Jan 2011 update

 Faith@work

Hi friend,Training Nationals for Nationals in integrity and skills (Psalm 78:72)

(Php 4:17-19)  Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account ... from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.  But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Praise the Lord for all your prayers and support in so many ways in 2010.  Your prayers and support have been an odour of sweet smell and sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.  As a result, God had enabled us to train leaders in Indonesia (4 sessions), Nepal (2 Sessions), Myanmar (into four places) and Cambodia.

This year, we are adding one more session in Myanmar, two sessions in Cambodia, a follow-up visit to Tanzania, a new push into East Nepal and a foray into Bandung, Indonesia.

Please read the attachment of the Schedule, 2011 and do continue to pray for us.  Also the attached photos are those of (1) Medan, Indonesia, (2) Myanmar’s training of pastors and leaders and (3) Kathmandu, Nepal.  We allow the Holy Spirit, the Lord of Harvest, to take away or add to the schedule.  (Please click on the photo once or twice so that you can view the whole photo.)

Asia Seminary for Ministry (ASM) is the educational arm under Faith@Work Fellowship.  Our vision is the reach Nationals to and for their own Nationals.  We believe that the National pastors and leaders are the key to reach their own.  After each training session, they would bring back what they have learnt and would share the lessons with their own people.  We pray to the Lord of the harvest for a trusted point-man in God’s chosen field.  Then, in and through him, we co-operate to net-work with others for the training.  God has always supplied the trusted men.

Praise the Lord for our teachers who are mature pastors and leaders.  The ministry is done by faith.  We have to raise our own prayer and expense support.  Some pastors are supported by their churches as mission projects, while others have prayed and trusted God.  Also, we have to raise support for the transport, material, board and lodging of the participants.  Praise the good Lord for supplying all our needs the past years.  Our principle of looking to Him:  First, tell God and then tell God’s people.  You all have been so wonderful in sensing His Will in praying and supporting us.  Thank you so very much.  May we be encouraged: (Heb 6:10)  For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

With God enlarging our tents of ministry and influence, we need evermore your prayer and support.  When we work, we work, but when we pray, God works.  Please pray for us at least once a week.  Prayer is more important than money or machinery in securing God’s provision and pleasure (Matt. 9:37,38).  Prayer can do what God can do.  As we reach up to God, He will draw near and dear to us and reach down in and through us to others.  May souls be saved and His people built up and He gets all the glory, honor and praise!

We are needing also teaching partners, resource partners and financial partners.  Please let us know where and when you would help.  We are very flexible and adaptable  and we will do our best to help you know how to help.  With each of us doing our part, we would be united and whole in doing more and better for the Lord.  Our prayer also is to help build your life so that you can invest your life for God and for eternity.  Thanks so very much for your fellowship in the Gospel.  Please share our vision together with others.

TRAINING

This will be our 7th session with some 60+ pastors and leaders from Medan, Acheh and Nias.  Please pray for the impact these will have as they share with their people.

Rev. Haposan has a bigger vision for starting a training school, while others have their own in-house training.  Rev. Haposan had already started building a physical building on the church property and he is half-way done, by the effort of his church.  He will require S$10,000 of which the good Lord has supplied S$6,000.  We will need S$400o to complete the classrooms.  Let us pray and partner with him on this.

Yangon Theological Seminary (about 60 students).   We will be privileged to be with YTS in its Graduation of 20 students.   God is raising up good leaders as the country rises up in its challenge for the new order.  Everything rises or falls on leadership.  So we thank the good Lord for using us in the training of leaders.

30 Anniversary of Fellowship of 30 Churches and 25 Anniversary of Mandalay Bible Seminary.   We have been involved with Rev. James and his good people from all over Myanmar for the last 25 years and we rejoice with them as they celebrate together.  It is good to give thanks unto the good Lord.  He has been faithful and His mercies anew every morning (Lam. 3:22,23).  Some 200+ pastors and leaders will assemble in Emmanuel Villa.  There will also be a graduation for MBS.  Four of us will be privileged to be with them in God’s goodness.  Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

·         Mar 2–4
Training of Grassroot Leaders of 60+

        With the hunger for more training, we continue to train on the inductive study of the Bible and on mind-mapping the Word to understand and to prepare to teach.

·       Mar 6–10
MMin training in Kathmandu

We are entering into our 9th session.  We have been having 40+ constantly for training.  These are leaders in their 30s and 40s that are in their places of ministry.  One is the general-secretary of some 127 churches all over Nepal.  We pray and plan to have our first Graduation in August for the first batch.

·       Mar 13–17
MMin in East Nepal

        The capital, Kathmandu, is a bit far from East Nepal, with its poor transport system.  The program call from East Nepal is in its 3rd year and we are now answering that call.  We will begin the Master of Ministry program there and we are trusting the good Lord for His people and provision for new funds.

·       Mar 18–20
Training for pastors and leaders in East Nepal

        While the MMin program is in English, there are still others who need the training.  So we will be conducting some training with interpretation.  Please pray that there will be good response.  When we were there the last time, we had some 100 leaders.  Such was the hunger of God’s people.  God will have His way in and through us!

Our prayer for you and all yours is found in God’s promises:  (Psa 84:11)  For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Thanks again for walking in partnership with us in the Gospel.  May the good Lord bless you and all yours in a greater and better way in 2011.

Your Servant in Christ Jesus,
Rev. Goh Seng Fong  
(John 12:24)