Hi TBF,
TB went on a mission trip to Manado/Sorong from 22nd to 29th July. The mission team landed from airport at 5pm on 29th July, Saturday. It was a refreshing time with the Lord in Indonesia. This mission trip brought forth for some of us, our first time experiences in several ways, such as first prison ministry, first open air crusade and first medical healing mission. We went on this trip with the verse “it is a blessing to give than to receive”, but the mission trippers ended up being blessed in return, so more than what we have given to the people there. The love for Jesus that the people had whether in prison or in villages was amazing.
Some of us headed straight to the Home Fellowship (HF) after we landed. We had a combined HF between Diakonia and Jacob’s Well at I’s house. This is the once a month combined gathering between the two HF groups. For that session, there were three guests who joined us for the first time, S, M and H. M and H were from the most recent Alpha session that we held at Tava for the BB residents. The bible study that night was led by J on Genesis 14-16. We touched on giving back to God as Genesis 14:20 “Then Abram gave back a tenth of everything”. The questions that never fail to pop up were “is it before tax or after tax?”, “Is bonus included”?, “The 10% was mentioned in the OT, does it still apply to us today?” The newcomers participated actively in the discussion which was heartwarming.
On 5th Aug at TBF onsite service at YMCA, we had our baptism service at 5pm. A and H whom we got to know through Alpha were baptised. Witnessing their baptism is like a milestone for Alpha and it is encouraging to know they are planted comfortably into the HF groups. We await more good reports of their spiritual growth in the days to come!
Following the baptism service, Pastor Jeffrey preached on “Commissioning the Great Commission”. Many of us were intrigued by the title of the message, which interestingly as Pastor Jeffrey mentioned is better to understand it in Chinese which translate to “大使命，使命感”. Jesus gave his disciples “The Great Commission” in Matthew 28. Reading this and knowing this is not sufficient, is our heart convicted and stirred to begin commissioning this commission? Or in Chinese, do we have the 使命感? In Matthew 22:35-40, an expert in law questioned Jesus on the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus questioned the motive of his motive in asking that question. Loving your neighbour is not good enough, the question is do you love your neighbour as you love yourself? Feels like the message kinds of wrap up the mission trip, the baptism and the HF session. Reflecting on “The Great Commission”, which consists of three parts, i) go and make disciples of all nations (the mission trip), ii) baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit (the baptism service), iii) teaching them (the HF bible study). I am praying that God will continue His good work in all of us, to ignite in us that hunger and thirst in our hearts in commissioning The Great Commission and bring it to completion.
Have a great week ahead.
Signing off,
Jacob’s Well
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