Coquitlam Chinese Evangelical Free Church
– Our LPD Church of the Week.
Thanks to Anna (Ben) Crumback at Sointula Community Church for producing the Church of the Week!
Only one life, ’twill
soon be past,
Only what’s done for
Christ will last.
So said the plaque
hanging in our home when I was growing up. Obviously, it has stuck with me, and
as I grow older, it becomes more and more meaningful as life passes so quickly.
One life. One chance to make a difference. One chance to invest in what will
outlive us…
Over this past week, we recognized the first Green Shirt Day in Canada. This day
emphasizes the urgency of Canadians to become organ donors, and more than 3300
Canadians responded by signing on as donors.
This day was birthed out of the tragedy of the horrific bus crash, in which 16
member of the Humbolt Broncos hockey team were killed in the collision of their
team bus and a semi-trailer truck than drove through a marked crossing.
One of those killed was Logan Boulet, a young hockey player, who had signed to
be an organ donor, just one year before his untimely death. Through his donated
organs, six people were given new hope and quality in life.
One life can make a difference – none more than that of Jesus Christ, our Lord
and our Saviour, and in this Easter Season, we proclaim the message of hope and
new life through him.
I tell you the truth,
unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single
seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will
lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for
eternal life. (John 12:24-25)
This Sunday, as I
preach at Jesus Grace International Church, I will remind them of the
difference one person made in their country. In 1921, two young Swedish
couples, David ad Svea Flood and Joel and Bertha Erickson, headed to what
was then known as the Belgian Congo as missionaries. They felt called to
a remote village, N’dolera, where the Gospel had not yet been heard.
Their ministry appeared to end in failure. Both couples suffered bouts of
pneumonia. The Ericksons abandoned the mission. The Floods remained, as Svea
was expecting their second child. Shortly after the birth of their daughter,
Svea died, and her husband David buried her at their remote homestead.
Discouraged and feeling abandoned by God, David left the mission and walked
away from God. It was only at the end of his life that he learned of the impact
of their short mission to the Congo. A boy had received Christ as a result of
their ministry. The boy became a witness, and led the village to Christ. He
became a bishop, and there are now thousands of Christians in that region.
One life invested in another. That life was in turn invested in the lives of
others, in light of what matters for eternity…
You can read the full story here: David_and_Svea_Flood.pdf
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep… Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Cor. 15:17-20,58)
Likely, it will only
be in eternity that we will realize the impact that our one life and ministry
has had.
***
5-ways-to-make-your-easter-invite-more-effective
***
AROUND THE LPD:
This Sunday, I look forward
to joining Pastor
Sammy and Eva Kabyemera at Jesus Grace Evangelical International Church,
where I will have the honour of preaching on this Palm Sunday. We are thankful
for this
church family, and their outreach to African-Canadians in our region. Many have
come to Canada as refugees, and it is a joy to welcome them to our country and
to our family of churches.
***
Please pray for:
Upcoming Events:
Apologetics Event: Responding to Secular Perspectives on
Christian Faith
Join us as Dr. Chamberlain addresses
the following questions:
* How can Jesus be the only way?
* What caused God?
* Isn’t Christianity anti-woman?
* Isn’t Christianity anti-gay?
* If God is so good, why do so many bad things happen to good people?
May 5 – 6 | Johnston Heights
Church Surrey 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Registration is required, so please RSVP by purchasing your $10 ticket soon at
the above link.
Dr. Paul Chamberlain
is the director of the Institute for Christian Apologetics at Trinity Western
University and teaches ethics, philosophy of religion and Christian Apologetics
and Leadership there. He has also worked with Ravi Zacharias International
Ministries during part of that time. He is an effective communicator both in
and out of the classroom. His humorous, down-to-earth manner appeals to a wide
variety of people. Drawing from the media and using a professional power point
presentation, his seminars are both interesting and relevant. Dr. Chamberlain
has appeared on numerous radio and television talk shows, debated on university
campuses, and is a frequent guest speaker at public functions. He is the author
of five books: Can We
be Good Without God, Final Wishes, How To Talk About Good and Bad Without
Getting Ugly: A Guide to Moral Persuasion, Why People Don’t Believe:
Confronting Seven Challenges to Christian Faith, and Why People Stop Believing,
as well as a number of articles addressing current social and moral issues.
***
Attend this conference and the EFCC Annual Meeting live in
Okotoks,
or join us via livestream.
Watch for details of livestream in the Lower Mainland and on the Island!
Here’s a link: https://www.efccm.ca/wordpress/conference-2019/
***
LPD Pastor and Staff Cruise
– a day with
colleagues in ministry.
Wednesday, May 29
***
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.
Please set this date aside and watch for details early in the months ahead.
