In NLRC, mission trips are one of the ways of intentional discipleship. Our members learn and grow more when their faith and spirituality are exercised when serving the Lord Jesus on the mission field. There, they testify, preach and pray for people. To do that, they prepare, pray towards and write their script thoughtfully. It is in the field that they overcome themselves and rely on Jesus and the Holy Spirit to fill them and work through them. One mission trip helps us learn more than many classroom lessons. Below is a report on our recent trip to Dumai, Sumatra, Indonesia. This trip is significant for us all. I had opportunities to reflect with the team and learnt much from them. To the Dumai pastors, their remark on the weekend was “Luar Biasa!”
God’s Victory Seminar in Dumai
[22 – 24 September 2018] report by Bee Long
The team on this mission trip to Dumai comprises seven (7) members: Pr Jeremiah Yap (team leader), Joanna Patrick Wee, Celine, Ben Kho and Ryan (all first timers to Dumai) and Geok Choo plus yours truly (our second trip). Each of us went for a different reason. During the final meet up to pray for the Dumai mission, Pr Jeremiah Yap prophesied over those present encouraging us to see what God could do through us.
Pr Jeremiah Yap had prepared messages pertaining to Principles of Life in God’s Victory. Pr Jeremiah Yap wanted the team to minister to the people at the end of all the three services so we had to be charged up spiritually, looking forward to some victories.
The first meeting was with about 300 of the Dumai youths held at GBI (Gereja Bethel Indonesia). The Youth Celebration was led by a local worship leader, pint-sized but powerful. The worship atmosphere was indeed God-charged. Ben recalled being totally soaked in the presence of God as if he was joining the angels in heaven worshipping our Father! Ryan was filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues for the first time. Praise the Lord!
Ben started by testifying how God helped him realize his dreams, from a life of poverty and scarcity to having a successful career and wonderful life. Next, Celine shared openly with the youths experiences from her “prodigal” past, yet with much contrition. I felt the youths related very well to Celine’s sharing. Pr Jeremiah shared a brief message on the Parable of the Prodigal Son. During the altar call he prayed for the youths who came out in droves, sobbing loudly, repenting before God. God took over sovereignly as our team members obeyed in taking bold steps to pray, comfort and show God’s love by hugging the young ones who responded to the altar call. Many were slain under the power of the Holy Spirit. That night, we saw the story of the Prodigal Son enacted before our eyes as we took on the role of the father going towards the youths embracing them and affirming their status as the beloved children of God. We believe a new generation of youth was birthed and called to serve God boldly in their community and beyond. Ryan said he had never been to a meeting with such a powerful move of the Holy Spirit.
At the second meeting in NLRC Dumai, Geok Choo recalled her conversion experience and shared how she obediently followed her late mother to church and only accepted the Lord many years later as she saw God’s faithfulness and goodness to her family. Pr Jeremiah Yap continued the second installment of the Prodigal Son. At this round of the altar call we witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit working on the church families as the young and elderly came before the Lord to restore right relationship with Father God. Pastor also prayed blessings over the church leaders to empower and release them into greater ministries in Dumai and challenged them to serve even further afield, away from home. Wow!
In the afternoon, we tried to rest before the finale that evening, the city-wide open meeting for the Dumai folks from churches and the community. By 8.00pm about 800 people had gathered. Joanna shared how God answered her prayer for healing and financial provision. Ryan shared how God miraculously provided a much needed job and finance and how God restored his marriage.
Pr Jeremiah Yap gave his all after proclaiming from 2 Chronicles 20 that the battle belongs to the Lord. Pastor called out prophetically a few health issues affecting the congregation and prayed for healing. He invited all the pastors present that night to come out to receive blessings. Half way praying, guess what, showers came! We got the worship team to sing a song, coincidently a line from the song declared that we were trampling on the enemy. When the song ended, so did the rain! Some pastors (from other churches) who had at first displayed a guarded and even hostile front melted and approached us to shake our hands and thanked us at the end of the service. I felt something broke in the spiritual realm and hopefully, the men would take up their rightful leadership; and Dumai churches and leaders will work together for a greater harvest to God’s glory.
At the R&R Celine shared how she broke out of her shell, plucked up courage and testified before a crowd, prayed for people. She even got healed herself that evening of a backache. Ryan too obeyed and prayed for different ones. He himself was wonderfully gifted with speaking in tongues and a stronger faith in God. Ben put his work challenges aside to serve God on mission and was rewarded with a new connection in the inner man with God through high praise and worship. Joanna sharpened her ministry of interpretation from English to Bahasa. Geok Choo, although from Cheras NLRC joined our PJ team and proved that New Life families in the Kingdom can serve together effectively. As for me, I could see clearly how God’s presence was able to minister to the various people I prayed for. Praise God! On this trip, we learned on the job to pray, release words of comfort and encouragement. More importantly, we learned to rely on the Holy Spirit and stretched our faith to believe for miracles for ourselves and for others. I’m certain Dumai NLRC too experienced a spiritual lift and the pastors are now emboldened to do greater works like never before. To God be the Glory!
Pr. Jeremiah Yap
November 2018