News > North America

2021 London Canada UBF 

CHOSE TWELVE OF THEM

2022 Key Verse: Luke 6:13, “When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.”

1. Reflection of the year 2021

After sending my two daughters with the marriage of faith in Chicago ministry and one missionary family to Calgary Canada ministry, my family alone began with one house church ministry once again.

My mind was dark and powerless, along with the pandemic and school closing. However, when I recalled the year 2021, God did great things for us, though we had been just in Christ, in His words and prayer, relying on Christ’s blood and His grace.  

Firstly, God’s words dwelled among us richly. In 2021, London Canada ministry started by holding onto the key verse, Colossians 3:16, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” God blessed us according to the key verse. By His grace, God provided His words in dynamic ways richly. Basically, we followed the study of Chicago HQ, which was Mark’s gospel and seven I am series and special passages for New Year, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and so on. By God’s grace, I could prepare the bible note and serve GBS and shared my personal testimony with one faithful student and my wife for a whole year. God blessed our testimony sharing before the GBS each week. Personally, I could meditate on the daily bread passage and write my testimony every morning by His grace. My wife also joined the women’s bible study group led by M. Anna Yang and studied the book of 1-3 John, James, Nehemiah, Esther and so on, along with writing the testimony. God blessed the message of Christ to dwell among us richly. 

Secondly, one person Ephrem grew up as a disciple of Jesus. Ephrem has studied the Bible with us for more than 5 years. He was so faithful, even studying the Bible on-line, while he returned home during summer. He had joined the Sunday worship service faithfully. This April, he graduated and went home to Toronto. He is still studying the Bible with us and sharing the testimony each week. God may continue to guide him to grow a disciple of Jesus and a man of mission, an apostle.

Thirdly, we resumed the ministry of evangelism and fishing and one-to-one ministry. Because of the pandemic and school closing, we didn’t know what we should do in this situation. By His mercy, God inspired us to do something, which is simply to introduce the gospel to our neighbor while taking a walk in exercise.  God also extended our boundary to visit off-campus areas and meet the students, who could not go back home due to the pandemic. Also, God helped us to go to the parks and malls simply to introduce the gospel and give a booklet of John’s gospel. From September, school opened and God blessed us to guide a few new students to do one-to-one Bible study. They are Jim, Charlie and Tera and are studying the Bible faithfully. 

Fourthly, personally, God blessed my theology studies in 2021. I studied Christian Education in a theology school, Christian Leadership, the Puritans and the Theology of Mission in the HQ On-line class. God blessed these studies to extend my understanding in dynamic areas and gave me an opportunity to have fellowship with some students and our co-workers in North America. 

2. The vision and prayer for the year 2022

Our chapter key verse of the year 2022 is Luke 6:13, “When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.” In the new year message, the general director gave a clear direction for focusing on prayer and disciple-raising. I also accept the importance of prayer and of raising Jesus’ disciples in this generation. Without prayer, we cannot overcome worldly temptation and despair in my sinful nature and this dark world. Without disciple-raising, there is no hope in the next degeneration, though we need continually to introduce the gospel and encourage people around me to read even one book of the Bible. I also personally need joy in my heart for the rest of my life on earth. St. Paul continually emphasized to rejoice in the Lord. So, my personal key verse of the year 2022 is Psalm 1:1a-2, “Blessed is the one…whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”

Our chapter prayer topics:

1. Luke’s gospel study and testimony sharing

2. An intimate relationship with God by delight in the words of God and prayer

3. Focusing on one-to-one ministry and disciples’ raising, along with faithful evangelism

4. The spiritual growth of Ephrem, Jim, Charlie, and Tera