Reflecting on the Years - A Parting Sermon by Pastor René Dekker

Welcome to ECB's weekly sermon podcast. ECB is

an international church in Bangkok, Thailand,

with dozens of nationalities worshiping together.

We invite you to connect with us from wherever

you are through our website, ecb .asia, or our

mobile app. And now we pray that you are blessed

by this week's sermon. Good morning, everyone.

There's quite a few things in life where you

know how to prepare for. A day like today is

not one of those. Thank you for such beautiful

expressions of love to my family and myself.

It's a day that we will not forget. I promise

you that. So what do you say on your final day

as a pastor at ECB and where do you start in

sharing? Well, I thought it was a good idea to

begin with showing you two pictures. And the

first picture was taken in July 2016, on the

day that we flew from Amsterdam to Bangkok. So

our girls were still little, as you can tell.

So Norchi is the one in the middle, and then

Elise is the one on the right, and then there

is Emma. And as you can tell, they have aged

quite a bit. Right? Contrary to Honig and myself,

we still basically look the same. But this was

it, and we really thought that we knew what this

journey would look like. It would be one year

in Bangkok, because that was the assignment that

I agreed with as an executive with my company.

One year, and then we would back home to the

Netherlands. So we looked one another in the

eye, especially Honig and myself, because the

girls were still young, and we said, That's an

exciting adventure, one year in Bangkok, and

little did we know exactly how exciting and how

adventurous this whole journey would be. The

second picture was taken earlier this year, somewhere

in 2025, and it marks the end of our journey

here in Bangkok. And now you know that what I

just said a minute ago is not true, because Honnok

and I aged as well, and it looks like nine years

to me. Nine years, 2016 to 2025, is how long

God had us here. What happened between those

two pictures, 2016, 2025, I mean, there's just

so many stories. I mean, how do you wrap nine

years of life and ministry? in a 25 -minute talk

this morning. I will not do that. But if I would

have to summarize our nine years here as a family,

I would tell you that it has been deeply transformative,

life -giving, and faith -building. And not so

much because it came without challenges, it was

stress -free, it was not, let me tell you that.

It is because we have seen God's hand all throughout

these nine years, in the highs and in the lows,

to reveal Himself to us, to shape us, and to

use us for His purposes. And although we didn't

know what was coming, probably it's a good thing

that we didn't know, otherwise we may have said,

you know what, we stay in the Netherlands, we're

not going, this is too big for us. We didn't

know what was up, but we're so glad that God

redirected our steps and had us here for all

these years. We would not have wanted to miss

out on it. And many of our experiences in these

nine years have to do with you, have to do with

ECB, our ministry here. And if you would give

me the time, I would love to share story after

story. witnessing about the things that God is

doing here in this place among his people here

in Bangkok, the people of ECB. But again, I do

not have the time and I don't desire to speak

for that long this morning. But there are three

impressions, reflections if you will, that sit

deep within me as I look back on the years of

ministry here at ECB. Three impressions. that

I will probably tell the people who ask me about

ECB in our next chapter, our next season, whenever

they ask me about you, whenever they ask me about

this church. So let me begin with the first one.

Here's my first reflection on ECB. ECB is a place

of belonging. When we first arrived in Bangkok

in July 2016, We just brought six suitcases,

which we, I mean, we just put them in our apartment

that we rented in Sukhumvit. And after unpacking

the suitcases and buying some groceries and getting

some spicy food, the next thing that we desire

to do is to look for a church. Why look for a

church? Because we needed community. We were

looking for people like us who love Jesus and

who desire to grow their faith, their relationship

with God in community. Well, let me make an honest

confession here as a pastor. That sounds weird,

of course, but we were not necessarily looking

for a good sermon and an inspiring time of worship.

I mean, that also. But we were looking for a

place where we could come to know people and

be known by people. We came from a town in the

Netherlands of 12 ,000 people where we knew many.

And now we had moved to a city of 12 million

or so, nobody knows the real number, I think,

where we hardly knew anyone. So we were looking

for a community, a place of belonging. So three

days after arriving, we had heard about this

church, ECB. We thought, that's a good place

to check out. Let's see. And we went, and don't

get me wrong, we loved the teaching. The worship

was great, really. We really appreciated Crosstown,

how they discipled our girls. But what really

did it to us was you, was the people, was the

welcome we got, the sense of community that we

experienced here. That was the real draw for

us. to decide this is probably the place where

we will be for the next 12 months remember so

we signed up for a live group at the den connection

center and we went to the live group i think

we still have some originals here the clusels

i you were in our life group right and the rouses

were in the first service and the mullah anyways

You know the story about great life groups. So

the first Friday after our first Sunday, after

arriving on that Thursday, remember, we were

in a life group and we decided to never leave

this community because we found a place of belonging

here at ECB. And why is this so important? Not

only that it's fun to hang out. I like hangout

places like these, don't you? That's great. I

mean, this is family. This is getting together.

But it's not only that. It's also that growing

your faith, your relationship with God, needs

healthy community. Discipleship, as we call it

here at ECB a lot, is always relational. And

therefore, discipleship can only thrive at a

place of healthy community. And that's the kind

of community, the place of belonging that my

family and me found nine years ago and that we

have helped shape over the past seven and a half

years ago. Over the years, I've seen in our community

at ECB clear marks of what the Apostle Paul instructs

to the early church in Rome. Love each other

with genuine affection. And take delight in honoring

each other. When God's people are in need, be

ready to help them. Always be eager to practice

hospitality. Be happy with those who are happy

and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony

with each other. Now, ECB is not the perfect

church. There's a lot we still need to learn

also about community. But I have recognized in

our community over the past years that we are

a people who desires to know each other and be

known by each other. A people that desires to

look after one another and serve each other.

A people that is generous and welcoming and hospitable

and is happy when one of the members is happy.

and is weeping when the other member is weeping.

That's the kind of community that ECB is, a place

of belonging. By the way, not just for us, as

those who have come to know the Lord already.

This community is compelling and inviting to

anyone who doesn't know Jesus yet. You know why

it's important to be this generous and welcoming

community to the outsider? Because to many people,

belonging precedes believing. And as we offer

people who have no clue about Jesus this welcome,

a generous welcome, a place of love and care

and support, we give them a real shot at coming

to know Jesus. So my final Sunday as pastor here

at ECB, I want to give you a charge. And it's

this. Let radical hospitality be your standard

practice. Why radical? Well, it's because welcoming

in people from the outside looks different here

in Bangkok than it does in our home context,

doesn't it? I mean, we're surrounded by so many...

People from so many different countries around

the world. People who look different than you

do. They eat different stuff. They clothe differently.

They have different lifestyles. They talk different.

They think different. They smell different. That's

how they think about you as well, by the way.

So we need to be radical in welcoming people

in. We need to get out of our comfort zones in

our particular context. of bangkok that's why

it's radical and for some of you it means that

you have to break through the bubble of like

-minded people that you prefer to hang out with

break through it be radical in your hospitality

for others of you it means that you have to let

go of your prejudices about certain people groups

about certain cultures and instead be radically

hospitable What about people who believe completely

different things than you do? And they do things

and have lifestyles that you completely disapprove

of. What about them? Radical hospitality. That's

about them. You know who Jesus loved to hang

out with? Crooks, cheats, and prostitutes. His

favorite people to hang out with. What did he

do with them? Well, he loved them, engaged the

conversation with them, and then generously invited

them to enter his kingdom. Radical hospitality.

Let that be your standard practice. Like Paul

says in Romans 15, so reach out and welcome one

another to God's glory. Jesus did it. Can you

say what he reads last? Now you. Do it. Be a

community of radical hospitality. And remember,

dear loved ones, when you do that, you allow

people who don't know Jesus to actually enter

the kingdom of God by coming to know him at this

place. Here's my second reflection on ECB. ECB

is God's workplace for healing and transformation.

One of the benefits of having been a pastor at

ECB is that I got a front row seat in seeing

God at work in the lives of so many of you. Of

all the things that I'm going to miss about being

a pastor at ECB, this one probably ranks among

the highest. I mean, there's not a lot that beats

partnering with Jesus and helping people finding

more freedom and fullness and hope in Jesus.

Jesus. Early on in his earthly ministry, Jesus

made an announcement about himself. He had opened

the scroll to the book of Isaiah. I think it

was chapter 63 in Isaiah. And this is what he

said about himself. Jesus said, the spirit of

the Lord is on me. For he has anointed me to

bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to

proclaim that captives will be released, that

the blind will see, that the oppressed will be

set free, and that the time of the Lord's favor

has come. Jesus meant what he said. You know

that, right? And we can tell on the basis of

what we read in the Gospels and in the rest of

the New Testament, we see Jesus healing and preaching

and casting out demons and making sure that people

could enter the kingdom of God. He was proclaiming

the news, the good news of the kingdom, but he

was also demonstrating the power of that kingdom.

You know how we also know that Jesus meant what

he said back then? It's by looking at how Jesus

works today, here and now, in our midst here

at ECB. We see Jesus healing people emotionally,

mentally and physically. We see Jesus helping

people to break free from strongholds and addictions

and other kinds of destructive behaviors and

attachments. We see Jesus turning lives that

are hopeless and filled with disappointment into

lives of wholeness and fullness. We see Jesus

setting people free from demonic powers here

at ECB. We see Jesus by his spirit convicting

people of their sin with this generous and loving

invitation to receive forgiveness through him

and his kingdom. It's because of Jesus that ECB

is God's workplace for healing and transformation.

And as elders and pastors and leaders, you know

what we are? We are facilitators of that work.

And the more I learn about Jesus and his ministry,

the more I see that the more I am out of the

way and we get out of the way. and just present

ourselves as humble servants, the more we see

Jesus' power revealed, the more we see Him in

action to bring freedom and healing and fullness

and restoration to the people He so loves. The

Bible says in Ephesians 3 that God is able to

do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine.

Do you know that verse? God is able to do immeasurably

more than we can ask or imagine. Do you believe

that? Do you believe that? Do you believe that

for your life? I'm not pushing for the right

answer here, but I want you to be reminded of

the truth that God is so much more able. To do

the things than the things you are praying for

currently. God is unlimited in his capabilities.

Also in your stuck situation. Also at that place

where you are desperately crying out for breakthrough.

For victory. For change. For transformation in

your own life. Or the life of your loved one.

So here's my charge. to you on my final Sunday

as a pastor here. Always expect more of God.

Why? Because He is capable of greater things

than you will ever be able to comprehend. So

always expect more of God. More of God. And after

God has shown up in ways only he can in your

particular situation or the situation of your

loved one, then again continue to always expect

more of God. There's one disclaimer that I want

to make. In this always expecting more of God,

and it's something that I had to learn the hard

way a number of times. As you expect more of

God and make that part of your spiritual life,

leave the outcome to Him, will you? It's often

when we pray for small and big things in our

lives that we do so with a pre -cooked outcome.

We present our desires, our petitions, our prayers

before God, but we want Him to move in that particular

way. It has to be that outcome, that breakthrough,

that victory. And if God doesn't do it that way,

we get frustrated, we get angry, we may even

begin to doubt God. But what if God knows better

than you do? What is the best solution? What

if God has a better perspective on your life,

what is and what will follow, than the narrow

perspective that you're applying on your own

life? What if God is working on a long -term

solution that is so good for you and so much

better than the short -term fix that you have

in your mind and that you want God to take care

of? Loved ones, Always expect more of God, but

please leave the outcome to Him. You can be sure

of the fact that God always knows perfectly well

what He is doing, that He is always working for

your good and for His glory. And when those two

come together, His glory and your good, wow.

Always expect more of God. Here's my last reflection

that I want to share with you today. ECB is an

embassy of God's kingdom. Have you ever looked

at your church as an embassy? I told you before

that in my first year and a half in Bangkok,

as an executive in the corporate marketplace,

I had to go to the Dutch embassy. A number of

times to meet up with the ambassador and his

team to explore ways to grow our business in

Thailand. And whenever I was at the embassy in

Wireless Road, I felt like I was back home in

the Netherlands. When you park your car, the

parking there, the first thing you see is statues

of cows that they have painted in orange and

red, white and blue. We don't have orange cows

and red, white, and blue cows. But we are a dairy

country, and those colors happen to be our national

colors. But it's the first thing you see when

you enter the embassy. And a big flag, red, white,

and blue, representing our country. And when

security had cleared me, and I entered the campus

ground, I was greeted in my own language. I don't

get to speak my language a lot in Bangkok. And

then when I entered the ambassador's residence,

There was art made by the Dutch master painters

of the previous centuries. And I even got stroopwafels

with my coffee, which is a Dutch cookie for those

who don't know. And whenever the ambassador talked

about the kingdom of the Netherlands, I was thinking,

wow, you really love my country and you represent

it so well. That's how I look at ECB. As an embassy

representing the kingdom of God to the people

of Bangkok and well beyond. Representing not

with cows and cookies and speaking Dutch. Don't

do that. It's hard. But by being ambassadors

for the case of Jesus. Representing him in all

of life. Many of you are deciding that whatever

you receive here on this campus, at ECB, whether

it's on Sundays or through various kind of programs,

not to keep to yourself, but to use it to have

an impact in the places where you live, you work,

you play, you study, you eat. Some of you here

today... are worshiping right next to the person

you've been praying for for years and you've

been witnessing to for the same amount of years.

And now, next to being a friend, a relative,

or a colleague, you get to call them your brother

or your sister in Christ. Why? Because you have

decided to operate as an ambassador for the kingdom

of God and to use what you've received here to

have an impact for Jesus in the places where

you are and you. The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians

5 speaks about the church in this way where he

says, For God was in Christ reconciling the world

to himself, no longer counting people's sins

against them. And he gave us his wonderful message

of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors.

Who? We are Christ's ambassadors. God is making

his appeal through us and we speak for Christ

when we plead, come back to God. The strategy

that God has chosen to get the news of Jesus

out and bring people back to himself is to do

it through us. ambassadors of Jesus, representing

him wherever we are. And just like regular embassies,

it's not only about the representation, as in

talking well about the kingdom we represent.

No, no. It's also about providing visa services

to enter that kingdom. That's what embassies

do as well. You know that you and I have been

given the keys to the kingdom of God? We have

in our preaching and our discipleship, we give

the keys, we have the keys of the kingdom of

God and we are allowing people permanent visas

to that kingdom. It's powerful. By the way, this

is how the church, the universal church, has

been growing from the day of Pentecost, 120 believers,

all the way to a movement of billions by now

all around the world and of all the ages. It's

because people have decided, Jesus for me, amazing,

but I can't keep it to myself. So here's my charge

to you, dear loved ones. Expand your territory.

Expand your territory. Wherever you go and wherever

you are, you are carrying the presence of Jesus

with you. The Bible speaks that we are clothed

by Jesus, marked by Jesus. You know what it means?

That whatever place you enter is a place of influence

for the kingdom, is a place where the kingdom

of God is about to break through. So would you

please ask God and say, Lord, open my eyes for

the opportunities that I have in the spheres

that I move in every day and ask the Holy Spirit,

the creative Holy Spirit, to give you these nice,

brilliant, smart, creative ideas to seize those

opportunities and to turn them into movements

for the kingdom of God. Expand your territory.

Not because you must, Not because one of your

pastors is telling you. No, no, no. But because

you long for the same thing that God is longing

for. What is that? For his kingdom to come and

for his will to be done on earth as it is already

in heaven. That's what I wanted to share with

you this morning. Three, stick with me for the

rest of my life. as I will be reminiscing the

years at ECB. ECB is a place of belonging. ECB

is God's workplace for healing and transformation.

And ECB is an embassy for the advancement of

the kingdom of God. No wonder why these years

for our family have been transformative. Life

-giving, faith -building. I truly have. No wonder

why it is so hard to leave this place, to leave.

To leave this ministry. It's hard and we're going

to miss you. But you know what? God has made

his way so abundantly clear to us that we're

really okay with leaving you. We have made a

vow. We have committed to God that we would follow

him wherever he would send us. And he's moving

us away from a place we deeply love and we're

going to deeply miss. But we're excited for new

things. We really are. So today is not just a

sad day. It's not just a day of grieving, which

it is also. I have to be honest with you. It's

also a day of anticipation. Looking ahead to

new and exciting things that are waiting for

our family, that are waiting for you, that are

waiting for ECB. And I say hallelujah. Thank

you, Lord, for what you have done. And the last

thing before I pray is this, from a very deep

place in my heart, in our hearts, we want to

thank you for your love. We want to thank you

for your trust, for your encouragement, for your

prayers, for your support. For your intentionality,

for your care, for your hospitality over all

these years. When we stepped into this journey

that we had no idea about in 2018, it was a step

of obedience. It was a leap of deep faith. And

it has come with some real challenges. But you

have blessed us so much with all of those things

I just thanked you for and more that we were

able to run this race, to run it well, and to

finish it with great gratitude and joy. So people

of ECB, we love you. We want to express our gratitude.

We're going to miss you dearly. And thank you

for all that you have done. Thank you. Would

you join me as I pray? Jesus, thank you for your

bride, ECB. A bride of almost 60 years old now.

And throughout those decades, your faithfulness,

has been evident. And me and my family can testify

to that also over the past nine years. Jesus,

you are building your church, ECB, after founding

it decades ago, and you will continue to build

it so that your bride may shine for you. So that

your bride may be an expression of all that you

are, Jesus. So my prayer for your church, your

loved ones, your precious people, is that this

will be increasingly so a place where radical

hospitality is applied to the stranger, the foreigner,

those who are different, those who we already

know and are familiar with. Radical hospitality

for anyone to come to know you. I pray that this

place, this church, your bride, will be known

for deep faith to always expect more of you.

So Lord, increase the faith of my brothers and

sisters. And Lord, yes, I ask, expand your territory

through your church, ECB. Enlarge your kingdom,

Lord, and use the people of ECB. For that purpose.

So that truly your kingdom may come. Your will

may be done. Here. The city of Bangkok. The nation

of Thailand. And the nations of the world. Lord

I believe. Lord we believe. And it's in Jesus

name that we pray. Amen. Whether near or far,

if you are looking for community or are in need

of prayer, we welcome you to engage by sending

us an email to office at ecb .asia. If God is

calling you to support our ministries, you will

find giving options on our website. And remember

to join us next week. God bless you.