Daily Devotion on Fire 2: DAY 187 - Paul Got The Secret of Kingdom Growth at Last! How About You?

If you can listen to Cantonese, please go to this link to "This week's sermon" for my preaching last Sunday(July 14). It's a very good one: http://www.emmanuelvoice.org/

**NEW link for the 14th: 13th 100 days 24 hours prayer campaign (We are going to use this 13th list leads up to the 14th. 13th from March 15 to June 22, 2013. 14th from June 22 to August 31, 2013)

Update for Leslie Tuesday July 16, 2013:

X-ray today, Doctor said good. May go home soon but they forget Leslie is still on tube can't eat, will try soon.

Golden Verse 金句

But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:9-10

後來，有些人心裡剛硬不信，在眾人面前毀謗這道，保羅就離開他們，也叫門徒與他們分離，便在推喇奴的學房天天辯論。

這樣有兩年之久，叫一切住在亞西亞的，無論是猶太人，是希利尼人，都聽見主的道。

使徒行傳 19:9-10

Today's Reading: Acts 19:8-41

Please read Acts 19:8-41 and listen to what the Lord Jesus Christ would like to tell you before reading my Spiritual Journal below. If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please read my “Count Down 5” from my Devotion on Fire blog:

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html .

You may click this link directly for the method: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.

 You may begin with a song to praise the Lord and complete you devotion by singing another praise song.

Please click this link to worship with us -

I Will Run to You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s2wCVcmYOU

Chinese praise song -

祢讓我生命改變 You Transform My Life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbbsl9vP4uI

 Please click the links to Acts 19:8-41

What I got from Jesus is: Paul got the secret of Kingdom Growth at last! How about you?

What I received from Jesus today is perhaps the most important call to every Christian - to follow Paul's new found strategy to extend God's mighty Kingdom.

I think most of the successful Christian leaders have gone through Paul's three stages. From a one-man band way of doing thing, to raise up apprentices, to establishing training centre and systems to nurture and equip mature leaders and pastors.

Let me share with you my three stages:

Stage 1: From 1987 to 1999

For 12 years since I was ordained as a deacon in 1987 then a priest in 1988. Serving in the Hong Kong from 1987 to 1994. Called by the Lord to come to Canada in 1994, first two years as Associate Priest at Good Shepherd's Church and then planted Richmond Emmanuel Church in 1996 to the first three years of ministries at REC. All those 12 years I was a kind of one-man band leader. Nearly burned out!

Stage 2: From 2000 to 2006

Started to intensively trained apprentices through Alpha Course(we started our first Alpha in Sept. 1999), small groups development and courses. We did developed quite a number of leaders like how Paul raised up Silas, Timothy, John Mark.

Stage 3: From 2006 to now

Started my D. Min. program at Fuller and got a totally new paradigm in my ministry. Understand the importance of these three stages of Paul's missionary and spiritual journey. When I started to practice the third stage, I was consecrated as a bishop in 2009. My whole ministry perspective changed. I started to write my blogs and record my podcasts helping Christians to have a daily intimate personal relationship with Jesus. Now I have people from 103 countries using those resources. I have been trying my best to find money so that those priests and pastors under my overseeing can have good training and coaching opportunities. Most of them are now under a world-class professional coach, a Fuller D.Min. Professor, Dr. Terry Walling's monthly coaching. We established Asian Initiative in 2006 and since then we have planted three new church plant: Toronto Emmanuel, FANS(For All Nations) and Emmanuel 330.

At REC, we have now lots of leaders having solid theological training and we offer quite a number of course like the Hall of Tyrannus to train and raise mature leaders. We started to have three members of our church go to Regent College for their M.Div. training. My son Ignatius is going to graduate at Regent next Summer and will become a pastor.

If I stayed in the first stage, I think I would be a burn-out priest.

So, Paul got the secret of Kingdom growth. I got the secret of Kingdom growth. How about you?

Dear Lord Jesus,

Lead us to be able to understand the importance of Paul's three stages and to follow Paul's good example to extend your mighty Kingdom. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Daily Devotion on Fire 2

Thursday, July 18, 2013

DAY 187 - Paul Got The Secret of Kingdom Growth at Last! How About You?

No comments:

Post a Comment