What is Church | Pr Yvonne Chong

You're listening to a message to go from asks church. We hope this message

will light up your day today. I want to bring us the definition of

what a church is according to the Word of godnessa. And why do I

want to do that because instead of allowing the world to define what a church

should be, you know, the beast best definition of what a church should

be should be from the maker, h from the So for example, your

Apple watch that you have, you know the original maker will know. Okay,

this is the original intention of what the should should look like and the

functional the watch as well. So go back to the maker. And now

we are going back to the Word of God and seeing what is God's idea

for a church? All right, So let's I'm going to bring us to

some points here and I may get you guys to also participate in the reading

of the scripture. All right. So first of all, I'm going to

share that church has definitely got the idea. Okay, it is not a

man made idea, but it's a God idea and it's got idea or right,

there's two points on the screen to continue the ministry of Christ, and

it's also his idea to carry out the mission of Christ. So what do

I mean by that? I'm gonna let get us to turn to these different

scriptures right now, and we will start with Okay, the second Rold,

we can pass the mic to. We will start there. From Romans,

you can turn the Romans chapter twelve, verse three to five, and then

the next person can stand by first Connintance chapter twelve, verse twenty seven.

Yep. Then Ephesians for twelve Emphesians five twenty three. All right, so

when you're there, you can start reading. And if you want to stand

and read out loud or tell, you can. You know when I was

in ex strit Kambanga last week, they actually stood up and really read the

word loud and proud. So yeah, you can do that also if you

want to. Okay, Romans, chapter twelve, verse three to five.

For by the grace given me, I say to every one of you,

do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of

yourself and so with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed

to each of you. For insist, as each of us has one body

with many members, and these members do not all have the same function.

So in Christ we through though many form one body, and each member belongs

to all the others. All right, thank you. Next person, first

Cointence, chapter twelve, verse change. Reading from the New Kings James version,

First Current Dance, Chapter twelve, verse twenty seven. Now you are

the body of Christ and members individually Ephesians for twelve. I'll be reading from

the NIV version, because I'm using an NIV Bible so to equip his people

for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

Wow, thank you. I really love that you brought your physical bible.

It's not convenient. And look at his bible, super tick. I

think it's a study bible, right, and good job. You know it

takes intentionality. I'll come to share that another day. But yes, moving

on, sex person Emphesians five, verse twenty three. For a husband is

the head of his wife, as Christ is the head of the church,

he is the savior of his body the church. Yep so church, it's

God idea to carry the ministry of Charist and the mission of Christ. All

right, So his idea of the church is that Christ is the head and

he is the savior of his body. We are his body, we are

is church, all right. The third point of church being God's idea is

that he wants to see the church changing the world for Christ. All right,

So Collagens, chapter one, verse twenty one. And then the next

person carried Isaiah fifty three, verse five. That's going to be some scripture

reading, so you can let's let the flu all right, sure, Collisons

one, chapter one, verse twenty one. And you who once were alienated

and enemies in your mind by wicked works, Yet now he has to reconcile.

Man, Isaiah fifty three, verse five. I'm reading from the NIV.

But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities.

The punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds

we are healed. Hey man, thank you for reading, but you know

I like to read from the New Living Translation. You can just leave it.

Then then the next verse you can pass on. Okay. But he

was pierced for a rebellion crash for our scenes. He was bitten so that

we can be whole. He was ripped so we can be healed. Only

Christ, you know, can save us from our scenes. Right, and

only true Him the world can be made whole. So it God spine.

And and you know, I would like to break it down further for us.

You know that church is a community, no matter how smore. It's

because a lot of us we grow up with the idea, okay, church,

it has to be one thousand, it has to be like the last

picture in millions, in hundreds of thousands of people. But if you look

back here, right and Matthil chapter eighteen, verse nineteen to twenty, probably

the next person can read Matthew eighteen, verse nineteen or twenty. What does

he says here about what a church can actually like? Mats two, chapter

eighteen, nineteen to twenty. Again, truly, I tell you that if

two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be

done for them by my father in heaven. For where to or three gather

in my name there and I him yep, when through or tree a church?

You know, when through or three, that is a church already.

And what we you know, have been always teaching that a church does not

just need to be here in uni relationship. A church can be actually in

every school on every street, and church can actually be wherever you are,

all right, So a church is not then defined by the building. And

we'll go back to the first few slights of the picture of the church.

Then right, if church is you. A church is not then defined by

the building, a big, massive, millions of value of building, or

you can go to the next slight essa. It's not defined by its big

broadcast room. The church is not defined by just you know, a really

nice interior and comfortable pews. A church is not defined but it's beautiful architecture.

A church is not defined by the loud sound, big sound, big

like big stage, everything very flashy. And a church is also not defined

by Rarey's only uh you know a church is the church is actually you,

all right, you are the church. If you look at the word church

here you can see the word you are in the middle of it. This

is what we share about, you know, true revel, but I feel

you know, it's not just limited to revel. It should be true,

be seen evident in all of us because right wherever we are at, you

can make a difference. Wherever you're at, it can cause change or happen.

That's what a church is called to do, right, to bring change

into the community, to be the lighthouse in the community, to be the

salt and light. So why do we do that revel like revene like revel

some money, okay, and the vision for revolution itself, and not to

share anyone of you know, actually what is revel so many about? Besides,

we're going to have something here at the rooftop on the twenty eighth,

But let me just share it with you, all right. The vision of

revolution itself is changed, okay, Why because some people will have the idea

when they hear the word revolution, right, it brings a lot of bad

connotation, very negative. Thanks to history, okay, all the different revolution

that happened. There were actually five great revolutions in the modern world, all

right. In sixteen forty nine was the English Revolution. Seventeen seventy six was

the American Revolution, French Revolution was in seventeen and nine, the Russian Revolution

was in nineteen seventeen, and the closest to us in terms of time it

was in nineteen forty nine, the Chinese Revolution. So, how however,

you know, whatever that happened, you know, change history, changed the

country. But all these were true violence and bloodshed, all right. But

revel movement itself, revel movement that you know, we all know. It

is a movement that was birth out of the Holy Spirit through ex Church and

then right it actually spread across the whole Malaysia. It wasn't limited to Exchange

anymore. And also it has gone far and white to different countries when it

started in about two thousand and eight, So I mu sure at a point

of time, right, we totally lost count. We lost track how many

groups were there. You know, we went by estimate only, but we

totally lost track as well. And young people then, you know, since

then, has been governized together to make a difference in their world. You

know, the word revolution itself means change. And if you flip the word

the second to the fifth letter backwards, you can actually see the word love.

All right, and two thousand and eight there was what got inspired past

the Kenneth you all. Only later on, you know, different retail businesses,

different marketing strategies, they started using this. But I've not seen it

before. But it was true revel movement that I saw this for the first

time. To love, what does it mean? I believe, you know,

for all of us, the true and lasting change begins with Christ living

in us and to the love of Christ. That's the only change that can

actually happen to our community. And in Romans the teen verse eight I'm gonna

read here, it says, oh, no one anything except to love one

another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. That's the only

basis for us believers here to love one another. And that's another code of

saying that we always like to use in church as well. To love our

campus, to love our family, to love our neighborhood, to love our

country until they love Jesus back. All right, So how does actually this

love look like? All right, let's turn to Romans chapter twelve, verse

nine to twenty one. Is long, okay, but I will get okay.

You have the privilege to read the longest passage, Romans, chapter twelve,

verse nine to twenty one. Romans twelve, verse nine to twenty one.

Love must be since there what is evil claim to what is good.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, on one another, about yourself.

Never be letting in zeal, but keep your spiritual favor serving the Lord.

Be joyful in hope, patience in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share

it with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality, let's still who

persecut you? Okay, what will help is you can really close, put

the mic closer to your mouth, and what have that feedback? Yeah,

Rejoice with those who rejoice, month with those who mon Live in harmony with

one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with a

bird of low position. Do not be cousived. Do not repay anyone evil

for evil. Be be careful to do what is right in the eyes of

everybody. If it is possible, as fast as it depends on you,

live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but

live room for God's war. For it is done. It is mine to

arrange. I will repay say the lot. On the contrary, if your

enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give it's something

to drink. In doing this, he bernincos in his head. Do not

be overcome by evil, but overcome evil. Hey man, thank you for

reading. All right, So if you now ask, okay, how does

a Christian love look like? You know, how do we love to how

christ love? This will be it and you know it's reflected really clearly that

so we understand that we true revel. Some money hopefully we many more people

around us gets inspired to be a revolutionary, not to go on straets and

start chanting again you don't believe in Jesus, you die and go to hell.

Not that. But you know, to leave out how a church should

be a church, it's just limited by this as all it can be wherever

you're at, because you are a church. So if there are I don't

know how many Nottingham students are here today, probably twenty fifteen, okay,

fifteen Nothingham students. That would mean right in Nottingham University itself, that should

be at least fifteen churches. You see the power in that, and what

then should we do? And you know, you know, God's love can

transform a person, but he works with volunteers. It takes volunteers to cause

change. It takes you and I the church to bring change. When volunteers

are involved, revolution itself is not going to be a monument anymore. It

becomes a movement, okay, because every single part we read earlier on right

that we are a body. When it becomes a movement, every single part

it's mobilized to contribute to the movement. Sometime by an injured I need and

I didn't know. Sometimes you take movements from granted, even okay, this

movement, But to move this tiny little finger, a lot is actually required.

And if one small little nerve decides not to work, this fellow won't

be able to move. So every single part does it share. For this

whole body to function properly, it needs to do is share. Everything here

needs to work. So for a church to be fully functional, for revolution

to be a movement, everyone here, you guys, need to do your

share. Everyone needs to be maximized in every way to see a change happen.

God works according to okay, so I will qualify this. Okay.

God can work anytime, anywhere and anyhow he wants. But he works with

vessels. He wants to use us as well. He works through our lives

and he works to his church so to see change. A lot of times

he uses us to impact lives and impact communities. He has already done it.

He could do it on his own, but he wants to work together

with us because it is not just using. You know, some people are

like, okay, God just want to use me as a tool. But

whenever God works through our life, it causes us us to go as a

person as well. Right. Uh, you know, feeding the hungry,

for example, feeding hungry people on the streets is easy, but feeding your

enemy that is hungry, right, it's difficult. Uh. You know,

to be fervent in our spirit is difficult. But when Christ works, we

can do that, you know, to serve God without fail, you know,

without you know, every way you're serving God here to so many as

well. It can only be made possible when Christ is in us. And

as you self right, God allows us to grow and allows us to expand

as all right. So you and I are planted where you're at to make

a statement and to bring and impact by making the love of Jesus famous,

all right. Does not mean it goes start spraying everywhere Jesus loves you,

all right. Uh. It does not mean that, but to bring to

live a life that will bring His love and his glory to where we're at.

So in habit cook right chapter two verse For all of you will have

heard this, or maybe not those of you. You know, it's says,

until the whole earth is filled with the knowledge of the glory of God,

like the water covers the seas to see you know, why why do

you want to love our community. Why you know, why am I sharing

this that you guys are the church. It's so that wherever you're at,

you can bring God's glory. The first Bible, you know, I always

tell people the first Bible that people will always be able to read. It's

us, the first Christ. The first experience of Jesus will be through our

lives as well. That's people's first encounter. So how are we representing God?

How are we being witnesses for Him? Okay? And then it does

not just stop there, all right, living out you know, bringing change,

make an impact in a community. It does not just stop there.

But every volunteer for God. Our main goal is to make more disciples,

to make more churches, to plant more churches so that they can continue to

plan and being a revolutionary for Christ. All right, I'm going to share

with us, you know, a testimony and a story really soon and and

our close with that as well. But I just want to remind us,

you know, being a church is not under Sunday or it's not when your

homes happen or when prayer service happened. Being a church should be a lifestyle,

all right, like what we share, you know, revolution itself.

Bringing change and impact is a lifestyle. Being a church should be a lifestyle.

It is not about our building or event revels. Money can just be

a one day event and then done. But what happens before and after that,

that is the true revolution. All right. So I'm gonna share testimony

from this campus called KTT all right. And uh there's a small little campus

in Nelai. They used to only bring in jp A scholarship students. So

jp A jp A is our local government funded scholarship. Uh and and and

and these students right when they're bringing into this campus their main thing. Uh.

So they're going to do a levels and this campus and then after that

they'll be sent off to do either medicine then this story of pharmacy in either

India or Indonesia. All right, And this college is really small, about

two hundred people can fit in one row of shop lots. Uh is a

wait as long as you know coming in through some money on the right side

the new where you have your Starbucks ninety nine speig mark and tmtmg mark.

That yeah, so is that short row. Ground floor, first floor is

their lecture room. Library is also their officers there tired to the fifth floor

is the hostel. It's really really small. And then in two thousand and

eight, close to two thousand and nine, I met this girl. You

can show the photo with a yellow arrow. So this girl, she was

still very very new to us, but she came from one of our revel

conferences okay at that part in time, and she caught the heart of revolution

and she said, like, you know, I want to see change in

my college, no matter how smre is. I want to see all future

doctors, future dentists, future pharmacists, being not just a Christian, but

you know, seeing their lives change, that transform so that they can touch

many more. I show the perfecsion. So she came and then she came

back to the campus really charged that and God, you know, let her.

I want you to climb up so her college opposite a small little hill.

I want you to climb up to your heel do this seal before class

every day in the morning to pray. And she was just very simple,

Okany, to pray, pray over the campus and ask God, God,

how can I bring change and be a blessing to my campus today or this

week? Uh? And every time she prays you know, God just leads

her. And guess what, she did that all alone for six months every

morning. I'm like, if our campus student, then right, I don't

think because I'm not a morning person, I would have woken up every morning

to do it if it's not clearly you know what God wants me to do,

and doing six months alone not a wise thing to do as well.

But she was like, by God, it is dangerous, okay as a

single girl, a lady climbing up the hill to pray. But she did

that. And after six months what happened was the group grew and she started

to see different ones joining her, and to a point of time the group,

I think the next point so you can see them is actually sunrise.

It's not a very comfortable place, but they pray. This group grew to

about fifty people just joining them for campus revel, A lot of them from

mixed background, a lot Engligans, a lot of Roman Catholics that came in,

but all had one common purpose to ask God, how can I bring

change? And we know that every time we ask God right something which is

close to his heartbeat, he answers very immediately. So when they pray,

they listen, they obeyed God, like, okay, God tells them,

I want you to write, you know, notes to the whole campus.

I want you to do this and that. So a lot of times,

you know, they did different different things just to be a blessing, to

make the love of is known. And the pick of this uh story happened

was uh so it was good Friday, it is the weekend, and they

were led to give up you know X. Okay, all right X And

then they wrote encouragement notes all right, and and you know, because the

world right always see or I understand the X is the eggs, is the

rabbits, it's the bunnies and stuff like that. So they wanted to have

a common point of conversation. This is just one of the things. So

they actually spend money to buy all these things to give up and and and

they wrote these notes, uh and gave out the eggs, create the conversation.

Everyone was very happy. And guess what, you know, whenever you

do good things. So so if people don't like so true enough, some

of the people in her college didn't like complain to the management of the college.

And then because they're like they're giving up free stuff, you know,

they become very suspicious, so they don't know what you know they're trying to

do. YadA, YadA, YadA. And the management decided to call this

girl in, the girl appointed to you, call her into the office,

and then they had the officers from the ministry or education that came in as

well. And the point the intention of the meetup was to see her down

and interrogate her. Imagine an eighteen year old being interrogated by officers. And

before that, they actually did threaten her to say that if we find anything

wrong, we will take away your one point five million. We can get

scholarship from you. So everything was at stake. And I know her background

of a family. She's not from a well to do family as well,

that is just working part time. Mom does not have a job. It's

tough, okay, very very tough financially for the family. So she asked

me even what to do. I was like, I also don't know what

to do because I've not faced this situation before, I've not had so much

at stake. But what I told her was what I know what we can

do is to ask God to see you through this. And I believe it's

God because I can't. None of the church leaders, pastor cannot be there

in the interrogation room together with her. But God, a father's son and

Holy Spirit can be there. Right. And she was interrogated for about almost

four hours. They really really grilled her, like grill fishler, all right,

gal girl, grill. And then towards the end, what happened was

her friends decided to step into the room. They budged in and she said,

so before that the grilling happened, right, she just shaid, what

Christ has led them to do. And she didn't even like try to,

you know, navigate around and say like, oh, give any excuses,

you know, try to be diplomatic it correct, try to you know,

just keep her scholarship. But she said, she shared things as it is.

And what happened was her friends, a bunch of friends came in and

they are from the majority faith, so this campus from the majority faith.

And they stood in and they said that, you know, we have to

stop this interrogation because our friend here and her friends, her good of Christian

friends, did not do anything wrong since the first day. They all they

did was being a blessing to us. During the exam time, they pack

exam backs packs and give us. The college did not do anything. The

college gave us more stress, more assignments to do. When we had so

this college weary, They charged people charged the students for water. Okay,

so every time you want to take one bottle of water, you have to

slot money in. Then only you can have drinking water. So they what

are times when they pray? God led them to put a huge container of

coins, so they raise their own funds put coins in the vending machine.

Uh. And then her friends store the college and the management that when you

guys wanted to charge students for water, these people gave us water for free.

And you know, and and I do not see anything wrong that they

have done. You know, they could have given eggs out doing doing and

good Friday is the weekend, but at least we have an itch to it.

And and what has the college been doing to reach out to the students.

So she was let out and this news right just went spread out fine

and white in the whole college. So everybody knew. She was taken into

the room because officers from the ministry came and usually when they come on official

stuff, they come in official ministry cars as well. So uh and and

and she came out, and then they met again for campus rivel the following

day. She did not she did not like, I don't already lit again

the trouble again. You know a lot of Malaysians are that this is what

the use in away? Can I see? Uh? Scared to die if

I translated directly, But they did it anyway. And this time round,

what happened was someone that wasn't part of the campus rivel go climb up the

hill and met them and say like, hey, we just hurt right one

our classmate. He has cancer. He was just diagnosed with cancer. Eighteen

year old boy says cancer that was around his shoulder area and he has to

go for treatment. So this campus rivel go immediately pray for this boy.

And when you're praying, and when they were listening, God told them,

I want you guys to do these different things for him, all right,

So first is I want you guys to create a prayer link twenty four to

seven says twenty four hours, seven days a week, and the prayer chain

meaning right, everyone has to pray and there shouldn't be a break in between.

So they take tens by shift to pray until he is done with his

chemotherapy treatment. All right, that's the first one. Second one is I

want you guys to pay for his taxi fare to the hospital. Okay,

So for for this college to the hospital. He was treated in hish Ukm

which is in Cherias. And the part of time there's no grab Okay,

there's no other services besides the Malaysian taxis. So Malaysian textis at that point

of time, there's two two types of taxi. Taxi that they go by

meter, but then sometimes a lot of times they can just take the meter

and cheat and cheat la. And then the second taxi was the taxi uncle

that wanted to charge you any price current taxi. So the taxi that was

available in the college was the second one. Uh So every day every time

he goes a treatment is a different price. But God to them, I

want you to cover for his fees to and fro Okay. They didn't know

what it was until they end. When they did research, they realized that

this boy is not really close to his family, so he did the whole

treatment on his own his family members when they're no parents around to care for

him. Uh So God spoke that The third one is God told them I

want your to at least one person to follow him to the hospital for treatment.

And I'm not sure how many of you had any friends or family members

who have gone through chemo therapy before. It's not an easy treatment. Uh.

After effects is really bad and certain times doing it. After his treatment

he has to be staying in the hospital for at least a night to recuperate.

That only travel back to school. And he did not cancer. His

studies are you're still studying. Uh And and so if you had been to

our governor government hospital, it's not comfortable at all, all right. They

have like thirty forty people packed into one ward uh and visitors. If you're

going to sleep, you just had to set on a plastic chance and it's

the condition is horrible. It's not even at condition. It's just fan all

right. But the students did that followed him. Then the fourth thing God

led them to do is when he comes back from his treatment, the few

days after the effects would be very bad as all omitting. He started having

hair lost as well. You can see him actually I have a picture of

him and his beauny. So at this part of time he has gone to

Kimo, it's all bored already. He looks very pale and weak, all

those smiling still, and God led the students do nurse him back to health.

So when I saw all this, I'm like when I was eighteen years

old was I doing? Also, I don't think I will be able to

learn to be able to know how to nurse cancer pation back to health.

I wouldn't have. But God led them to do that. So they did

that until he was done. It's more session then a few A couple of

months later, went back for a follow up and doctors say like, okay,

looks like you're free. You know, there's normal cancer cells in your

body. You can go back to your campus and continue your studies, all

right, so uh and he was really really happy, uh to know that,

right, All glory to God. Amen. So he was healed.

And because we do know, even with medical science, it's not one hundred

percent right of healing. So he was so happy. He went back.

He attended. He decided to join the students for the CF as well.

Okay, there's all this bunch of campus rivel people. They were part of

CF. So he went to CF and that CF. This boy he actually

gave his life to Christ. Okay, his name is Chi Chi gave his

life to Christ. And immediately he's like, okay, can I share something?

Usually when people respond, they're okay, respond and then quiet. Right,

he said that I need to share something, and he came up to

the front and he told the CF. I responded because I first experienced God

through this bunch of people who do not know me. Uh, even my

family were not there for me. They abandoned me, but they saw me

to until my treatment was done. They did not know me, and they

pray for me. And I am healed today. And I realized that my

healing is not just because of their prayer, but they have also told me

my healing because it's because of Jesus as well. So, right, that

is the power of God. You know, whenever we live out as a

believers, when we live out as a church on campus, right, the

power of God can work. And we believe very much as well to revel

the money. Uh, all of you are going to gather here and we're

going to see if the power of God at work. We're going to see

signs and wonders and where it goes happen. Those of you who are friends

who are sick, you know, bring them in. We're going to see

them hell on the spot and Jesus. So this boy he was totally healed,

and and and and the story did not stop there because my any more

people started giving their lives to Christ. After that, they experienced a lot

of Americas after that, and when they were done with the A levels wherever

they wan campus rival groups just started across in India and also in Indonesia.

I'm going to show you the photo. I think I have photos of him

now. So now he is working in Carpit Hospital. This boy, he's

from Parat, Okay, but he decided to be sent Carpet is in the

interior part. You need to take a boat right a few hours boat right

in Carpit is known to be the hub for gangsterism throughout the whole Borneo and

also drug distribution Okay, in this part of the region. So he is

there. He is also a flying doctor. It's not easy to be a

flying doctor. But he's there all right, serving the nation, strong and

healthy, normal, relapsed. Remember I told you the story was in two

thousand and nine, so how many years is that already? From now okay,

And recently he got married not too long ago, and recently he has

a baby already. There's this picture of him. Yeah, that's his little

baby. There. Only God can do this. Only a God that is

real, all right, can work in a person's life. So I'm gonna

end with this from Matthew chapter nine, verse eight. Now, when the

multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorify God, who had given such power

to men. When the multitude, when all the students in this campus saw

God working in child's life, right, ah, they marveled and gave their

life to Christ. What happened was, you know, after he shares testamine,

See, I've decided, let's have an open night, invite everybody to

come and hear a miracle story. You know, all aspiring doctors are like,

WHOA, what intervention? Later, medical intervention that can cause this rare

cancer to be healed. The whole college came, and then he shed his

testimony and his whole sharing. You know, the students that witness his whole

sharing, he was just talking about the Christian people. He was talking about

Jesus. He was talking about the miracles that he experienced. A lot of

people gave their life to Christ after that because they knew that God was real

at the part time. But we know that God is real triul eternity right

and his power is never discounted at any point of time as well. Our

close to this. It is not just bringing about people to church or to

Christ, but about it is about bringing Church or Christ to the people.

Can anyone of you here today, you know say I want to be that

church, I want to be that channel and I want to volunteer to be

a to people. Child who would they have been able to you know,

bring a very Chinese person right, nobody will want to touch the Bible.

He would haven't really been a Christian. Now, if you know, no

one became Christ in his life, and this bunch of students they decided to

become Christ to him. That's why he experienced God through this paper use and

then he has his own personal encounter with Christ. We hope you've been blessed

by this message. For more information on our church, please visit as Church

Org. We are also active on Facebook and Instagram. We're believing that this

week is going to be a good week. I hit for you, God bless