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2023 Hope conference, There was a session that we were asked to pray for one another, to be daring to claim the prayers and promises of God.

I ended praying together with our dear sister, Touktah. I couldn’t remember what she said throughout the prayer but 1 thing kept struck to me - “you will understand many languages and speak in them”.

My one response to this prayer is “sister, you prayed a very dangerous prayer”.

Personally, I have a love-hate relationship with languages. I  do not excel in languages and phonetics doesn’t make any sense to me. I can never associate a sound with characters/words. I have similar troubles when learning a third language with classes in my free time too.

As I mentioned that I have hard time associating sounds with words. Another thing I find is that sometimes I can’t differentiate 2 sounds words or intonations between them. So for Music, all I can remember in school when going through them is that I always get scolded for it. I will deem myself as someone who has zero talent musically.

Yet, I also know that after walking in the Lord for  a decade long, I know nothing is impossible for the Lord.  During our lesson with spiritual gifts, I felt like I really needed to ask God’s help in 2 components:

1 with learning languages

2 help in music

I would like to give thanks to God for an event that happened during the recent Batam STM trip. My friend Amanda who is currently learning Bahasa sometimes throws me a sentence and watch my reaction.

So we were in a restaurant in Batam and she casually throws me a line. I froze on the spot and her previous actions flashed through my mind. What seems like 10s to me internally, maybe just 2s to the other watching. I just casually replied her in English“I don’t eat cucumber too, you can ask the others on the table”.

I have no idea what has happened or till today I don’t know the behasa word for cucumber. Yet, We did held a proper conversation. She did say that I don’t eat cucumber and if I would like to have it.

I mean like Wow! What can I say? Amazing ability, I give all glory and praise to the Lord. I am still praying and depending on God as I start and continue to look into languages!

For now I will give thanks and praise to God for the small victories. Thank you Jesus.

- Everlyse

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I was really reminded about how operating in our spiritual gifts is not just for during missions, but it should be a constant thing that helps to build the body up, and to do it out of love and faith that God will empower us for greater works (John 14:12)

also felt very reminded to spend time in prayer to seek Him, and also practically be within circles of like-minded people who can guide and speak into our lives as we practice and grow into our giftings

-Josh

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I brought this up in class, that some gifts ( i called them signs and wonders gifts) are clearly more obvious and will attract more attention and may lead to more interest from the people we are reaching out to. When I look at my family team, at the moment, none of us have those gifts in our top three. Ha ha. I am glad that Patrina emphasised that even through we may not have them now, if there is a need and if we ask for them, God will "give" them to us.

Having said that, I think that there are instances too where the other "backend" gifts like service, mercy may also touch the pre-believers.

In the end, I am reminded that through all these, the gifts are from God, and He is able to use us (and the gifts that He has given) to reach the pre-believers. We just need to be listen and be obedient to His prompting. :)

Gary

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I was intrigued by the different possible models that people can use to start church planting and started reflecting on the different models that were used throughout to understand the pioneering.

It is also a reminder that evangelism is not about us, but God giving us a chance to participate in what he is doing. I pray that I will start to think about God more and more. to steer very possible conversation for his glory. Keep practicing and sharing the bridge diagram. Be consistent with people and keep sharing testimonies of God to others.

I am also very humbled when i remember about what God has done for us, the love story that we should always remember. Who am I and who i really belongs to. I can do what I do because of God's love for us humans, thank you God.

- Everlyse

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I found that the distinction between the LG-church model and service-church model very thought provoking - because while we may be very used to form a LG first, some cultures/ countries may be more appropriate to run service first before we can get people in - which challenges most of my initial assumptions to what is the best way to run. Ultimately, it is about serving and ministering to the needs of the people - and whatever it takes, be it atmosphere, hospitality, being consistent to follow up - I would want to do it. And ultimately, living a lifestyle of loving, evangelising and making disciples.

Also, I was very reminded about how being faith-filled is not just for the more spiritual; but it is every single step of obedience that would make us easier to have faith and be bold for Him. I want to be a faithful steward of what has been entrusted to me, which includes the gospel, and have the courage to follow through it

-Josh

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Lesson 1 was interesting familiar and a really good reminder. I was reminded a lot about "Why we do, what we do", spreading the gospel, making disciple of all nations. Yes, that mission and vision that we hear year in, year out goes out to let the "people of every tribe, every tongue" praise the name of Jesus. Really really really thankful to God and Christ for giving me a chance to be part of His "missionary" team.

Also I am starting to understand why having different types of churches around is a good thing. It is like picking your favorite food/dish. Some doesn't eat beef, others love seafood and others can eat chicken rice for a week in a row. At the end of the day, you have a fulfilled meal and get fed, just like how you come to Christ, is fed and is growing to be more and more like a disciple of Christ.

Hope Church we decides to do tentmaking when going out to plant churches. Learning that there isn't exactly a right or wrong method on how to do them, it is just a method of preference. And personally I feel comfortable with tentmaking.

Outreach through the years have many plans and strategy but it's only through the course that I figure that it doesn't necessary have to have a specific method, and the method proposed to the general public might not be what works the best for everyone. So just be open to try and do whatever you can, whatever works, God is creative, so can we.

Looking forward to the new environment, new changes, the new growth and the exciting adventure. Thankful for the extra theory lessons, standing on the shoulders of people who went before us and spiritual covering.

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//Cleo Ng//

Beyond this session being incredibly grounding and encouraging, I felt like I left being empowered and supported in this journey to GO.

As I reflected upon what I learnt from the session, I think this part of "first being crystal clear on what God wants to do" jumped out at me. HAHA I have a track record of "working hard but not working smart" - and I know it's a real danger for me to equate busyness = fruitfulness/success. So, I pray that as He grounds me and leads me, that He gives me clarity and direction on what He wants to do!

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I used to question why we still need to go start a new church in another country - I am okay to share the gospel with prebelievers anywhere but not so convinced to why we need to set up a church when there are already other churches in the same area/country.

After the 1st lesson on Intro to Church Planting, I understand that it is not about duplicating efforts but it's simply obeying God's commandment to be fruitful where we are planted. If we go and plant ourselves out where the gospel is needed (which is literally everywhere) then God will make us fruitful. And since we are fruitful in our home country, Singapore we can reproduce what we do here to where we are called to.

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Josh

Glad that I was able to clarify and understand the heart behind church planting - that it is not just a way of simply expanding our 'Hope' brand; but the heart is to build a sustained system and environment where we can not only reach out but also make disciples intentionally - disciples that is rooted in who we are as we produce 'a certain kind' based on our DNA. I am also quite heartened to have that perspective that as many different local churches enter the land (eg Japan), we are all reaching out not in silos, but to build the Kingdom and reach the whole population simultaneously.

and then from there align and see how I can contribute in the upcoming mission trip!

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I am very encouraged to learn about our Church DNA and how we are already sending missionaries out, even when we had only a congregation of 400! That is so amazing!

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Understood better why we do church planting instead of other forms of missionary. To focus on building disciples as a direct form of outreach. Obedience as the first step to grow as we face difficulties and need to rely on God. Reminder to reflect on how sinful we are and the grace God has shown us which urges us to love others like how he did to us.