What is Our Image | Pastor Stephen Kong

You're listening to a message to go from acts church.

We hope this message will light up your day.

That there is power in perception and the image that

we have in our minds, and so perception is very powerful. Okay.

So let me begin by showing you give you a question.

So what comes to your mind when you think about

this word church? Okay, I'm talking about perception or I'm

talking about image, right, what comes to your mind when

you think of the word church? Okay? What do you think?

I just hear some answers? Oh, people, okay, the church

beading that the hall okay, very good? Okay, what else? Yes, okay,

watch the people? What's she being? Very good? Okay, So

those answers are actually it's gonna come up. So let's

look at next light. Now to some of us, this

is church, okay, and by the way, it's not always

is Malaysia Okay, church in Malaysia. Okay. This was in Pyramid,

not not extra but okay, yeah, Malaysia okay. So this

happened in Malaysia or the church okay. So if your

perception of church is like this, okay, this could be

one of your perception of a church, right, massive place,

a lot of people. You know, if you look at

the lights and the lights are so bad, I can't

even see the stage. Okay, anyway, that's not a point.

But let's move on. Okay, to some of us, this

could be a perception of church imagure you have in

your mind. Now, I came from this background, okay, And

I love my church back home. I grew up there

for seventeen years since I was a baby. My name

was named by the pastor back in my home church.

And we used to sit in pills like this. We

have hymnals, hymna books, so I sing, you sing all

the hymna books. He sing the hymno books. We sing

that he in the books. Okay, okay, and we just

play organ. And that's the background that I grew up from. Okay.

And so in your mind, this could be church to you. Now,

what if I show you another picture. Could this be

church where it's a small house and maybe you had

ten people get in the house and you did a

Bible study. And I know we just recently had this

in a worship at homes whereby we met in houses.

And I wanted to show all the pictures, but there

were too many, you know, and this could be an

image of church that you have in your mind as well.

You know. And for those of you who are all

spiritual or like a teacher, you would say, oh, you know,

church is not a building, it's a but the people.

And so next night we show it but the people.

Maybe you say, okay, church about people, right, and this

is what you have in your mind? Yeah, somehow we

Jain's on the front of the photol always people promoting

him so so so yes, if you think of people

right as church right, and that's true, that's true. But

the point is what is the perception of what the

image that you have on your mind of church? Okay?

Because if our if big, is only what they have

in our mind of church, then we may be missing

the point. Okay, because church is really able to people.

And in acts you would have seen that we believe

in the small. We believe in growing small to grow big.

Now let us talk the next life. We'll ask another question.

What comes to your mind you think of worship? Okay?

And yes, some of the same music a big band

and the next time will show you. You know, for

some of us we have in our minds a band

that looks like it is in worship, okay. And I'm

not saying that they're wrong, okay, because every church is

a calling, and certain churches are called to that kind

of ministry and they're very good at it, and they

draw a lot of people and a lot of lives

gets safe. So praise God. But I'm talking about image,

what's in your mind, because if you only have this

in your mind, then maybe you'll be disappointed by the

next picture. Because the next picture is our deaf community

in big fields, and there's them singing the sound Praised

a Lot, which you sang today, and the Praise a

Lot has no no sound. It's all in the heart.

It's all in the in the signs, okay. And of

course they have just one drum beat and that's past

the man trying to follow the signs. And I spoke

to him. He told me, Bro, it's very difficult to

worship there because number one, he don't know the signs, right,

it's signed. I don't know the sign. But still the

worship just like that, trying to follow, but all bad

cut close. So if but so if if if the

image of worship that you have in your mind is

a big band with big lives and a big stage,

a sound system, then maybe you'll be disappointed if you

if you look at this. So it's it's about what

is in your mind, and it's very powerful your power. Perception.

Next photo, is that a photo? How about this? Did

you know that the first mention of worshiping a Bible

sectary was sacrificed. Ain't got any sound system, not even

a guitar. You know, our guitars have six strings. They

didn't have one string there, not in one string, right,

all they had was obedience and sacrifice. So perception, what

do you have in your mind when it comes to church,

when it comes to worship. And let's go to the

next question. He says, what is our image of a

successful ministry? And it's no better way or a better

person to look at than Jesus himself. So let's look

at Mark chapter one, verse thirty two to thirty nine.

I think I have the slide to help us, you know,

see the versus. But it's good if you can turn

to your scripture. Okay, you can also turn your scripture

and I'll turn to mind. And if you really don't

have your Bibles with you, you can refer to the screen. Okay.

Mark comes after Matthew Okay, Matthew Mark, Luke John So.

Mark is the second book, second book of the Gospels.

Mark chapter one, verse thirty two says, at evening, when

the sun has said, they brought him. They brought to

him all who were sick, and those who were demons possessed,

and the whole city was gathered together at the door.

Then he healed many of these, He's Jesus. Okay. Then

he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and

cast out many demons. And he did not allow the

demons to speak, because they knew him. They know, they

know who Jesus is. Now in the morning, having reasoned

a long while before daylight, they screw very early in

the morning, Very early in the morning. He went out

and departed to a solitary place, quiet place. Okay. There

he prayed, and Simon and those who were with him

searched for him. When they found him, they said him,

everyone is looking for you. Wow, is there anyone here

that everyone is looking for you? I pray for the

good reasons. Okay, everyone is looking for you. And but

he said to them, let us go into the next

towns that I may preach there also because for this

purpose I have come forth. And he was preaching in

a synagogue s for all Galiley and casting out demons. Now,

don't you think Jesus had a very successful ministry. He

was a great preacher, He was a great healer, he

was a great profet. They call him a prophet. Of

course we know that he's a son of God, but

they call him a prophet. He raised the day, cast

out demons, you know, made the blind eye see the

deaf ears here. He was so popular that the entire

city was at his door. That's what the Bible says. Okay.

But yet, despite of all this success in his ministry,

Jesus was woken up early in the morning, the scripture says,

woke up before daylight. And could it be that Jesus

was bordered by that success that he saw? Okay, because

usually when when you can't sleep, but it's because you're

bordered by something. So yesterday I had to take on

quite a number of sessions. So I set my alarm

at six fifteen, So my alum was six fifteen in

the morning. I woke up a six to telve, So

I woke up in time to off my lumb before

it rang. And it's because I was I was anxious.

I was wait lot, a lot of sessions to take on.

So I we did to spend time with a lot

to pray. And so Jesus woke up very early in

the morning, spent time with a father. And could it

be because he was bored when he saw the success

that he had in his ministry, because it's not just

about the numbers. Really, what is the image of success?

And so he continued to pray to the Father to

align his purpose and his call and his direction with

the Father. Because when the disciples found him and they said,

everyone is looking for you, Jesus was not anxious, He

was not disturbed. He was actually very focused. Right, he

didn't even give an answer to them, you know, but

what did he say? Let us go into the next

town that I may preach there also because for this

purpose I have come forth. Jesus had very clear direction

and purpose. He knew exactly what he needed to do,

and he was aligned with the Father. Even though his

mew she was already very successful. Everyone is looking for him,

but he knew exactly what he needed to do because

he was aligned with the Father, and likewise, for you

and I and you and us and all of us

as ex chers, we need to be focused on what

God has called us to do. And you may have

heard her say before then he asks, we don't do

things just because the church next door is doing it,

or we wouldn't do something just because everyone else is

doing it. You may have heard her say that we

never turned our lives on, never turned our lives off worship.

We don't. Okay, some of the pictures, says Solah, the

lights were off. Now, I'm not saying that wrong. Okay,

it's what God has caught him to do. Okay, you

don't you don't hear us. You don't see us having

pastors or features wearing sneakers on stage. Again, I'm not

saying that wrong, but that's not what God has called

us to do. You know, you don't see us having

a massive venue with with a big stage and big lights. Actually,

we really wanted to. I think if you were here,

if you were in the in the service last Sunday,

I think pasted Elder Ken spoke about it. We actually

was supposed to get a huge building in Glenn, Mary

a couple million, but we didn't we lost the building.

We lost the building quote unquota because God had the

better plans. When God gives it to you and takes

it away, you actually don't lose it. God actually was

fully in control, because I think that's a scripture that

says he gives and takes away. Pless it be the

name of the Lord's the song after that as well.

So God gave it to us. We obeyed the voice

of God, and he took it away and said, I

have a better plan for you, so we cant you

grow small? And so just because every other church has

it doesn't mean we need to have it. Okay, what

are we called to? What is our purpose? What does

God called X to be? Because if we please God,

it doesn't matter who we displease or that's a very

strong statementa but I think you can catch the spirit

behind it because if you please men and you sorry,

if you please God, it doesn't matter who you please.

Are you following me? So more importantly is are we

pleasing God? Are we in accordance to God's will and

purpose it has for us? As ex church? Amen? So

I'm back to the same question. What is our image

of success? Okay? By ex right? Now what is our

image of success? Now when we look at Jesus and

a Bible, and I'm going to point you to another

passage where Jesus was involved. Okay, So he's found in

Luke chapter seven. Luke chapter seven, and again I'm still

on the same part which I'm talking about image of perception.

What is the image that you have of success? Luke

chapter seven. I'm gonna start reading from verse eighteen. He says,

then the disciples of John, this is John the Baptist. Okay,

John the Baptist. Then the disciples of John reported to

him concerning all these things. And John, calling two of

his disciples to him, send him to Jesus saying, are

you the coming one? Or do we look for another? Well?

What a question. So when the men can come to him,

they say, John the Baptist, send us to you, saying,

are you the coming one? Or do we look for another? Okay? Now,

don't you think this question is very strange? Because who

baptized Jesus, John himself, and John himself saw Jesus and

knew that Jesus was the one who is to come. Right.

So when I read this scripture, I began to ask myself,

when I'm trying to go deeper, ask myself, why did

John the Baptists ask the question like that? Not about

not a Bible doesn't say, it doesn't say in detail.

But when I read it, could it be that because

John the Baptist was in prison and he was maybe

so commented or so in suffering, right that maybe the

suffering could have caused him to doubt or to wonder.

He must be thinking, I baptized these Jesus, right, he's

supposed to be the king, you know, but what am

I doing in prison? What on earth am I doing

in prison? How come my life is like that? And

sometimes right, we can see Jesus right in front of us, Right,

it's given us an answer. Right, But yet when we

go to tough times, right, people asked God he said,

he said, really you are? Are you really there? Did

you really bring me here? And so I had to

put myself in John the Baptist, who for a more

know why did he ask a question like that? You know?

Because he's in prison, right, And if you read on

you know that John Bretis was behaded eventually, right, and

so he asked the question, you know? And so could

it be that he was really struggling in that moment,

so he wanted to get clarity. Asked, Jesus, are you

the one or should we wait for another? Okay, we're

going to continue on, then, he says, and that very

hour he cured many of informities. Jesus, Jesus killed many informities,

fictions and evil spirits, and to many blind he gave sight.

Jesus answered and said to them, the two disciples, go

and tell John the things that you have seen and

heard that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers

are cleansed, the death here, the date are raised, the

poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is

he who is not offended of me. Now listen to this.

What is our image of success? Jesus is now giving

the answer. If you want to surf face answer, this

is the answer. Look at the numbers. Surface answer image

of success. Look at just look at the numbers. Many

are healed, data raised, the lepers are healed. And don't

be offended by the numbers, because there are plenty. She

just had a very very successful ministry. Just go and

tell John, look at the numbers. If you want to

serve face answer. This is the answer for image of success.

But let's let's read on. He says. Also, when the

messages of John had departed, he began to speak to

the multitudes concerning John. Considering John the Baptist, what did

you go out into the wilderness to see? Again? Do

you notice right that in this passage? Right we are

there's a lot of worse talking about see. What do

you see? What do you see? Go and see, you know,

Go and tell John the thing that you have seen

and heard. It's a lot of seeing is the image.

So he's telling the disciples, So telling the people, what

did you go out into the wilderness to see? A

read shaken by the wind? That's the first one, read

shaken by the wind? So what's John the Baptist like

a read shaken by the wind? What do you think? No? Right?

What's the read? Read? Is basically a lalang. Those plants

that have very long leaves, and they are so long

and so tall that they bend according to what the

wind blows. If the wind blows this left, they will bend.

Win wind blows left, then they'll band to the left.

It blows the right, they're band to the right. They're

like la lang. Okay, they just follow back and forth

according to the wind. So are we like that? No,

certainly not. It's John the Baptist was like that. No,

certainly not. You didn't see a lalang. You didn't see

a read second second one say, it's verse twenty five.

But what did you go and see a man clothed

in soft garments? Indeed, those who are gorgeously a parrot

and live a parrot and live in luxury are in

king's courts. So did you go out to see a

man's clothing soft garments? Obviously not. John the Baptist was

not clothing soft goverments. You don't wear seft goverments in

the wilderness. You don't because the fur on a seft

governments won't survive. Will make it right. They were tough clothing.

They were hard clothing. And what does soft governments actually mean?

In this context and now interpretation of this, soft governments

basically means style and status. So was John the Baptist

a man of just stalent status? My question do you

asked us today? Are we just going to be a

church of stalin status? Do we just follow the trend

that everyone else is doing? Or are we going to

be strong infirming who we are? Because verse twenty six

days but what did you go out to see a profit? Yes,

I say to you, and more than a prophet, this

is he who. This is he of whom it is written, Behold,

I send my messenger before your face, who will prepared

your way before you. So John the Baptist was a prophet,

but more than a perpect Why was he more than

a perphet because John the Baptist himself was prophesized. He

was the prof purpcy one in the book of Malachi.

John the Baptist himself was prophesy h okay, he was

prophesied to be the messenger that were prepared a way

of the of the coming king or the Messiah. So

John himself was more than a perfect because he was

a propec si one. Not only was he the perfoc

sise one, he also propocies of the one who is

to come after him, which is Jesus. Jesus was the

very product that was propose side by John. And that's

power in that. And so I'm going to say to you,

ex Church X was also perfect sight even before we

were born. Because when Pastor Can of what's about the

plan a church? He saw? The Lord asked the Lord, Lord,

what should we name the church? The Lord told him,

You'll call it X. And so we can find our

DNA all over in the book of X. If you

look at the book of X, you'll find our DNA there.

So what is the image of success? Do we just

bend according to what the wind blows? Do we just

go with the style and trend that every church is doing.

Or are we firming the identity of who we are,

of who God has called us to be? I'm talking again,

but the image of success, so access our DNA is

given by God. All of us here need to be convinced,

convicted and confident of who we are. Don't be like

a read, don't be like a lalang where we just

bend back and forth. We need to be sure of

who we are and the best that we can be,

the best version that we can be is to be

ourselves who God has caused us to be. To understand

our purpose. Amen, So next time will say enough of

the of the doing, enough of just doing. We need

to be focus on being. Because if you're only focused

on doing things just to please your pastor or peace,

your leaders of peace, a church, or even to please God.

If you're only focus on doing something, then you wouldn't

go to long haul. But we must focus on being

who we are. That's why I emphasize a lot on

our identity in Christ today, because for us we need

to be sure of identity. We need to we need

to first be before we can do. And so that

a disciple. To be a disciple is the being part.

To bear much fruit is the doing part. Did you

get that? To be a disciple is the being part.

To bear much fruit is the doing. So if you

can first be a disciple, bearing much fruit will be automatic.

The doing will be automatic. If we can get our

being right, the doing of your automatic. Let me show

you an example in a scripture. For those of you

here who want to who ask me, show me a

scripture Act nineteen thirteen or fifteen. This is the story

of the Sons of Skiva. If you're familiar with this story,

you know that the seven Sons of Skiva went around

trying to cast their evil spirits. And this is what

they said. We exercise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. Wow, okay,

we exercise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. These

were the sons of Skiv, a Jewish chief priest who

did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus,

I know, Paul, I know, but who are you? He's

not focused on what they're doing. He's asking these seven

sons of Skiva, I know them right, but who are you?

Who are you that you have this authority? And so

if you read on the story, you'll know they messed up. Okay,

they got wounded, they left I think naked and wounded,

you know, you know, overcome by the spirit, but evil spirits.

So we need to be very clear that we need

to focus on being you know, and every single time

you serve in church, I always remember this. Make sure

you have a clear identity of who you are in

the lot when you're serving the lot, because if you're

only focused on serving Him and doing a lot in church,

eventually you'll burn out. But when you recognize who you

are and who God has called you to be, you'll

be able to go to the long haul. We cannot

afford to lose focus on who we are. Where there

is clarity, there will be confidence, there is confidence, there

will be courage. So today I will try my best

to give us clarity and of who we are as

extras and who God has called us to be, so

that when you have clarity, you will be confident, and

when you are confident, you will have courage to do

what God has called you to do. We cannot afford

to lose focus, because if you look at the book

of Genesis, the creation of mankind was such a beautiful picture.

God had a great plan. He had a beautiful picture

in the garden, a beautiful plan. But men can lose

our focus, and the devil can steal our focus away.

The devil is good at it. He's good at distracting us.

He's good at showing us things that look good on

the outside. Then we tend to follow. But we need

to be very, very careful. The devil is a master

and and the deceiver of It's his master of deceiving us,

and he's very good, says the beginning of creation. He's

a liar and the father of it. And so you

and I need to continue to focus focus on Lord,

focus on who God has called us to be. So

what what has God called us to be? These are

our twelth call values that we have in ecchers and

if you've been to our partnership class, you may have

seen this before. But I'm going to remind us because

as I was preparing, he said, Lord, what do I

need to remind our people by X? And I was

led to these chealth call values actually chelth plus one.

So this had the truth. I'm going to go to

very quickly. Number one spirit field, and all of it

is Biblica. By the way, you'll find a scripture there.

Number one is spirit field. We want to be a

church that is dependent and sensitive to the Holy Spirit

instead of the ways of men. And so every single

time may we lead in church, we ask Holy Spirit

to help us, We ask Holy Spirit to feel us.

And I pray that you being spirit field, not just

in church, but in your own personal life. In whatever

they do in your work, May you be sensitive to

the Holy Spirit. Number two Christ centered. Remember that our

focus is Jesus. In everything that we do, Jesus comes first.

Everything that we do, God comes first. We begin with

God and we end with God. Jesus must be the

center of our church. And even though you may hear

us say a lot about our DNA and ext church,

I want you to always remember that everything else must

point back to Jesus Christ. It must because we're not

here to build a brand of our own. We're not

here to build our name. The only name they were

lived up is the name of Jesus. Remember that because

everything the church is built on the foundation of Christ.

So we need to be Christ centered. We need to

mind on that. Number three kingdom minded, And it's simply

is to put God first, sik first, the Kingdom of

God and His righteous Us, and all these things shall

be added unto you, the Bible tells us. So maybe

do that in our church, not just in our church,

but even in our personal life. I pray that whatever

they we practice in church will bring it and it

will be transfer transformative for you even in your personal life. Amen.

So King the minded. Number four word faithful. So the

word God has to be preached always, and you will

find that we will do our very best to always

point back the scripture, show you where the scripture talks

about it, where it's found in scripture. And we're going

to preach it even though sometimes it's tough, even though

sometimes it's painful, while we will do it in truth,

with grace, without compromising with the ways of the world.

Remember we are in the world, but not of the world,

and so we will preach the truth and mat the

truth set you free. Number five disciplesh it focus. You

heard us say this word so many times, so I

don't want to talk much about it. We don't want

to just make decisions. We want to make disciples because

that is what God has called us to do. Our

decip Our desire is that every single person extra is

discipled into maturity and that you will eventually be effect

ministers for the Lord. That is our desire. Really. Number

six prayer power, and that's why we pray a lot

in church. We have prayer services. We have a pre

worship prayer before our worship service, we have intercess, we

prayer before our peership prayer Wow. And the House of

God has called the house of prayer. So maybe be

a praying church because the church is built on the

foundation of prayer. Prayer turns on the engine to the supernatural.

So we want we want to be a praying church.

Come on, we want to be a praying church. So

I encourage you join us for our prayer meetings, join

us for our prayer services, because that is where we

really tap on, you know, on the power of heaven.

We activate a supernatural Amen. Number seven faith Eviden. Without faith,

it's impossible to peace God. We know that it's from

a scripture, next life faith Eviden. And we ought to

be a church that does not only talk by faith.

We want to walk by faith in our daily living. Amen.

Not just in church, but in your personal walk. Amen.

Don't just talk by faith, but walk by faith. There's

a difference. It's not easy, but God will help us.

Number eight ownership promoting. We want to build a church

right that is not just centered around the senior pastor

or the leadership only, but every partner actively putting their

hands to the plow. That's why in the extra you

see that in all of our events and plannings we

involve a lot of people. I'm so glad that even

in this getaway, we've got to involve you know Luisa's testimony,

you know of servation. I'm glad to see whether but

especially was involved in the baptism service. Sharing you know,

different ones of you who are involved. And if you

see all of initiatives, I see a lot of new faces.

And that's what we want to build a church. To

be like ownership promoting. Everyone does his share and cause

us growth to the body. Amen, So take ownership. This

is your church, this is our church. Then we want

to build for the Lord for his glory. Of course

ultimately belongs to him, but we want to take ownership.

We want to we want to be invested. You know,

any business, we call it. Have skin in the game. Yeah,

you know, have skin in the game. Or to wet

your beak. You know how the bird's beak, to wet

your beak. That's the very Okay, Sorry, I got, I got,

I got distracted for a moment. Number nine. Unity guarded.

We want to be a church that is there is

unity guarded because the Bible tells us where there is unity,

God commanded a blessing, and so you and I must

God our church unity at all costs. Never allow a

foothold for the enemy to come in, because when the

unity is broken, right, the church will will be in

the cumber. You see. The the worst attack that we

could ever have on the church, it's actually not an

external it's always on the internal. Church. Just breakdown, right.

It's not because of an attack on the external. It's

always an attack from insight. So friends, ladies and gentlemen,

please help you and I and all of us to

guard our unity. If you have a doubt, if you

have a question, something that you cannot agree with, please

talk to somebody. That's why discipleship is important, because we

need to guard the unity of our church at all costs. Amen.

Number ten, praise generating. We love to praise the Lord. Amen.

Praise is powerful. It's an effective weapon to attack the enemy,

and we as a church, you want to be generous

in our praise. That's why we always encourage our church

to clap, to praise, to shout, to jump. And sometimes

people tell me that they are they're uncomfortable with that

setting off praise of worship, and I will encourage them.

You know, when we get to heaven, I don't think

so heaven is quiet in the sense because there will

be I don't know how many angels are there, If anyone,

if any idea how many angels are there, I don't know,

but there will be angels, many of them, and the

congregation of every tribe, nation, and tongue they will be

praising the Lord. Imagine nobody's standing in the hall of

a thousand people, and everyone's singing right, I can't imagine

what heaven would be like. So we're giving you a

glimpse of heaven. And in fact, clapping your hands is bibical.

Did you know that shouting to the lord's babical. Shout

to the Lord, all your lens. It's found a scripture.

So everything that we do we take it from scripture.

And I know sometimes we can say I'm not used

to it. I'm not an active person. I'm not an acturovert. Yeah,

I don't say no such thing, or out he said

the proper time he is coming out. Yeah. I used

to be a quiet person as well, but I learned

how to praise the Lord. How to dance, is how

to move along because God has been good and gracious

to us, and we learn how to praise the Lord. Amen,

So don't be shy to German clap and to shout

to the Lord. Because we want to be generous with

our praise. Not just generous with our praise to the Lord,

but generous with our praise to one another. Can we

do that? Come on, that's how we're going to we

can be a healthy church. Be generous in your praise

to one another, and never you speak let it be

seasoned with grace. Amen, and speak as our clves of God.

The Bible tells us number eleven community evaluated. What this

basically means is that it is the community that evaluates us,

not with ourselves. And we don't want to be a

church that is confined with the four walls. The question

you and ask must ask ourselves is this when we

leave a location where we be missed. For example, we're

now in Univillage. Let's just say no, I mean not now,

I mean our our churches in Unish, our churches in

Nash right in one day, we were to upgrade to

a bigger venue for some reason, or for some reason

they close down the venue and we have to move.

The question is will we be missed? That's the question

we must ask ourselves. Because in our in our main

church in Summing, USA, are shopping mall right in those

sundays right that we have that we have combined service

and we go to a different venue, right, those in

those vendors in the in the mall actually tell us like,

can you please tell us that we're not around because

we actually prepare extra food, no to meet your cow

and then you're here you're not around or in. It's

also in the other flip side. Sometimes we have combined

services and then we pack up the entire submit USA,

our main venue, and then they cannot comminate their tellers. Right, hey,

when you have so many people, please tell us so

that we can prepare for you, because they cannot commindate

a cow. And so one day were no longer there. Right,

they will truly miss us. They did, They really did.

There was a season when we were when we were

moving and we had to be out for a while,

and they really really missed us. So the question is

will we be missed by the community one day when

we move or if we move. That's a good question

to ask ourselves. Number two of growth resulting a man.

A growing church is a healthy church and now desires

to see growth, not just in numbers. Listen, I don't

focused on the numbers. I started off by saying to you.

He doesn't said look at the numbers. Don't be offended

by it. We don't want to be the alalang. Right,

But he said, look at John, the Baptists more than

a profit that missus. John was firm, He knew, he

knew exactly what he had to do. He knew his identity.

We as a church, you want to grow in our

quality more than our quantity. Maybe grow in our spirit,

grow in our walk in our faith. Amen. And the

chielth plus one plus one is the plus fector and

the prospector is generosity vended. We truly want to be

a church that believes in giving God always and only

our best in these three areas, time, talent, treasure. You've

heard this before many times. We want to be generous.

And in order for us to be generous in giving

of our time, talent, and treasure, you first need to

count yourself a partner. And that's why I told you

that we need to focus on being asked a self

dis question. Am I a partner? Do I want to

be a partner? Because if I am a partner wants

to get the being right everything else. After that, the

doing becomes automatic, becomes easier. We become generous in our giving.

And most of the time when we think of generous generosity,

we always think of money. But how many of you

know we can be generous without time, generous without time,

generous with our allens. So come on, church, Maybe be

a generosity branded church and So now I talked all

about X and sometimes you have seen people write our

name of our church x acts as all caps. Now,

if you actually look at if you look at the

word on the top right, you will see excess actually

smelled acts small letters. Okay, But if there was ever

an acronym to it, if it ever was an ecroonym

to acts in all caps letters, it will be this

Apostolic Center and training school. Why because Apostolic Center we

have been very good at the doing. Actually, we're planted

churches globally. You know, we are planted across so many

continents in the world. We are postaling in the sense

because we are opening the way, we are creating a path. Right,

So we are an Apostolic center. We have both many

more movements here. The revel movement of love was birth

here in Malaysia. It's not some movement that was birth

in the US. Come on, great things can come out

Malaysia in Man. Do you believe it? So extra we

have been an Apostolic center. You should know that because

we have done many things right that people have never

heard or seen before. I can make give it that example.

We have something called pre courtship, pre courtship. Now, if

you know what courtship is, it's like dating. But the

difference between dating and courtship is that dating is two people, uh,

you know, trying to see whether it can it can

work out well or not. Courting is different. Courting is

two people working towards marriage. It's different now. So because

courtship is two people working towards marriage, they need to

be counseling. That's why we have free courtship counseling. That

was birth in Excers. And so for those of you

young people here on the journey towards finding the love

of a life, speak to one of our leadership who

have done pre courtship. They will tell you more about

it because we really believe in it. I did pre

courtship and that has helped me to ensure that we

make it into marriage. Amen. Not only are we a

Postolic center, we are a training school. That's why you

find that a lot of our teaching right now is

moving towards training, because we want to be trained and

equipped so that we can be effective ministers for the Lord. Amen.

I'm going to give you three gentle reminders as we

move forward. Number one, be very careful it is word

called decentralized. There's no slight there, so don't worry. So

you've heard us say this word many times. We are

now very decentralized. But I want to suggest to you

and say to you that extra we need to be

more centralized than ever before in our vision. Did you

get that? Yes, we are decentralized by location, but we

need to be more centralized than ever before in our

vision and our direction moving forward. We are still one.

Remember this, and if you ever struggle with this term

of decentralization, just remember this. We are one church in

many locations. Now that sentence alone will have you to

a better understanding. We are one church in many locations.

So just in Cage, you're wondering, for example, how does

XMNE manage our finances. I'm gonna let you know the

truth right now. I don't manage a single scent of it,

not a singer scent. That's what we mean by one

church in many locations, because we have a HQ that

manages our finances. Every single giving that you give does

not go to the local spit of Sermone. It goes

straight to our main bang account in church. That's why

if you look at the T and slightly right. Where

do you go to Cyberg pj unpuncture is the same.

There's no different, same account, just a different reference in

it because the track where the money came from it

it is from research plan, but all of it goes

back to act church in care. So we need to

be more centralized than ever before. So yes, we may

use the word decentralized, but we're not decentralized at all.

We're actually decentralized by our activities and events, but we

are centralized with one vision. Remember that number two. As

to be a healthy church, I want to encourage us

to have thick skin and soft heart. Have thick skin

and soft heart. Basically, have hot skin, but have a

soft heart. What does that mean? That means don't be

too easily offended, don't get too easily offended by a

brother or sister. Sometimes we don't really mean what we say.

We only have the best. It stopped for you. But

maybe the way we say that we have done better

and we are still learning help us a lot. So

as a church as we grow, remember this we skin

but soft heart. Soft heart means always teachable, always ready

to listen, be teachable and let our words. Always be

seasoned with grease. Amen number three and find a reminder,

be fruitful and multiply. When I say that we don't

just want to be a we don't want to be

a consumer church. We want to be a producer church.

When I say food for a multiply, I'm not just

talking about babies. I'm talking about disciples. Yes, we also

want the kids. So as you go up and many

of you so, yeah, I think you as to go up,

and as you as you also, you know, go on

in your stage of life and you progress, may you

be food for a multiplying. You want to be a

producer church. You want to produce a generation that a

continue to praise the Lord, pass on legacy. If you

want to produce men of God and the manuals that

will help our generations to come. I was always reminded

us the man comes before the manual. But they should

know we've been working very very hard. We have very

very good people in church. Now we're trying to manualize

the men, put them into training so that when the

generations to come after us, they will be able to

see what some of you here have done. They will

see your photos, your pictures. They will see your guys,

the notes that you have written, and they will be

able to do the same. Amen. I'm going to close

to this right now. I'm gonna close to this story

of Gideon. Just give me ten more minutes. I'm gonna close. Okay,

story of Gideon is founding Judges chapter seven. If you

look at this story in Judges chapter seven, when the

Lord first appeared to Gidon, you can't come up here.

When the Lord first appeared to Gideon, you should know

what the Angel said to Gideon. He said, oh, you

mighty men of valor. Again identity. He didn't tell Gideon,

right you are, you can become a strong warrior, or

you can fight well. No, no, no, he said, you

mighty man of Vela. He was talking about his identity.

So God, of course it came the Angel, Hyver said,

the Angel of the Lord came to Gate, came to Gideon,

said you are a mighty man of valor. And in

this story in Judges seven, you know this. Gideon was

raised up to save the isa Israel Lights from the disobedient,

and they're sin right. So they were conquered by the

enemies of the Median Knights and so Gideon was one

of the judges, and the go go back to the back, back,

go back, yeah, go back, yeah. Okay, right now, Gideon

and all the people who were with him rose early

in and Kemp decide the well of Herod. So the

chem of the Midian Nights was on the north side

of them, by the hill of More in the valley.

And the Lord said to Gideon, the people who are

with you are too many for me to give. The

media nized these are the enemies, are into their hands.

Let's easier claim for itself against me, saying my own

hand has saved me. Now therefore proclaiming the saving of

the people, saying, whoever is fearful and afraid, let him

turn and depart once from Mount Gillier, and twenty two

thousand per return, and ten thousand remain. So the Lord

was going to save the Israelites from the enemies or

the million knights, to this man called Gideon, and he

had thirty two thousand people with him. The Lord said,

it's too many, because if I deliver them in your hands,

he will say it. He will say, our own power

and our own mind. So Gidon said, if you're afraid,

go back go back home first. And so twenty two

thousand left. How many left? How many remaining? Ten thousand?

Let's go next night. Lord said to Gideon, the people

are what still too many? By the way, do you

know how many people the million nights have in the army.

I give you a hint, one hundred and thirty five thousand,

And yet God says, with ten thousand per they are

still too many. So God is about to see again.

He says, bring them down to the water, and I

will test them for you there. Then it will be

that of whom I say to you this one shall

go with you, the same shall go with you. And

of whoever I say this one shall not go with you,

the same shall not go. So he brought the people

down to the water, and the Lord said to kidd

and everyone who leaps from the water with his tongue

as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself. Likewise,

everyone who gets down on his knees to drink. And

the numbers of those who left, putting their hand to

their mouth, was three hundred men. But all the rest

of the people got down on their knees to drink. Now,

let me pause there for a wh what is the

difference between the two ways of drinking water, Because one

he say, bend down with the knees and drink straight

from the water, and the other way is to take

from your hand and to leap from your hand, like

how a dog drinks water. What is the difference because

this lapping from the hand is actually a posture of

how armies during water, because when they leat from their hand,

their eyes are still attentive. When they drink down on

their knees, they are vulnerable. So this talks about a

warrior and a fighter's spirit. So God is about to

see and to filter the army. I'm only going to

give you three hundred three hundred men. Then the Lord say,

by the three hundred men who left, I will save you,

and delivered the midia Nize into your hand. Let all

the other people go. Every man to his place. So

the people took for visions and the jumpers in the hands,

and they sent them away. All the recip is were

every man to his tent and retain those three hundred men.

It was a military test, and this was when he

went to the battle with the million nized. This Gideon

was wise than the Lord. The Lord didn't didn't command him,

but he divided into three armies, three camps. He put

a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pictures and

tortures inside the pictures. And he said to them, look

at me and do likewise. Watch what does that sound

to you? What does that sound like to you? Discipleship? Well,

if you think a discipleship came and Jesus got your disciples,

are actually a back way in the Old Testament. We

actually can find discipleship here. Watch and learn. And he said,

and when I come to the age of the camp,

you shall do as I do. When I blow the trumpet,

and I all who are with me, then you also

blow the trumpets on every side on the whole camp,

and say the sword of the Lord and of Gideon.

Ladies and gentlemen. We can only move forward if we

can continue to focus on discipleship. Do as I do,

imitate me as an imitate Christ. We can see in

this story the Gideon, with just three hundred army, three

hundred men versus one hundred and thirty five thousand, God

delivered them into his hands. If you want to do

a maths, we need zero percent of Midianized army zero

point two percent. God can do wonder All we need

to do is to trust in the Lord. And when

we are placed in the position of impossibility, then the

God of the impossible, where we receive all the glory.

Gideon could not trust anyone else except the God who

gave him that instruction. Three hundred ver just one hundred

and thirty five thousand, because if you continue to read on,

you know that Gidan do you don't have to fight

the better. All they needed to do was to blow

the trumpet, and the Midianized army fought against themselves. In

other words, God for the better, for Gideon and saved Israel. So,

ex Church, I want to say to you right now,

the time of Gideon is upon us. Will we be

able to see three hundred men, mighty men of Vela,

who will raise water to their mouth and lap and drink,

Because that talks about being attentive, being weary of the times,

the seasons. The time of Gideon is upon us, and

even if we can do it, we'll do it three

hundred men because that's all God needs. And I remember

watching this scene of a movie. It's a very old movie.

Some of you may notice I think it's called Sparta

or something like that. A three hundred men, I think

it's called And was in this movie that this man

said that there was a woman that spoke, and this

man told her, who is this woman who has a

right to speak among men? And this woman said, only

the women can give birth to wal men. Only the

women can give birth to will men. And so will

we be fighters for the Lord where we continue to

build God's house, will we be saying, Lord, count me

in in this three hundred because all we need is

three hundred. And I want to build you a great

house to bill you your church, all for your glory,

not for our name, but all for your glory. Amen.

So I want to say to us how many o

us years will say, Lord, count me count me in?

Because I want to say to us friends, our church

is going to grow like never before. We will our

next our five years of our team is dream d

R E M D Scents for Disciple Ship urts, revival

is evangelism is action and its missions. And so next

year's revival. And I really believe the reviv is not

just in the external, but revivor in our hearts, revivor

in the vision as we move forward, and so I'm

going to say to us again, the time of Gideon

is upon us. I'm not declaring this on my own,

but it was actually passed the Kenneth who declared it

to the top leadership when he said this, because the

time is coming, then we're going to explode. We're going

to call it a grow like never before. But will

you say to us or say to the Lord Lord,

count me in. I want to be in the three hundred,

the three hundred enough, because in your hands we can

do the impossible.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

information on our church, please visit as church Org. We

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this week is going to be a good week.

I hit for you.

God bless