Last week we celebrated our 21st Church Anniversary together. Thank God for continuously inspiring us with the promised me and C-Mo. From our first service on the Mother’s Day in 2001, God raised and nurtured this child Himself. Now this child has grown and matured, turning into a 3600 Tree of Life that stands firm and multiplies endlessly. I am filled with gratitude.
Looking back at these 21 years, God’s leading of our church shows His swift work. It all started with merely three of us – C-Mo, me and Pastor Deborah. Now, the congregation has grown to close to ten thousand. Thank God for leading me and C-Mo together to turn kitchen wastes into fertilizers in order to nurture this Tree of Life and build up a Tree of Life community. The leaves of the Tree of Life are for healing of the nations. Everyone can receive discipleship and become a Tree of Life here.
One of my disciples, Crystal was a student with a broken life when she came to 611 Church 16 years ago. Then she experienced major life events here, such as losing her father, getting married and bearing children. She has been healed and built up within the Tree of Life Community. Now she is the head of the Youth Army and the spiritual mother of many young people, passing on the Tree of Life nutrients to the next generation. How great is God’s work!
Thank God also for founding the 611 Leadership Institute in 2004 and preparing vessels for God. Affected by the pandemic two years ago, the Institute is turned into an online Institute, allowing overseas pastors around the globe to receive the nutrients of Tree of Life. This way, the vision of Planting Trees of Life Everywhere in 52 Years can be actualized.
In 2008, God led 611 Church to build His house in Tsuen Wan – the center of Hong Kong geographically. The design of the cross on the top of the Mercy Seat Sanctuary was also inspired by God. As I read the book of Revelations preparing the message of this Anniversary service, God showed me that the center of the New Jerusalem is the Tree of Life while in the center of Hong Kong, we have 611 Church. How amazing is God’s work!
God also uses our church to bless the land. According to recent government statistics , Tsuen Wan ranks the 5th on the income list of 18 districts in Hong Kong. When we moved to Tsuen Wan, it was positioned at the second last. So the Tree of Life has brought continuous transformations and renewal to the land.
On the 21st Anniversary, God has further improved my preaching. I used to be very rational, paying attention to expository in preaching. After preaching the Ten Commandments and the Eight Beatitudes, I have realized that the key of preaching is to get people connected with God in the Spirit and then transformed in life. Hence I brought the congregation into the vision described in the book of Revelations during the Anniversary service. God also shows me that, if one person brings another to connect with the Tree of Life community, then Tree of Life can grow to twenty thousand people. In this way, the vision of Planting Trees of Life Everywhere will surely come true.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us cherish this Tree of Life given by God. May we thirst for the truth and get connected with God to become a 3600 Tree of Life that stands firm and multiplies endlessly. Moreover, we shall plant Tree of Life community everywhere!■【2022.05.15】