Description:All of us have had the experience of being welcomed and known and usually there's food involved! It's been said that 'Jesus ate his way through the gospels' and the early Church was known as well for its hospitality, and yes, there was food involved. So 2000 years later what do we make of the Church's ancient rite known as the 'breaking of bread, the Lord's Supper, the Eucharist or Communion?' What's the point, really? We will explore why Jesus said, "Do this and remember me."

Description:The pouring out of the eschatological Spirit in Acts 2 is the long-awaited fulfilment of God’s salvation to the world through Jesus Christ, a marvel that includes the forgiveness of sins as well the establishment of a new people of God that knows no boundaries. In Phil 2:1-11, Paul provides a practical guide for building a truly Christian community that is one in the Spirit and rooted in love. The attitudes and actions of Jesus, through his incarnation and death, reveal to the Church the true purpose of our salvation and the real meaning of love.

Description:This Sunday, as we think again about the way that the early church dedicated itself to the teachings of the Apostles (Acts 2:42), we will revisit that familiar passage in Colossians 1:15-23. This passage presents the supremacy and centrality of Jesus Christ, who fulfils both the prophecies for the kingly and the suffering Messiah and is fully man and fully God; Emmanuel, 'God with us'. He is our journey and our destination, our pattern and our guide. May God guide us and open our hearts to His word.

Description:This teaching series revisits the four marks of the early church: "the apostle's teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers and and enjoying the favour of all the people." These four marks are less Christian 'duties' than they are the enabling presence of the Spirit's life among us which we are to receive with humility and thankfulness. The first mark of the church that Luke describes is 'the apostle's teaching.' In the context of Acts its the proclamation of the Jesus Story as witnessed by the first 12 disciples and a story into which we are invited to participate (just as they did) yet there is a risk. The risk? Nothing will ever be the same. Bob has previously pastored both in Canada and in Hong Kong but more recently is a chaplain at a Canadian public hospital. He is also the Director of a new initiative and ministry for whole-person spiritual formation based in Hong Kong called The Basileia Project., in collaboration with Regent College, Vancouver, B.C. Bob is married to Amy and they have four adult children and three grandchildren, all busy boys. Bob holds a Th.M in Interdisciplinary Theological Studies from Regent College.

Description:Come join us this week as we end our year with a time of reflection and praise. We will hear from Elder Fong Ngai, as well as testimonials from members of the congregation , as we seek to look back on all of the wonderful things the Lord has done this year.

Description:It is Christmas Day soon! And this Sunday our Advent word is peace. When I hear that word I always have mixed feelings. The angel's message of Christmas, “…on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased” (Luke 2:14 ESV) rings true in my heart, but at the same time I’m aware that is not the case in many parts of the world. Wars, children without food, cultures where conflict is more the norm than the exception, makes one wonder. And yet we continue to proclaim, Jesus came to bring us peace. The last part of the phase quoted from Luke’s writings perhaps helps with our understanding. While only the Lord himself can indicate how the angel's message is bounded, the message seems to indicate it is sent to those with whom he is pleased. Perhaps the greeting is limited to those who with joy receive the Christ child. Knowing God’s peace in our hearts certainly has an element of faith and obedience attached. A Merry Christmas of peace thus become more than a party, it becomes a heart-felt sense of peace because we know the one whose birth we celebrate. May our lives repeat the message of God’s desire for peace for those in whom he is pleased.

Description:Our word for this third week of Advent is love. I like the word but I find that it has so many different meanings. In fact, it's a word so abused that in some sense it has lost its meaning. We give gifts to each other and they are of various types. But the greatest of these is the gift we receive when God gave His son. That's what we celebrate as we look forward to Christmas Day! This week I want to look at the types of gifts we give and how they are seen in the context of God's Word. As we know "The greatest of these is love." (1 Cor 13:13 ESV)

Description:In our second week of Advent we're looking at the word JOY! Somehow, I resonate with this word more than the others of our Advent series. In fact, all year round I sign-off my emails with the word JOY! I like to laugh and have fun, but the sense of joy that comes is knowing Christ is far deeper for me. I think much of that joy comes from knowing Christ now, but it also relates to our eternal hope. Proverbs 10:28declares "The hope of the righteous brings joy..." In that sense we do have joy as we look to the future. But, joy is also a part of our lives now especially as we celebrate the coming of our Lord. I want us to look at how three Prophets developed this concept as we consider Advent Joy!

Description:The Advent season is here already! Over the next few weeks we will be preparing ourselves, personally and as a church, to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our first born was a son and he was born on December 30th. The month before his birth, we lived in anticipation in the cold of winter in the Midwestern United States. Then, we were almost 200 km from the hospital when we noticed the first signs of his coming birth. We packed into the car and drove on icy roads and made it in plenty of time to celebrate his birth, but there were times of anxiousness. In fact, all the emotions of Advent were ours: hope, peace, (sort of!) love, and joy! As we begin our journey toward Jesus’ birth, join us to look again at these special words of preparation. We begin with hope.

Description:In story of the Samaritan woman, Jesus seems to promise believers an utterly satisfying and unlimited source of “living water” (the Holy Spirit). Is this true of our experience and what can we learn from the story about our own quest for God’s presence in our lives?Pastor Nelson Suen was originally from Canada. His home church in Vancouver is the New Life Chinese Lutheran Church and in Hong Kong, the Gospel Community Church. He is located here with his wife, Lily, and his son, Micah, in this “busy busy” city. His passion is for the proclamation of the Word, and the spiritual maturing of the church, what it means for us to follow Jesus faithfully in the challenges we face as believers in the 21st century.

Description:ECC is in a transitional phase. In a very similar manner, Israel spent many years in a transitional phase, the years in Egypt, the years in Babylon and the years under the Persian Empire rule. It is in this last context that the Lord God Almighty sent his prophet Malachi to speak into Israel. Today we look at the first of the prophetic utterances of the messenger Malachi and it is a simple, message “I have loved you”. Yet, for us today, as Christians, the ability to link this message “I have loved you” to the gospel we live by is essential for the full Christian life. Eugene Wu grew up in England and completed his medical training and doctorate in medicine in the University of London. Eugene did his theological training at Regent College Vancouver. He completed his subspecialty interventional cardiology training at Harvard in 2005. He returned to Hong Kong in 2001 and attended ECC from 2001-2012. Eugene is one of the group of church planters that planted Gospel Community Church out of ECC five years ago. He is currently a consultant cardiologist at the Prince of Wales Hospital. Eugene preaches regularly at GCC and is married to Ann Chan – also a Regent graduate.

Description:We continue our look at Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation this week. We want tofocus on Sola fide y gracia (Only faith and grace) and Solo Deo Gloria (Only to God be theGlory). The strong message of our world cultures today is “freedom to do life my way,” and“look at what I’ve accomplished.” But our message today, and the message of the lives aroundus is clear. We can’t achieve our salvation by what we do and God is the only one who is trulyworthy of honour and praise.

Description:Having faith in the redemptive work of Christ is the cornerstone of the Good News. Our salvation is a free gift to all of us and there was nothing we could do to buy our salvation or pay for our sins. But, the story of salvation wasn’t always told that way. During the darkest times for the church, you could buy “indulgences” from the church and in a sense “pay” to escape punishment for your sins.Then came a reformation. 500 years ago Martin Luther challenged the church and began a focus on a message of salvation by grace through faith. In this two message series we want to look at some of the principles behind the reformation and see how they apply to our church today.

Description:Have you ever had an experience where someone offered you something that seemed to be “too good to be true?” You know what it is to hear someone say to you here in Hong Kong, “copy watch, copy watch?” The deal is so good it's unbelievable! They tell you, “It looks authentic, the brand name is there, it runs like the real thing, and the quality is great, only the price is a fraction of the genuine product.” You find yourself wanting to believe but something inside you tells you they are telling you a lie. We want to look at this concept and the pull to believe something false even though the Word of God and our heart tells us differently. Our theme is, "I Wanted to Believe...!"

Description:esus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). Are we there yet? If not, how close are we? Could Jesus’s words be fulfilled in our generation? The answer depends on our willingness to see the church’s mission in this world from a different perspective.Brent Fulton and his wife, Jasmine, are members of ECC who recently relocated back to the United States after 11 years in Hong Kong. Brent directs ChinaSource, an organization that serves the global Christian community with information on China and its church, and as a catalyst for ministry partnerships. He is the author of China’s Urban Christians: A Light that Cannot be Hidden.

Description:I love to plan a trip. In fact, I'm working on a plan to celebrate my next birthday by biking across the United States! The truth is; I'd never even think of a trip like this without Carol as my back-up. She always plans well, I love to be with her, and together we have some great trips!That's what I see this time as I look again at the Great Commission! We're going to see how Jesus was planning for this commissioning time throughout His ministry, He trained His disciples on how to do the work, and He promised to be with them on the journey. We'll consider a Biblical perspective on these points in the message today.

Description:Christ's main point in His Great Commission is that each of His disciples should be making disciples, as we go about our lives throughout the world. Discipleship is such a benign and general word that practical application definitions are varied and numerous in the Christian community. And then, Jesus complicates matters by getting way too specific when He says, "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Okay, this just turned very radical and dangerous!Rev. Kerry Schottelkorb and his wife Debra began BridgeLives in 2007 to serve "Great Commission" ministries in the areas of pastoral and member care, leadership and team development, while encouraging collaboration with like-minded ministries in the spirit of Christ's John 17 prayer. Since 2012, Kerry has been serving with Christian Action, helping to rescue and nurture the orphans and "at risk" children of the Tibetan Plateau in Northwest China. Kerry was the youth pastor when ECC first began in 1988.

Description:In the next two weeks we will be looking closely at the core essentials of the Great Commission: "Go" and "make disciples." This week we will look at "The Go Paradox." Though we are commanded by Jesus to go into all the world while making disciples, we are also promised we will be going. The Great Commission is both a command and a promise when the Holy Spirit is involved.Rev. Kerry Schottelkorb and his wife Debra began BridgeLives in 2007 to serve "Great Commission" ministries in the areas of pastoral and member care, leadership and team development, while encouraging collaboration with like-minded ministries in the spirit of Christ's John 17 prayer. Since 2012, Kerry has been serving with Christian Action, helping to rescue and nurture the orphans and "at risk" children of the Tibetan Plateau in Northwest China. Kerry was the youth pastor when ECC first began in 1988.

Description:Jesus was a very unique teacher and at times lived a life that to some seemed contradictory. He said the confessing sinner was justified, while the religiously pious man was not. He compassionately fed the multitude, then sent his disciples into a storm on the Sea of Galilee. Religion was seen as an “adult” concept, yet He invited children to come to Him. He was called a Rabbi or “teacher”, yet went and had fellowship with unclean publicans and sinners. I was reflecting on the text Romans 8:18-28 and saw how the Holy Spirit has a hand in our changing life. By the Spirit’s presence and voice in our lives, we move from one life to another and a stark contrast becomes evident. We are changed. This week we’re exploring this perspective on the intercessory work of the Holy Spirit.

Description:I’m sure you’ve noticed how different people seem to walk differently. Some have a faster pace, other walk slower, while others just seem to roll along! That was a problem for me when I lived in the Dominican Republic. I was walking with my friend Rafa when he commented to me, “Marv, stop walking like that, relax!” I asked him what he meant. He said, “You act like you’re always going somewhere. You even press forward with your head down. Relax, walk like you’re just having a good time!” Paul told the Ephesians to “walk in a manner worthy of their calling…” and ended his comment by urging them to “…bear with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:1-3) This week, we want to consider some of the traditions that bind us together as we look at the work of the Spirit in uniting us.

Description:I have always admired the character of David when he came face-to-face with Goliath. Here was this physical giant mocking his God and David had the character to stand and face the challenge. For David, there was no middle ground. Human wisdom or some miraculous proof wasn’t going to get him answers. Half-hearted commitment wouldn’t get the job done either. He was victorious because he was fully committed to faith in the God who is able! Today we begin a study on the work of the Holy Spirit. We first consider what the Spirit needs to work on: That’s us! We come to worship today to look again at what the Word teaches us about ourselves. Open your heart to that insight today.

Description:After some weeks of delay, Pastor Marv will be concluding the three-message series on Spiritual Formation with a focus on worship and our will. Sometimes we think of worship as being like a ritual; something we do on Sunday morning. In Philippians, Paul only uses the Greek word latreuo once. It's translated as “worship.” However, in the other New Testament books, this word is also frequently translated as “service.” In Romans 12, Paul encourages us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice as a spiritual service of worship. How we do that will be the focus of the message

Description:*Apologies for the lower quality recording this week due to technical difficulties, please refer to the attched PDF if needed for clarity*The story of Jesus healing the paralytic in Mark 2:1-12 is a marvellous picture of how the Church can and must participate in the work that God is doing in our midst for the sake of the world. We must learn to notice the needs of our neighbours and respond, not only in prayer and intercession, but in action defined by tenacity, creativity, and genuine love. In doing so, we create space for God to work wonders among us, and offer evidence of God’s love to the watching world. God intends for the Church to be the place where love shines the brightest, because it is only in community that humanity can find its true calling and purpose.Jonathan Lo is a speaker, author, and assistant professor of New Testament at the Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary. Growing up in Hong Kong, Jonathan attended ECC and served on the worship team and in Harvesters until he went overseas to study at university. Jonathan holds graduate degrees in biblical studies from Regent College (MCS) and the University of Edinburgh (MTh, PhD). Jonathan lives in Sai Kung with his wife Stephanie, and is currently writing a book on the New Testament use of the Old Testament.

Description:Jesus’s reply to the scribe’s question about whichcommandment is greatest underscores the importance ofloving people, not only God. However, sometimes love isa burden and we adopt a “Groupon” mentality, whichreduces loving people to a command to be obeyed forour own benefit, without genuine concern for the personswe claim to “love.” True biblical love is not an abstractidea or an impersonal virtue, but a kind of other-focusedattitude and action that is intentional, relational, and life-giving. Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus is a perfectexample of what it looks like to love like this.Jonathan Lo is a speaker, author, and assistant professor of New Testament at the Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary.Growing up in Hong Kong, Jonathan attended ECC and served on the worship team and in Harvesters until he went overseasto study at university. Jonathan holds graduate degrees in biblical studies from Regent College (MCS) and the University ofEdinburgh (MTh, PhD). Jonathan lives in Sai Kung with his wife Stephanie, and is currently writing a book on the NewTestament use of the Old Testament.

Description:We’re working on the theme of Spiritual Formation in this short series of messages. Last week, we considered the mind and how the teachings of the Word are to help us form our minds to His ways. This week, we’ll consider the body and how, through discipline, our bodies are to be brought into a place where they are also subject to Jesus’ model. We accomplish this by “training not trying.” We’ll be talking about the fellowship aspect of our Acts 2:42 model and see how small groups can serve to help us in the training of our body to better serve Him.

Description:I saw a tiny little baby in the arms of her father last Sunday. The father proudly looked at me and said, "she’s already a little person!” So small, so fragile, yet a little person! The Word tells us the Father already knew us while we were still being formed in the womb. When Jeremiah was called to his ministry, the Lord spoke to him and said, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 NIV) From our beginning, our Father desires to be about forming our lives. With spiritual formation, we seek to be engaged with Him in becoming more like Jesus. This week want to look at how our minds are a part of that process. How can we more effectively discipline and engage our minds in our spiritual formation? Join with us as we think on this theme.

Description:Psalm 103 is a praise hymn with thanksgivings. It exhorts us to bless the LORD and remember all His benefits. It praises God’s holy name as revealed in His self-proclamation and salvific deeds. It reminds us of God’s faithfulness and everlasting love to those who FEAR HIM, that is, those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts, those who obey Him and do His word.Jeremy Liou and his wife came to Hong Kong in 2006. They and their two children have since been attending the ECC. Jeremy had formerly served on the elder board and is now serving in a home group. He has recently graduated from a seminary in Hong Kong. Starting next month, he will be a pastor of an English congregation in Northern California.

Description:I have always been a visionary. In fact, I have often felt my calling was more to "initiate" than to "maintain" the work of the Kingdom. For that reason, I've always enjoyed the process of starting ministry, planting ideas, and watching them grow. Nevertheless, my former boss would often warn me, "Marv, don't get out ahead of your headlights!" What I understood him to mean was, a vision is great, but you must have the means to accomplish the vision or it is of little value. "Means" is the third section of Dallas Willard's Spiritual Formation Plan. We'll look at this aspect of our responsibilities and fathers as we conclude this message series. Pray and join us as we look at this important topic.

Description:Feeding my body and growing has never been a problem for me. In fact, since I landed in Brazil in the late 60’s, I’ve struggled to keep my weight down. As I’ve aged, it’s been hard to keep my body in shape. On the other hand, my character has been formed without too much “stress” on my part. I have become who I am through various influences. It sort of just “happened” without me having to do too much about it. Alternately, it seems to me like my spiritual formation has been something that needed more intention or focus. God’s grace and the work of His Spirit has been available and certainly active in my daily reality since that time that I committed to follow Jesus years ago. While the grace of God has been active, obeying Him and allowing His Spirit to mold me to conform to His will seems to have required constant vigilance. Spiritual formation is the theme of our messages these weeks and our message today will deal with intention. Join me as we open our lives to the Word and to the leading of His Spirit.

Description:Because we are going to celebrate Father's Day on June 18th, my next three sermons will revolve around the question "What do I want my children to remember about me?". I was checking the internet recently and found a list of 5 suggestions of actions for Dads to do to be remembered. 1) Just be.2) Listen instead of Lecture.3) Be a builder.4) Be a memory maker.5) Live each day like it's the full final day.These are all interesting, but I'm not sure that's how I would answer the question. How about you? I look forward to your thoughts as we think on this subject over the coming weeks.

Description:The phrase ‘kingdom of God’ calls up images of something from the middle ages with castles, knights, and dragons. Yet that image is far from the description of the kingdom we find in Jesus’ parables. And for Jesus, it’s this kingdom he came to establish in us and on earth. However, Jesus’ followers then– and now have struggled with his kingdom. Why? And what does it have to do with us?Pastor Bob has previously pastored in both Canada and Hong Kong but more recently is a chaplain at a Canadian public hospital. He is also the Director of a new initiative and ministry for whole-person spiritual formation based in Hong Kong called The Basileia Project, in collaboration with Regent College, Vancouver, B.C. Pastor Bob is married to Amy and they have four adult children and three grandchildren, all busy boys. Pastor Bob holds a Th.M in Interdisciplinary Theological Studies from Regent College.

Description:Today’s narrative will be a strategy building on the lesson of All versus Priority. In 2 Kings 17, we see that the kingdom of Assyria has taken over Israel (the northern 10 tribes). Israel is subjected as a vassal state. In the south, Judah survives with two consecutive evil kings, but barely. These two evil kings, starting with Manasseh, forced the nation into darker and deeper idolatrous living. They pursued lifeless gods of wood, silver, and nature. One chronicler labeled Amon, Josiah’s father, as one who “increased his guilt” by being worse than his father. However, there was a beacon of hope, as Amon’s son, Josiah is completely opposite. Convicted by the lack of God’s Word in his nation, Josiah is the head-of-chief in establishing probably the greatest revival ever written; a revival of an entire nation.Pastor Phillip Koo is currently pursuing a PhD in Preaching and Pastoral Ministry. He graduated with a Masters of Divinity degree in Preaching and Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas. Having served as a Baptist Collegiate Ministry intern, a camp counselor and staff in Colorado, in the pastorate for six years, and an equipping teacher to Southeast Asia, he currently resides in Fort Worth, TX. He has also served as a curriculum writer to Christian Creative Communication Center. Phillip and his wife Joanna have three children.

Description:My Aunt Marion was my favorite. She was a school teacher, adopted one of my favorite cousins, Donna, but most of all, she loved me. To go stay overnight with Uncle George and Aunt Marion was a gift. They treated us like we were special and they loved the Lord. We have our Bible heroes of the faith listed in Hebrews Chapter 11, but Aunt Marion was an everyday saint. She loved the Lord, loved people, and was interested in me.This week we want to look at the lives of three women from the New Testament who lived a common life but had an impressive Kingdom impact. Like Jochebed, they loved to serve. Think about your own life. Who were the women who served you in your faith-walk?

Description:This week we celebrate Mother's Day with the story of a woman who probably would have been accused of child neglect in our current day. She put her 3 month old baby boy in a basket and set him afloat in the River Nile! Regardless, her motive was important, as we now know, and her efforts saved her baby boy who was later named Moses. I hope we can look at her example and the impact that she had on her boy as a model for all of us as we express our respect and thankfulness for our mothers.

Description:We begin a three week focus on mothers with a look at the story of a mom who faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But, as illustrated here, the love of Motherhood goes beyond all boundaries. This mom had to search for Jesus, overcome questioning and her sense of unworthiness, and seek help anyway. The outcome of this story is wonderful, all because of God’s grace and a mom who sought Jesus’ help. May we celebrate God’s goodness once again as we explore the story of a mom’s commitment to her child.

Description:I’ve often tried to fit in the shoes of people around me. I like to imagine what motivates them to do whatthey do. When I was a child, we used to sing a song about Zacchaeus climbing up a tree and eventhen, it was hard for me to imagine what would have motivated him to do so. Here he was, aPROFESSIONAL tax collector, not well-loved by his community, yet so curious that he laid aside hispride and climbed up a tree just like a child! In fact, I imagine there were kids up in the tree with himwatching the crowd below gather around this wonder-worker, Jesus! The message this week focuseson Zacchaeus’ story. It’s a great one with a wonderful outcome!

Description:I sometimes like to walk alone. It’s a good way to get your thoughts together, listen to nature and the Lord both, and reflect. I’ve also found walking is a great way to sort things out with a friend. Walking and talking seems helpful when one is processing life, especially trying to find a way through a disturbing series of events or disappointments. Luke tells us Cleopas, who was reputed to be the brother of Jesus’ father, Joseph, left Jerusalem accompanied by another disciple on a 2 hour walk to Emmaus. Jesus had been crucified and as far as they knew, was lifeless in his grave. When the resurrected Jesus approached them and joined the conversation they didn’t recognize him. They were so disturbed they “stood still, looking sad.” The weight of their disappointment literally stopped them where they were. But the end results were marvelous! That’s what we intend to look at today as we see how a walk with the resurrected Jesus radically changed their world!

Description:I have always enjoyed family traditions. Certain foods for a given holiday; little rituals like tucking the kids in bed, even when they were older; and the things we would say to each other that have special meaning. Yesterday was Annie's birthday. She's one of the four granddaughters, now with her own child and in her mid-twenties. But even at that age, Carol and I were excited to call her and sing (and shout) the "Happy Birthday to you" song, in our crazy way! After singing, we laughed and talked as we shared our joy from afar. These small sayings or actions seem to strengthen the bond between us in a world where we are often pulled in many directions and separated by long distances.The Easter morning phrase is a tradition that many share. The first person declares, "THE LORD IS RISEN!" and the response is 'THE LORD IS RISEN INDEED!" This exchange of greetings seem to affirm our faith, while at the same time cementing in our hearts a truth we as a family embrace.As we come to this Easter this year, I find this phrase and the underlying concept under continued attack. Not everyone even knows the right response anymore. Our culture has eroded even our confidence in the reality of what the phase stands for. A couple years ago, in questioning 1000 adults in the United States, 64% accepted the resurrection, almost 20% rejected the concept, and 17% were unsure. The consideration of the Biblical narrative surrounding the resurrection will be the theme of our message this week.

Description:We had lived in San Jose, Costa Rica for several years and had many friends we knew would be excited to have us “home” again after being gone several weeks. As I came out of customs at the airport, there was a small band playing, a large crowd of people, and everyone was shouting and waving flags. I was impressed! However, at the same moment I recognized the celebration wasn’t for us. The Costa Rican ambassador to the United States had also arrived on our flight and that’s what people were celebrating.I wonder how Jesus felt as he came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey? The celebratory spirit was high! “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”, they shouted. But, Jesus must have also seen the bitterness in the eyes of the officials. He knew the voices of the people would soon change and they would be calling for his crucifixion. The story is intriguing and the message profound as we begin our journey to the cross this week.

Description:We are told about the church at Laodicea and how it was considered to be lukewarm. Their condition was described as being poor, blind, and naked, while they thought they were just the opposite. By Grace, Jesus offers to give them gold to deal with their poverty, medicine for their eyes, and clothing to cover their nakedness. For me, my lukewarm condition often reveals itself by my lack of desire to pray. I have my own solutions, there is not time to seek God’s direction, and there are other voices that speak loudly and provide clear answers. This week we’ll consider this accusation as it may apply to our church today. Are we lukewarm, or still deeply in love with Jesus?

Description:Some of Jesus' strongest words against the church are used here against the church in Sardis. They are accused of being "dead," and if they do not repent Jesus says He will come against them "like a thief." But, strong words are also used to encourage the faithful. They are told they are "worthy" and their names will be "confessed" before the Father.The message to us today is very personal. The church is composed of a variety of people. But as part of the church, we have a choice. Let's explore our options as we look at the letter to the church in Sardis.

Description:Thyatira will continue to be our focus as we continue our study of the Seven Churches from the Book of Revelation. Last week we saw how sin crept into the church through tolerance, practices, compromise and arrogance. Today we’ll see the Lord’s interaction with those who follow these ways and with those who refrain from this course of action. The message is clearly in two parts although it’s to the entire church. May we as a church heed the closing phrase of our text, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Rev. 2:29.

Description:The Church in Thyatira is our focus this week as we continue our consideration of the letter to the seven churches found in the book or Revelation. Jesus identifies Himself as the "Son of God" as the message begins. We have an expression, "like father, like son" and the qualities we see Jesus attributing to Himself in this text support His claim to son-ship.In this examination, the penetrating words of Jesus expose the church's participation in evil and immorality, and the consequences of doing so. However, the joy of this text, though clear in its accusation, is also clear in its promise. God in Christ searches our hearts, He sees our waywardness, He calls us to repentance, and if we return He responds in mercy. May we find hope as we see ourselves in the light of His Word.

Description:Today, all that remains of the ancient Greek city of Pergamum, now in modern day Turkey, are ruins. However, when the Apostle John wrote his letter to the church there, it was one of the most influential cities in the Roman Empire. At the end of the first century, Pergamum was a thriving city, so why, in Revelation 2:12 does our Lord call it the place where Satan has his throne? The answer lies in the ruins of the city’s temples and in the precious life of a man named Antipas, who Jesus called “my faithful witness.” In this brief passage Jesus once again engages His church with the core essentials of spiritual direction: A positive affirmation, a corrective discipline and a motivating promise. As He does so, He makes it crystal clear that His word and will are paramount, calling us to learn, teach and live out His truth.Rev. Kerry Schottelkorb and his wife Debra began BridgeLives in 2007 to serve "Great Commission" ministries in the areas of pastoral and member care, leadership and team development, while encouraging collaboration with like-minded ministries in the spirit of Christ's John 17 prayer. Since 2012, Kerry has been serving with Christian Action, helping to rescue and nurture the orphans and "at risk" children of the Tibetan Plateau in Northwest China. Kerry was the youth pastor when ECC first began in 1988.

Description:This week, we will look at the church in Philadelphia and their attributes as described in Revelations 3. We will also look at the four promises given to them. Please refer to the bulletin insert for more on the passage.Albert Lee is an Associate Bible Teacher with Our Daily Bread Ministries. He was Director of International Ministries for RBC Ministries (now Our Daily Bread Ministries) from 2000 to 2012. Prior to that, he was the National Director of Singapore YFC and the Regional Director of Asia-Pacific YFC. Albert's passion is teaching the Word of God. He believes in its power to change lives and build up the church of Christ. At present, he provides pastoral leadership to Emmaus Evangelical Free Church, Singapore. He is also a regular contributing writer for the Our Daily Bread devotional. A wealth of experience from working with various cultures makes him an insightful teacher. Albert sees himself as an instrument whose calling, appointment and empowerment come from the One who loves him and died for him. Married to Catherine, they have two adult children, Joel and Debbie.

Description:Smyrna is the second church in our study of the seven churches, found in the Book of Revelation.The city of Smyrna has a traceable history that goes back to the 11th century BC and still exists today, now named Izmar. It's history is filled with great pain, and of course that pain often impacted the church. It is believed that John the Apostle appointed Polycarp as Bishop over the church. Polycarp was martyred in 158 AD. As recent as 1922, the Turks invaded the city, the Christians were martyred, and the city burned. It no doubt reminds us of persecution that our brothers and sisters face in various parts of the world today.We are not promised comfortable lives if we follow Jesus, but we are called to trust Him. He is faithful and works through our circumstances for our good. By God's grace, in Hong Kong, we may not be facing the pain of persecution, but we may be facing other challenges of our own. Let God's promises given to the church in Smyrna encourage us as a congregation.

Description:Last week we introduced our series from Revelation as we look at the message written to the churches as John expressed his revelation from Christ, the head of the Church. In the message this week we look at what was written to the church at Ephesus. Historians indicate John was involved most in ministry at this church but even with that leadership the church faced significant internal challenge. This week we look at those challenges, how the church was encouraged to respond, and the promise given if they hear the warning offered by the one who loves them most.

Description:We have often spoken of the Acts 2:42 church. A great beginning for a concept that has survived hundreds of years down to our present time. We know from our Colossians passage, "Jesus is the head of the body composed of all Christian people." Now, we want to consider what should and shouldn't happen to this body which we call the church. Let's see what we might even learn about our church as we look at the seven churches mentioned in John's writings in the first chapters of the Book of Revelation.

Description:The word “soul” in the phrase “with all your soul” in Mark 12:30 means “life,” in the sense of existence. What does it mean to love God with our existence? In Matt 16:24-27, Jesus says that the one who wants to follow him must lay down their life, only to get it back more fully than they could have imagined. This paradox is at the centre of the Christian message: Discipleship involves self-denial, but in doing so we discover what it means to truly live. Jonathan Lo is a speaker, author, and assistant professor of New Testament at the Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary. Growing up in Hong Kong, Jonathan attended ECC and served on the worship team and in Harvesters until he went overseas to study at university. Jonathan holds graduate degrees in biblical studies from Regent College (MCS) and the University of Edinburgh (MTh, PhD). Jonathan lives in Sai Kung with his wife Stephanie, and is currently writing a book on the New Testament use of the Old Testament.

Description:The phrase “with all of your mind” was added by Jesus in Mark 12:30–it does not appear in the original Shema found in Deuteronomy 6:4-5. This highlights the prominent role that the faculties of thinking, comprehending, and reasoning should play in the Christian life. Faith and thinking are not mutually exclusive; in fact, we are to love God with our minds, by thinking well about important issues, and to continually question and examine the complexities of what we profess to believe.Jonathan Lo is a speaker, author, and assistant professor of New Testament at the Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary. Growing up in Hong Kong, Jonathan attended ECC and served on the worship team and in Harvesters until he went overseas to study at university. Jonathan holds graduate degrees in biblical studies from Regent College (MCS) and the University of Edinburgh (MTh, PhD). Jonathan lives in Sai Kung with his wife Stephanie, and is currently writing a book on the New Testament use of the Old Testament.