Hearing from Pastor J

“Cross the Line” to Discipler Mentality

January 22, 2021

“Cross the Line” to Discipler Mentality

The Discipler’s goal: see the God of hope in 2021 defeat pessimism from 2020. Don’t miss this!

Isa 45:2 This is what the LORD says: “I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. Isa 45:3 And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness—secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the One who calls you by name. (NLT)

I remember the hymn “great is thy faithfulness…strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow”. Discipler mentality is with the hope of defeating pessimism from Covid-19. People experienced the same storm but in different boats. Some experienced negatives more seriously than others. To keep NLRC folks in strong faith in Christ, let us cross the line of fear in these difficult times. The goal of disciplers is towards a positive expectation, not losing heart, but see God’s light and life in darkness. In this unique moment, dreams of the believing could still come true.

In Covid-19 darkness, spiritually strengthening NLRC is not only reasonable but a responsible thing to do. As they are strengthened, they may hold their families together in faith and may even become a source of hope for others.

Christ’s model of helping people build themselves and build others is discipleship. To be a discipler you first become a good disciple. My 2021 call to NLRC is: “cross the line” and become a Discipler, if you are not already one. This is the first “B” of my vision for NLRC – ‘Bring up People’. The world is shaken by Covid-19. Along with it socio-political agendas are progressively challenging Christian values. Spiritual strengthening of church families can do with greater focus. Even though Christians know about discipleship, many are seeking how to better do it.

Prayer

I said to be disciplers, start with having interest in others, followed by a decision to do it, and humbly seek God by fervent prayer on steps to do it. Praying in discipleship is priority. It is in prayer that you receive God’s wisdom and revelation (Eph 1:17). The Holy Spirit is your teacher, guide and power. You can give only what you have. If you have not learned from Christ faith and hope, how can you teach others? This is a new era never before seen since the Reformation 500 years ago. Pray to see God making something beautiful out of darkness in our discipleship.

Platforms

There are discipleship platforms: family; church community; and church classroom. The primary focus on discipleship in this 2021 theme is about families being discipled to face difficult times since Covid-19. In lockdown, spirituality was focused at home. In it family in discipleship of their children forms the first platform. If parents need help in the discipleship journey the church community is the second platform arising to help them. The church classroom is the third platform with discipleship in curriculums, including Bible school courses (which are specialized and some Bible teachers are of Eph 4:11 five-fold gift level). These platforms complement one another in our spiritual formation.

Generations

For the very young who will not be discipling others yet, train them in classrooms in what we teach everyone. Teach them: not to fear; honour the generations; honour their gender designed by God for their destiny; share and care in group dynamics; and relate with others in school (their marketplace). In 2021, involve dads and moms, brothers and sisters in Kids Church. Their presence speaks loudly about intergenerational involvement. There is mutual learning between adult and children with parents continuing what kids learn from church at home if they were in Kids Church.

For the teens, they can benefit from adults in youth ministry. Adults share with teens their challenges when growing up about issues on sexuality, habits, distractions, career choices and how to relate with the world. Uncles and aunties enter youth ministry to prepare them for the marketplace introducing them to vocations and ambition with Christian perspectives. Knowing the youths, the adults can pray effectively for them. In 2021, adults cross the line to youth work to make Bible practical for them.

Adults in peer mentoring on fathering, parenthood, and faith for family responsibilities could be of use to them. Adults face many challenges mostly by themselves. Being able to pray for one another with sharing and caring is a blessing. In praying together discipleship may happen.

So beside classroom discipleship consider communal discipleship among NLRC members. Also, cell groups, men or ladies groups or informal groups of friends in regular prayer; all these groups may feature discipleship. We do not want to quench the Holy Spirit leading people in discipleship, so we shall walk in faith, in the fear of God and in Christlikeness. Keep the goals of victory over the global shaking in mind so that we bring up people in NLRC in spiritual wholeness with physical and emotional wellbeing.

NLRC! Let us personally, cross lines to faith, hope and success, and find treasures in darkness in your situations.

Let 2021 be a year whereby we all enjoy greater heaven in our homes!

Love in Christ,
Pastor Jeremiah Yap

Not Letting Down Your Prayer Shield

August 4, 2020

Not Letting Down Your Prayer Shield

Dear beloved Brothers and Sisters in NLRC,

We are well into the second half of 2020. With the pandemic, it is a trying time for many in the world. We give thanks to the Lord everyday for His favour and protection upon us and our loved ones every day and in every way. I thank the Lord for you in keeping your faith in the Lord vibrant and fervent. It was reflected in your attendance at online prayer and services during the months of lockdown. This is indeed commendable.

In this pandemic and lockdown, many things changed. I know the spiritual life of many have changed for the better. Many testimonies from our NLRC churches have been heard Sunday after Sunday as I follow the services of our churches online. I never cease to find joy and encouragement from them.

In crossing over this period, know what we are in the middle of. Keep abreast of what is in the world.

Pray whenever you are in the company of brothers and sisters. Fellowship must lead to prayer one for another and for what the Lord puts into your heart. Otherwise the makan-makan is incomplete.

Keep our prayer alert to uphold our brothers and sisters and our families in health and at work.
Keep our prayer alert to uphold our dads and mums in our families. They must be strong in the Lord.
Keep our church business people to experience special favour and grace amidst economic challenges.

I heard testimonies of our business people who had taken my message of the kingdom to heart. Today, despite many in business hardships, they experience business upturn. This is like Isaac who planted in the time of famine and reaped a hundred-fold harvest. Only God can do things like that. In a particular testimony, that brother says he knew his business is for God and His kingdom purposes. His business volume is so high he has to turn down some. He cannot cope. This is kingdom business!!!

NLRC, don’t forget! The Lord has revealed to us about His kingdom, about your kingdom family, and now about building spiritually strong dads to lead your family. You pray for him, and he will rise up!

My sincere blessings over all of you!
Pastor Jeremiah Yap

Special Issue – 19 March 2020

March 19, 2020

Issue dated 19 March 2020

Dear New Lifers,

Everyday Covid-19 is on the news. The Yang Di-Pertuan Agung has decreed that the restriction in movements be observed by everyone, not only church people. In this letter, I am urging our folks in NLRC churches to make use of this time of restriction of movement to build your family spiritually.

This virus will pass. If we do not use this time to build ourselves and our family we’ve wasted this opportunity. We think we can go back to our former lifestyle. But this world is not going to be the same again. There are changes due to the pandemic. Economics, border security, daily buying and selling, travels & global controls, they have all moved from the status quo; just like 9-11.

With COVID-19 the world is shaken. The Stock Exchange, norms of life, money values, and religious practices, they are all shaken. Hebrews 12:26-29 says that only God’s kingdom cannot be shaken. The kingdom of God is invisible but it is in the realm of light and life and it’s an immovable kingdom. We must train our family to be strong in the Lord in the face of adversity. I urge all leaders and Pastors of NLRC to work together on building our people in faith in the Lord Jesus as an unshakeable force in this hour and hereon. It is a time of concerted unity, inter-dependent as the Body of Christ because this invisible battle is won by the power of faith and prayer in the invisible yet superior kingdom of God. Heed what experts are saying about prevention and what if COVID-19 happens around you. However, step up to a higher spiritual gear of prayer power. Turn up the Spirit’s heat to burn the enemy. (I heard heat destroys the virus).

Not having church service is something we have to face – for at least two weeks. But in this time we can turn up the heat of our family prayer altar. Parents gather your children and pray. Pray at least Psalm 91 over your family, church families, pastors and leaders, school friends, nurses, doctors, the nation, and whoever the Holy Spirit may impress upon you to pray. It may save someone’s life.

I saw the role of parents in spiritual nurture of the family and called it “Kingdom Family”. To my joy I later found out that John Wesley and Charles Spurgeon had spoken of the same thing. A friend said this morning that my book published in 2016 is prophetic. I think so but only out of instinct. I had said that the shape of the church may change in the years to come. Today, we have no choice but re-think church. Spurgeon called the family a “little church”. The Catholics in Vatican II in 1962-65 described family as ‘domestic church’. These people saw God’s heart on what really mattered. It is spiritually strong families that defeat the invisible enemy in this world. We can use this opportunity to start this family movement of powerful praying families that are strong in biblical awareness. In short, let us have family prayer altar and Bible reading with faith declarations.

Pastor Ron has written a sample “home church service”. I believe this template is useful for all. Use it for a start. You may creatively land on something that suits your family best. Note these elements: a time of worship, read the Word, prayer, sharing, reflection, testimonies and Holy Communion. Young and old participate in the spiritual activity. There is no star preacher. Dad and mum are facilitators and their legal spiritual authority in itself is good enough for faith to conduct the spiritual activity at home. Do listen to my short sermons on the series “Heaven in your Home”. I believe they will help you.

Love,
Pastor Jeremiah Yap
Group Senior Pastor
New Life Restoration Churches

Special Issue – 13 March 2020

March 13, 2020

Dear beloved Pastors, staff and members of all our New Restoration Centre Churches,

As you are aware the spread of the Corona Virus (COVID-19) has reached pandemic proportions as declared by the World Health Organization. New Life Restoration Centre will not make light of this pandemic and be careless about the spread of COVID-19. Upon hearing from Pastors in our Group, from government sources and other churches, the following are measures that should be heeded by our New Life Congregations:

Personal hygiene is priority for all in private and public places. Public gatherings have greater risks of spreading the virus. The government warns against assembly of over 250 people. There is no magic in any figure. The key is if anyone is not feeling well, or has any concern, stay away from crowds and not be vulnerable. It is a preventive measure.

For NLRC churches, when congregations are smaller and communications among members are easily reached, self-imposed lockdown is not necessary unless needed in your locality. My approach will be to chat with people and find out where they are at. This is good pastoral care. I believe services on this weekend will be running as normal for most if not all our churches. But do be vigilant, watch and pray and see how things develop in the coming week and weeks.

New Lifers, your safety and health should be of high priority. Please act wisely on behalf of yourself and your family. Besides physical care, we should take care of ourselves spiritually. Pray out of faith and not out of fear. Not in presumptuous triumphalism, let us look to Jesus and to our heavenly Father who rules the entire universe. The world is shaken but we are in His kingdom that cannot be shaken.

This is the time for Kingdom Families in action. I had a sense in 2016 that one day public gatherings may be curbed. In my book, I wrote that even if congregations cease to gather, the ecclesia carries on because God’s people are not confined to the church system we experience today. I did not anticipate that this “one day” could be today. If congregations are shut down, families can never be shut down. Families are God’s kingdom vehicles for His heavenly reign on earth. It starts with “Heaven in your Home” as I proclaimed it in January 2020. Mums and Dads please call your children together in your own family altar and pray for one another. Read aloud Psalm 91 for all the family. Pray for the nation, the frontline personnel in health and medical services, and the virus to stop. Read scriptures at home aloud to find faith and defeat fear. Cell Groups are encouraged if congregations are not able to meet. Temporarily, use my YouTube messages on ‘Heaven in your Home’ series to feed the flock and for prayer and reflection. We will all come out of this stronger.

Love,
Pastor Jeremiah Yap
Group Senior Pastor
New Life Restoration Churches

Special Issue – 8 March 2020

March 8, 2020

Dear Members of New Life Churches,

I have been encouraged by the positive response from our churches on our 2020 theme: “Heaven in your Home”.

At a meeting called to meet Kid’s Church leaders I was pleasantly surprised by the large attendance. They were upbeat about this theme. The anticipation is that parents are in the church’s support so that they are blessings to their homes. This in turn makes churches strong and of influence in society. Discipleship of parents and facilitation of dads especially to be of vision and high contribution to the family in spiritual and faith formation is the aim. However, it is recognized that dads who are the key to God’s order to family protection, provision and spiritual strength have yet to be conferred with. It is a necessary next step to consult dads on their challenges and victories so that all may share of strategies to strengthen all dads in our churches. Such consultative efforts will be in the near future. Not only dads, mothers who are tireless in children upbringing should be consulted too.

This theme of “Heaven in your Home” is our quest for the reality of “His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). Let us make our obedience to the Lord’s will (Matthew 6:10) count. It starts with our church families. This is not an annual theme that comes and goes. It is about parents, children and grandchildren being in the experience of the kingdom of heaven on earth, starting at home. I hope we catch the vision, our purpose in God’s kingdom, and our priority of God’s reign. If the Gospel is Good News, let it be Good News to our families and extended families. If God’s reign is important for our nation, let it be so in our homes first of all. When this is so, the devil’s plan to cause harm will be defeated. God’s will and plans to prosper you are going to be in the experience of your family and church. Storms may come and go but the kingdom will not be shaken. Christ will be the Rock of our salvation and the King of heaven reigns in our homes. Make this your priority.

I have been asked as to how to put in practice “Heaven in Your Home” in our daily walk with God. In response, I have put in writing 10 bite-size lessons and video recordings of my teaching for each lesson in order to help our churches to facilitate these lessons among the small groups. This is an effort to equip families in attaining to heaven in your home. This applies to parents, youths and children, only to translate the lessons in language that all may understand in the respective age groups. In case there are families which do not have children or have grown-up children the principles of kingdom of heaven on earth still applies to all. They can be practised and be taught to others as discipleship efforts by everyone as spiritual parents or spiritual older brothers and sisters using these lessons.

Format of Discussion:

1. Go to this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN_uFRbuBZQ for my teaching on each lesson.Average time of teaching is around 12-20 minutes for each lesson. Towards every last 20 seconds of each video, the next and previous videos will pop out, just click on it.
2. After watching the video, please refer to the notes for lesson discussion with some application & reflection questions sent to your Pastor for onward use on 3rd March 2020. Please expect the booklet to be printed at your local church for your use at the small group.

Pray that our church/es will experience “Heaven in Your Home” as we share, discuss and apply these lessons in our daily walk with God.

Blessings,
Pr Jeremiah Yap

Special Edition – March, 2019

March 15, 2019

In February this year, we lost our first pastor in NLRC due to his passing to be with the Lord. A hundred and one things passed my mind. In chatting with my wife Susan, it was felt that I should fly directly to Kuching to visit the family. It puts the idea of the church as Kingdom Family in perspective. NLRC Telagus is named among us as a daughter church and all the Pastors know Pr Patrick Rowley as a fellow pastor in our NLRC group of churches. Pastor Rimon of NLRC Kuching explained to me how he comforted the Telagus church on the first night of the memorial services. On the second night, I heard how an Iban pastor friend (his own wife died only a few months before) comforted the family of the late Pr Patrick Rowley. His message was impacting. It is not easy for the Rowley family especially, and the church at Telagus, when their beloved pastor had passed away.

Pr Patrick Rowley seemed to be prepared. He had given instructions to his family on various personal matters before his passing. One important decision he had informed the family and the church leaders is that his brother Arthur Priestley to be the one appointed to look after the church. Patrick’s wife Taria through daughter Elizabeth informed me of that. Although we do not know Arthur, it is only appropriate that we honour what was told to us as Pastor Patrick Rowley requested. Pr Ron had since been over to the church to pray for Arthur to assume responsibility over NLRC Telagus.

I felt a responsibility to inform the NLRC group of churches of the latest as all had been in prayer for Pr Patrick Rowley when he was ill, and all are aware of his passing.

Although Arthur Priestley has been preaching in the Telagus church, assuming the overseer role like a pastor is new territory to him. I ask that our NLRC churches pray for Arthur and Telagus church.

Elizabeth the daughter of Pr Patrick Rowley told me that her dad had built the home with hospitality for visiting brothers and sisters from NLRC semenanjung in mind. At the burial, Taria also requested Pastors and members from NLRC to keep visiting them. I therefore pass this request from them to all at NLRC to think of them and to visit them as they are in the Kingdom Family of NLRC. This is like the current involvement of all churches in visits to orang asli churches by all NLRC. Only inform Pr Lawrence of your intention prior to your visits.

Blessings,

Jeremiah Yap

Kingdom Family Unlimited

March 14, 2019

In my desire to empower NLRC churches to live in the culture of faith to the maximum belief in our God who does even the impossible, we seem to be set back by what happened to a few people close to us who were hit by serious illnesses. Despite much prayer believing for their recovery, they passed on. To some of us, there was disappointment and to others, we realized we don’t understand everything. Only God knows all things including past, present and what lies ahead of us. We have to yield to the Lord, still trusting Him that He knows best.

In the reality of loss of precious saints among us to illnesses, does it mean we do not pray for thesick? It can’t be. Our experience did not match God’s Word, but it does not mean God’s Word is not true. It is a moment of applying my initial three faith principles that I taught in January.

One, our belief in the Lord is greater than doubt. We see our capacity to be victorious like Job in the Bible. Job had received from God a double portion in the end.

Two, establish a conviction that God is God. We yield to Him with a conviction of faith like the biblical Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. All of them were promoted by God.

Thirdly, let us commit to the Lord, entrust Him with our burden, and carry on with what we have to do in the present. I like to enlarge on these points that lead us to where our ultimate commitment lies.

It might be true the enemy was up to no good and afflicting God’s people. But we must hold strongly to the conviction that Christ had defeated the devil. He may discourage God’s people but we’re never defeated. Christ’s victory at the Cross and Resurrection remains absolute truth. The devil seeks often to intimidate God’s people, but we remain committed to the truth that Jesus had ascended to heaven and is seated with the Father, and we’re also seated with him in our spiritual status. Despite what may happen in the physical and natural, eternal and heavenly realities must pre-occupy our minds so that we may not be purely earth-bound. It is in renewing our minds as such that we will arise in faith to set a faith atmospherefor victory and power of the Holy Spirit. When we arise in this way, our heavenly Father finds faith in us. This is commitment with loyalty, honour, reverence and our faithfulness to the Lord despite our circumstances. No matter what, we trust that God is faithful to us by covenant and He continues to guide and lead us in the yet to be accomplished victories of faith that we will have. There are still mountains to conquer. We will move forward because no matter what, in Christ, we are STILL AHEAD!

I believe things that happen at the beginning of 2019 are paving our faith for victory for the rest of the year. Past lids on our thinking and faith are being lifted. Mental veils that obstruct faith are torn. Let us march on in faith. Do not let our feelings get in the way. Most of all, must not keep our minds on negatives about God and people. Empty negatives so that we accommodate positive thoughts about God. See the good around us, in happenings and in people, because with Jesus in us, we can always say, “It is good, it is good!!!”

Love,

Jeremiah Yap

DUMAI MISSION TRIP

November 15, 2018

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!