YOUNG ADULTS FELLOWSHIP: INAUGURATION & TESTIMONIES
Praise the Lord for the inauguration of the Young Adults Fellowship (YAF) on October 20, 2012 at Pastor’s residence. There were about 30 at the inauguration, and all had a blessed time of worship, Bible study, and fellowship. Pastor spoke on “Meeting the Spiritual Needs of God’s People” from Acts 2:41-47 and Ps 119:9-16.
Praise the Lord for moving the young adults of the church to spearhead this new fellowship. The testimonies of YAFers below will show how the Lord has moved and led them to come together in such a manner since April 2012.
God’s Answer to My Burden
Thank God for the young adults’ meetings during the recent Church Camp in Penang and at the homes of our brethren, Ming Wei and Bernice and also Herbert and Zuyi. Each step of the way the Lord has opened doors to provide for the gatherings of the young adults. From the beginning, God provided and gathered people who share the same burden for the need of the assembly of the young adults with the desire to fellowship with like-minded brethren who love Jesus Christ. God also graciously provided Deacon Mern Yee to lead and guide us. Deacon Mern Yee, along with other brothers, studied the Bible and taught us from the Word. The learning of God’s Word remains the centre of all our gatherings. The Lord has also constantly provided conducive and comfortable venues for the meetings which allowed us to study the Bible and to have a warm time of sharing, testimony and prayers.
During the meetings, we often shared burdens that are close to our hearts; for instance, our relationship with our parents (as we progress from youths to young adults) and our testimony and struggles at the workplace with regard to fellow colleagues and superiors. We also shared our struggles in our relationship with our unbelieving friends, how to manage finances and time and our personal goals and aspirations in our lives. Many of these struggles are unique to this transitional stage of being young adults as we take on more new roles and responsibilities. The sharing of these burdens with our fellow brothers and sisters who are going through or who had just gone through the struggles themselves has truly brought much encouragement, comfort and joy.
I also thank God that each time before sharing, we were able to search the Scriptures together and encourage and instruct one another according to the Word. From these gatherings, I have been able to learn many precious lessons and draw much strength to tackle the challenges I face in my life. I have also learnt to serve others by encouraging them with a smile or a word of encouragement.
The young adults’ meetings have helped me understand how love is put into action. As it is written in God’s Word: “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). Having being instructed by the Word, keeping each other in prayer and being concerned for one another have helped me as I struggled to walk in the straight and narrow way according to God’s will.
Furthermore, the gathering of like-minded brothers and sisters through the young adults’ meetings has quenched my thirst for company with friends who have the same priority and purpose in life—to glorify and honour God. The deep friendships built have given me much joy as these friends constantly remind me to look up to my God more and more each day. The Word of God reveals to us that we can only have true fellowship based on the truth: “that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” and that only “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another” (1 John 1:3, 7). These friendships are built on the pure love for God and His people.
Personally, I thank God for answering my prayer for a young adults’ gathering since the 2009 Youth Fellowship Camp in Calvary Tengah. God has placed a burden in me to reach out to others who might have the same struggles as I do. At that time, I was going through the struggles of graduating from the university and stepping into the working world.
The youths in our church are progressing from being primary school children to become secondary school and tertiary students. Soon, many would step out of school to enter into the working world as young adults to be exposed to ungodliness and worldliness. Also, many would find themselves with new challenges such as managing a new career, finding and maintaining a godly relationship with a life partner and raising a new family. They also have to adjust to new roles and relationships and how they relate to others. Other aspects like the burden to care for and mentor the younger brethren in church and providing and caring for their aging parents also comes into consideration.
Having the young adults’ meetings is God’s answer to my burden. Each meeting has been a balm to my soul and a great source of comfort and instruction. As I look back at the meetings, I thank God for gathering brothers and sisters who have the same thirst and burden for the things of God. Many older brothers and sisters in the group have guided and cared for me. I pray that this blessing could be extended to other young adults in the church who might be experiencing the same struggles. I pray that through the young adults meetings, they might be ministered to and cared for and learn to flee from the temptation of ungodliness and worldliness.
As Solomon has reminded us in Ecclesiastes 12:1, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth”, our youth is a one-time privilege that God has given to us to serve Christ, our Lord. Just as we have much strength and vigour, this is the time we must serve Him by using our time wisely on things that bring Him much glory and honour. Lastly, I pray that God will bring more young adults to our fellowship, that they may know Christ better, be drawn closer to God and lead fruitful Christian lives. Tan Kee Sing
God’s Word Must Be Central
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps 133:1). We thank the Lord for the fellowship we share among the young adults at the informal meetings we have had thus far. We are grateful to the Lord that though it is an informal gathering, God’s Word is still shared at each meeting. Truly God’s Word must be central in all our fellowship; otherwise everything will be done in vain.
Our hearts are warmed by the sharing and prayer sessions where we share and identify with one another’s burdens, and rejoice with each other as God’s Name is praised. We thank God also for the sweet hour of prayer where we come before God humbly and uphold each other and the church in prayer.
It is our prayer that God may raise up a Young Adults Fellowship in His own time and according to His good purpose and will. Though the numbers may be few, we trust that God will bless the fellowship to grow more and more in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and His Word. Our only plea is that we may continue to be faithful to our Almighty God and His Word. May the Lord help us. To God be the glory! Jacelyn and Joycelyn Chng
Strengthened in the Word of God
I thank God for the Young Adults Fellowship. We are a small group of young adults, coming from different walks of life. Some are homemakers; some are new to the work force; some have been in the work force for quite some time already, but we all have our daily struggles to battle with. Thank God for this fellowship where we can gather to share our burdens, hear each other’s struggles concerning work, family life and our walk with God. It helps us to know that we are not struggling alone. Most importantly, the Word of God is central in our fellowship. I have been greatly blessed and encouraged by our time of fellowship together and praying for one another. Do come and join us and be strengthened in the Word of God and the fellowship of like-minded saints. Katherine Go
A Tremendous Blessing
“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Eccl 4:12). Indeed, it has been a tremendous blessing to have been able to come together with other young adults to provide encouragement to one another in our walk with the Lord. Having the tendency to always be inward-looking, through the months of fellowshipping with other young adults, I have come to realise and appreciate that I am not the only one facing troubles in this world that is not our home, and also that I do not have to go through them alone. The bits of service that I have been able to render unto the Lord for the past months during the meetings have also blessed my soul and taught me much about His Word and the importance of coming to Him with clean hands and a pure heart. I pray that this may continue and that the showers of blessings may never cease. Soli Deo Gloria. Jason Lim
We Are God’s Children
Thank God indeed for His grace and mercy. Attending the young adults’ meeting truly keeps me in check with my spiritual life. The sharing sessions we have had constantly remind me that we are God’s children. We need to serve the Lord with a sincere heart. Thank God for his love and mercy shown towards us. Katharine Kiew
Truly a Blessing
I truly thank God for the Young Adults’ Meetings where we can gather as brothers and sisters in Christ to learn and study God’s Word together. With most of us facing similar struggles at this stage of our lives, it is truly a blessing to be able to share our burdens and cares with each other, and also encourage and pray for one another. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps 133:1) Eunice Foo
Inaugural Young Adults Fellowship Meeting, 20 October 2012 “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” (Ps 119:9)
