Chairman's Message

Dear Elders, Deacons and Ministry Leaders,

Greetings in Christ’s precious and majestic name! The time has arrived for our Assembly young leaders to meet again.  The Church of Jesus Christ is currently in an era where there is so much pain and problems, suffering and sorrow.  The world is looking for answers and we, as Christ’s ambassadors, are to point them to Jesus; He alone is their answer, and in Him are their solution, significance and hope.  Are our younger generation prepared for the challenges that are confronting us? And to give an answer to the world of the hope that we have in Christ?

Our churches had been plodding on to be salt and light in this fallen world. We are thankful for the many dedicated servants in our Assemblies who had been serving faithfully and sacrificially to evangelize sinners and to edify saints. For many of us the time has come for us to pass on the baton to the younger generation.  Will these young men and women follow our footsteps as we had follow Christ’s? Will our young generation rise up to continue the work to fulfill the Great Commission and to advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ?

We hope that God will use the Assembly Young Leaders’ Consultation 2015 to convict and challenge our young people to do the work and complete the will of God before the imminent return of our Lord.  Leadership succession is needed and vital for all of our Assemblies. This subject had always been broached, but we also need to proactively plan and subsequently implement all that are necessary to have a smooth transition of church and ministry leadership. Before it is too late. Do not let this need become a crisis.

Our Christian life and ministry is often described as “a marathon, not a sprint.”  Allow me to share with you what my fellow Elder shared with me about Leadership Transition:

• When it comes to leadership transitions, think relay race. Consider this parallel – The baton being passed from one “runner” to another:  the empowerment to lead a church or organization. The runner holding the baton approaches the new runner at full speed, meaning the new runner must quickly accelerate at just the right time. The baton pass must happen within a designated exchange zone, the runner must not hand it off too early, nor hold onto to it too long.  For a successful exchange to take place the runner with the baton must exercise great care to hand off his baton to the next runner. Every runner is accountable for the transition, both to God and to the flock under his care.

Will there be new runners waiting to take over our baton? Are they ready to carry on the relay? Are they prepared to finish the course?  The theme for our Assembly Young Leaders’ Consultation 2015 is Lead to Serve. We need future leaders who will sacrificially carry their cross and set the example as servants of our Lord Jesus. Let us avoid having leaders who covet a position or a title but cannot, and do not, function in their roles and responsibilities. This kind is not only detrimental to our Assemblies but could also destroy what had been built over the years. ‘Feet washing’ servant-leaders are short in supply.  We pray and trust that God will use this event to awaken our younger generation to rise up to take over our baton when the time comes.

We hope that you will help us to help you, by sending your young hopefuls to this Consultation.  Among other electives they will learn more about their obedience to God’s calling, the necessity of submission to authority, their inner life that will affect their character and credibility. They need to be positioned for transition.  Looking forward to having them with us.  

In His grip & grace,

Steven Low

Organizing Chairman