Pastoral Letters

Building the Lives of the Next Generation

January 15, 2017 Author:Elder Liu Kerh Li
In the recent Watch Night Service, many young people went up to the pulpit to share thanksgiving items.  From their sharings, you can know a little more about the thoughts of children.  The needs of children may seem to be of no cause for concern.  The fact is that they have their own concerns and worries: examinations, studies, health, selection of the next school, family concerns, friends, parents, etc.  These matters may be of negligible concerns for adults.  For the children who are growing up, however, these matters are, relatively speaking, enough to create an impact in their lives.  Their sharings during the Watch Night Service brought much encouragement.  These sharing were short and simple, and yet testify to a faith that is growing, and demonstrate their gratitude to, trust in, and experience of God. Their studies were challenging; their lives met with problems; not everything went well for them.  Notwithstanding, these children learned to give thanks.  Some in the YPF also specially thanked God for good spiritual growth.  Thank the Lord that children could, from young, learn to experience the Lord.

Paul said: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow” (1 Cor 3:6).  The spiritual lives of children were God’s own work.  Our role is to plant, water, and co-labour with God in children’s growth.  In 2010, when the church started the YPF, we began with such a mindset.  We started with about 10 children.  The oldest was but only 6 years old.  Hence, the bi-weekly meeting was planned and led by adults.  For a small church whose resources were limited, this, no doubt, was a huge investment.  Today, these children have grown up.  Their fellowship over the years with one another have built up very close relationships so that they could encourage each other.  In the YPF mentors would provide guidance so that they could organise activities and serve together.  During fellowship meetings, various topics were addressed.  This helps children who live in a world where moral values are not emphasised to stand fast on biblical principles.  In this way their faith in God will enable them to walk steadfastly and safely in the way ahead.  “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance” (Psa 33:12).  These children could, from young, know God and follow the Lord steadfastly.  This is their greatest blessing!

This year, these YPFers will be promoted to Youth Fellowship.  Two of them have been enlisted for National Service.  Several are already or are about to be enrolled in higher institutions of education.  They will face various challenges.  Please pray for them, and that YF would be a place where they could find spiritual support!  Pray that the mentors would continue to have wisdom and a vibrant spiritual life to guide them. 

Having begun the Youth Fellowship, we shall soon begin a fellowship for another group of youths.  This will allow the primary sixes and those in the lower secondary school levels to fellowship.  We hope to help this group of children to have regular fellowship in order that they may have good Christian friends and build up one another.  The new YPF would basically use the model of the earlier YPF.  Presently, we have three mentors to lead these youths.  These mentors are parents of some of the new YPFers.  The youths of the present YF would also sometimes drop by to help.  If you have children who fall in the age group of 12-15 years, we hope you would urge your children to attend the YPF. This may require you to make some sacrifices, re-arrange your tuition and family times, and put as a priority the YPF.  If you can, we welcome you to come forward to assist in the YPF. 

As parents, we hope our children would be protected by God’s Word, and walk in ways that are blessed.  For children, however, to be blessed, they need first a vibrant spiritual life.  The YPF is a most important avenue for building the spiritual life of children.  It is a very important and worthy investment.  We have scheduled 14/1 to hold the first meeting.  If your child has yet to join in, do not miss the coming meeting!