Pastor’s Annual Report 2019-20
Hebrews 10:35-39 - 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; 38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
As the challenges of Covid19 began to interrupt our lives in the first quarter of 2020, the International Congregation had, in the providence of God, recently commenced a series on the book of Hebrews. Hebrews (for those unfamiliar with it) was written by a Christian leader to a group of believers, encouraging and exhorting them to endure in the faith while they underwent prolonged suffering. His message to those believers focused in on three main truths: the sufficiency of Christ and His work (especially his priestly ministry and sacrifice), the reward for those who patiently endured, and warnings regarding the consequences of falling away. These three truths are very much applicable to us today and, I think, necessary in our time of drawn out difficulty. May God help us to wait patiently in faith, knowing our reward is great, the outcome of falling away tragic, and that Christ is sufficient for all our needs, both now and for all eternity.
In terms of IC ministries for 2020, I would like to thank all those who have given up their time and energies to help our ministries to function as well as they have throughout this year. I would strongly encourage everyone to take time to thank those who have made possible each of our ministries: our Sunday services (both online and in-person), bible study groups, children’s ministry, TBT, the work of the deacons etc. Much of what goes into making these ministries possible is unseen by us, yet our Lord God sees it, and we, as a church, are the beneficiaries. Thanks be to God for all of you brothers and sisters!
As we head into Christmas 2020 and the new year, I would encourage everyone to humbly ask God to strengthen them by His Spirit to be faithful in everything they do and to have as their main priority, “hallowed be Your name”. God has not called us to greatness in the world’s eyes, nor to spend our days worried about what may or may not happen in the future, but to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and to love those around us. This is how we ‘hallow’ His name and show that we trust Him. Whatever happens in the coming year, may we be found faithfully serving our faithful and loving God.
Hebrews 13:20-21 - Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
