers and sisters in Christ.
Here is a list of what
is needed:Speakers 2~3(under 100W)
Speaker stand 2
Microphone 2~3
Sound mixer(up to 10chn)
Projector 1
Please contact me (Rob) for more information, and thank you for considering
this need. (rob@lpd-efcc.ca).
Update: One church has already responded
with a used soundboard – thank you! More equipment is still needed.
Please pray for:
Upcoming Events:
LPD Pastor and
Staff Cruise
a day of fellowship,
learning and encouragement with co-workers in Christ–
Wednesday, October 30
Here are the details:
Pastors_Cruise_Oct._30_2019.pdf
***
LPD Pastor and Spouse Retreat
Nov. 22-24, 2019
Hello LPD pastors, we’d like to invite you to join us on Nov. 22-24, 2019 for a Pastors’ retreat! We’d like to encourage you to take a breather in late November (before Advent begins) with your fellow pastors at Camp Charis in Chilliwack.
Registration is open
on our LPD Website. Please see:
https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/event/lpd-pastor-and-spouse-retreat/
