I am deeply grateful that God brought my husband and me to EFCCA and made us part of this church family. We came to EFCCA in January 2024. In just over two years, we have built deep friendships with co-workers and brothers and sisters, and we often marvel that it feels as though we have known one another for a very long time. The love among the members, the way people support one another, and the church’s vision of Planting Churches, Uniting Generations have all deeply moved and encouraged us. I had already heard about the strength of EFCCA’s ministry team, but when I attended a co-workers’ meeting for the first time, I was still amazed by the size of the team. I was especially thankful to see so many wonderful co-workers labouring together for the Lord. As we continued serving, I was even more touched by their passion for ministry. The wholehearted commitment of our pastors, elders and deacons has become a beautiful example to us and has quietly challenged us to keep growing and giving our best.
In April 2024, we formally took up the pastoral care of the Young Adults Fellowship. This has truly been a great blessing from God. We eat together, take part in activities together, laugh together, grieve together, pursue the Lord together and grow together. Their energy is contagious. Seeing young people who love and hunger for the Lord, and who are willing to offer themselves in service at such a young age, often makes us think how wonderful it is to know the Lord early in life. As their lives have continued to mature, more and more of them have taken responsibility in different areas of church ministry. They can be seen serving in the morning congregation, evening congregation and English congregation, and they are also actively involved in evangelistic ministries such as Chinese Alpha and From Doubting to Believing. We are proud of them and deeply thankful to God. The Young Adults Fellowship has continued to grow in number, and the quality of its gatherings has developed rapidly. Every part is thoughtfully planned and well organised. Those who lead are also intentional about improving themselves. At times, as a preacher, I find that the young people’s messages and PowerPoint presentations are even better prepared than mine. They have encouraged me to begin using AI to assist with sermon presentations, and they have also helped me see that they are ready to be entrusted with greater space and responsibility in ministry.
We thank God for giving EFCCA the vision of Planting Churches, Uniting Generations. Together with the rich insights Pastor Dong received at the Chinese Congress on World Evangelization, this has strengthened the foundation for developing a cross-cultural congregation led primarily by young people. We are also especially thankful for the work of the Holy Spirit. Within only a few weeks, young co-workers moved from doubt and uncertainty to a willingness to step out of their comfort zones and follow the church’s vision and the Spirit’s leading. When young people commit themselves to build together in unity, attacks and disturbances from the enemy are inevitable. In response, they spontaneously organised a weekly online prayer meeting to watch over one another and encourage one another. They also became more intentional in their devotions and in deepening their relationship with God, receiving greater wisdom from Him to recognise the enemy’s schemes and greater courage and strength to resist them. Their daily devotional sharing in the young adults’ group is so honest and so real in confronting the old self that my heart is filled with joy and gratitude. The children really have grown up.
Our heartfelt prayer is that everyone in EFCCA—older, middle-aged and younger generations alike—will be united, supporting and encouraging one another as we walk together on the mission path God has prepared for us. May we continue to grow, continue to pioneer, and continue to witness God’s power and glorify His holy name. We eagerly look forward to what God will do among us next. Hallelujah!
