cell worship out where the needs are
A young adult cell meets at my place every Saturday afternoon. My wife and I have a growing affection for these godly and talented young people, mostly serving with the worship ministry. One of them is Sarah, and her grandfather, Mr Phua was ill. He was bedridden, unable to speak or care for himself, with a chronic bedsore. All this after a fall about two years ago. The cell decided to visit and worship and pray with him last Saturday(click on pics). We worshiped the Lord, sprinkled with scripture readings, prayers, words, and singing in the Spirit. I felt the anointing and presence of the Lord. My eyes were moist. This was no formal going through the motions; it was deeply meaningful. A few days later we received this letter from Caroline, Mr Phua’s daughter, who was present. She wrote:
“We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to you and Sarah’s Cell group for your visitation, fellowship and wonderful + inspiring worship time with my parents at my home last weekend. My mom had been touched and inspired by your cell group - the wonderful young people who can lead and pray for her and my dad during the worship time. She felt renewed inside and her faith in God has been strengthened once more. She felt that she was able to worship the Lord with them at my home as if she is in a church. My mom was very happy on that day after you all left. Her face was radiant. Praise God.I know my dad - he was able to hear and listen to the worship time and praying moments. I saw him shedding a few tears during that time. I thank God for giving my parents a time of uplifting and giving glory to God at my home despite not being able to go to their church.I am also inspired by what the Lord has used each one of the wonderful people in His ministry. They are His wonderful and marvelous tools to be used for His Kingdom and His Glory. I believe that God will bless and develop them much more to further His ministry everywhere they go. I was glad to be able to serve you with my bakery. I pray and hope that there will be another round of worship and praying time for my parents so that they will be brought closer to God much more through Sarah’s cell group. We are looking forward to it “
Reading the letter was an encouragement. It got me thinking. Bringing the cell and the worship outside where the needs are can be very impactful. These missional young adults has gotten out of the hype and emo of popular Christianity, and entered into the real world of suffering and need, and deliberately offering themselves there, they were used by the Lord to refresh a bedridden man, and a family worn out from caring for him.
It also got me thinking about the future face of ministry. By 2020 the number of senior citizens in Singapore would have doubled, and a percentage of that would be homebound. What kind of ministry would the senior citizens need? How will the growing aged population shape the ministry of churches in the next decade?
3 comments July 2nd, 2008
