MEETING THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF OUR YOUNG ADULTS

In April 2012, the church Session gave their blessings to start a Young Adults Fellowship (YAF). By the grace of God, some young adults have met on numerous occasions to pray for the Lord’s leading and timing concerning this matter. During every young adults meeting, there would be the singing of hymns and spiritual songs, the preaching of God’s Word and a season of sharing and prayer.

Having waited on the Lord since April 2012, we felt the need to start an official fellowship has come. There is an increasing thirst for the Word of God and godly fellowship amongst the young adults. For instance, despite only a week’s notice for the meeting on 1 September 2012 due to circumstances, a good number of young adults, driven by their desire to seek the Lord, turned up for the meeting!

We are thankful to God for bringing His children to the young adults meetings. Quite a number of them who have not attended any fellowship before have testified of the Lord’s blessings with regards to their spiritual walk with the Lord. Another praised the Lord concerning how He has providentially used the meetings to bring her back to God’s fold. We praise the Lord for His goodness towards His children!We propose that the motto for the YAF (God-willing) be “A Living Sacrifice” taken from Romans 12:1- 2: “I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”.

It is our prayer that the Lord would help the young adults of the church to love, obey and serve God. May the Lord Jesus Christ be pleased to use the young adults to serve Him sacrificially and unconditionally.

Here is a brief breakdown on the young adults meetings we have had thus far:

Meetings

8 April 2012: Home of Bro Ming Wei and Sis Bernice

Bro Herbert shared from Romans 12:1-2 to emphasise the importance of living a holy and consecrated life for God, especially when God has sacrificed so much for us despite our sinfulness. With the Word of God as our divine yardstick, not only must we not be conformed to the mould of the world, we must present our bodies a living sacrifice for our Lord Jesus Christ and glorify Him every moment of every day. In all our endeavours, we must have the love and worship of God in our presence of mind. Following the exhortation, we have a blessed time of sharing, prayer and fellowship.

19 May 2012: Home of Bro Ming Wei and Sis Bernice

Bro Jason exhorted the young adults from Matthew 6:19-24 to examine our hearts concerning where our affections lie. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt 6:24). We must serve God at all times (and never mammon), for Christ alone is our Lord and Saviour. Thereafter, the Lord blessed us with a fruitful time of sharing, prayer and fellowship.

June 2012: Church Camp in Penang

We had prayer meetings for two nights where we share our struggles and pray for one another. Bro Jason and Sis Kee Sing led in the facilitation of the meetings and we praise the Lord for a most blessed time of worship, fellowship, sharing and prayer.

21 July 2012: Home of Bro Herbert and Sis Zuyi

Bro Herbert shared from Ecclesiastes 11:7- 12:14 and challenged the young adults to serve God while the “evil days” have yet to come. Youth is a gift from God and to use it for anything other than to serve God is vanity and sin. The fear of God and the importance to keep His commandments were strongly emphasised. Following the exhortation, God blessed us with a fruitful time of sharing, prayer and fellowship.

18 August 2012: Home of Bro Herbert and Sis Zuyi

Bro Jason shared from Psalm 20:7 and exhorted us to “trust not in horses and chariots”. Instead of putting our trust in the things of the world or even our closest friends, we need to put our trust in the Lord. God is sovereign and in control of all things. He is a most faithful God who is always true to His promises. As such, we must seek the Lord and remember the name of our Lord; we must pray and seek God’s Word earnestly and put our faith in His Word. For without faith, it is impossible to please God. A blessed time of sharing, prayer and fellowship followed after the meditation of God’s Word.

1 September 2012: Home of Bro Ming Wei and Sis Bernice

Dn Mern Yee preached from Ephesians 1:4-7. He exhorted us concerning how privileged we are to be chosen and predestined by God to be His adopted children even before the foundation of the world. He reminded us that we have been accepted and forgiven by God through the work of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son. Having received such great blessings from a most holy God, we must live a holy, sanctified and blameless life for the Lord— one that is separated from the world. We must continue to bear fruit to make our calling and election sure. Following the message, we had a blessed time of sharing, prayer and fellowship.

Testimonies

Closer to the Lord Jesus Christ

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb 10:24-25).

Praise the Lord for the many young adults meetings we have had! It is indeed a means of grace where young adults in the church could come together to learn God’s Word and fellowship with like-minded brethren. Through the sharing and prayer sessions, we glorify and thank God for His goodness, bear each other’s burdens and pray for one another as well as the church.

The fellowship of the saints is indeed a most important avenue to provoke and spur each other to love, obey and serve God. Through the fellowship, we learn to “look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Phil 2:4). Most importantly, we learn more about the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. I praise and thank God for enabling me to draw closer to the Lord Jesus Christ through the learning of His Word and the fellowship of the saints. Soli DEO Gloria! Herbert Goh

A Common Lord—Jesus Christ

Thank God for enabling us to gather and have fellowship with one another as a young adults group. Though we may have different vocations, we are able to identify with each other’s burdens, trials and joys, solely because we all have a common Lord—Jesus Christ. May the Lord use this fellowship group to help young adults to walk circumspectly in this world. “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Eph 5:15). Goh Zuyi

Blessed by the Time of Sharing

After giving birth to Ian, I found it difficult to continue attending the Young People’s Fellowship meetings, especially when Ming Wei had to work or had lessons to attend on Saturdays. Then, we did not have a car and Ian was still very young. I sorely missed the fellowship and company of like- minded friends. When Herbert initially mentioned the idea of setting up a fellowship group for young adults, Ming Wei and I were delighted as we thank the Lord for attending to our need for Christian fellowship. We did not have to think twice and offered our home as one of the places for gathering.

There are around 10-15 of us at each meeting currently. Thank the Lord for each and every one who has attended the meetings thus far. After a session of singspiration, God’s Word is faithfully preached by eitherDeacon Mern Yee or Brother Jason Lim. The messages are very pertinent to us young adults, whether working or new mothers, encouraging us to press on for Christ. This is then followed by a time for sharing and praying. I have been especially blessed by the time of sharing where we share our struggles with one another and testify of God’s goodness in our lives. Bernice Tan