By Greg Yee, Superintendent, PacNWC
As you anticipate the glorious celebration of Easter, enjoy this article and video from Superintendent Greg Yee, who greets us from Taipei, along with PacNWC Pastors Andrey Khilchenko, Shaun Higgins, Michael Lee, Ian Cheng, Kurt Notehelfer, and Peter Sung. Greg sends words of encouragement to follow Jesus and expect miracles because God is able. May that same God be present with you today and throughout the month as you celebrate our risen Lord. He is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Miracles always startle me. Unlike explanations of extraordinary events that connect to some natural answer, the supernatural shakes and wakes me up. It’s those dry pathways through the Red Seas that surprises. It’s the moments when God communicates, like through angels appearing to shepherds. It’s when I so desperately want to touch Jesus’ hem. He reminds me again that He feels and knows my desperation and fixes His attention directly on me.
Miracles. The supernatural breaks into our lives all of the time.
When visiting Midway Covenant Church two weeks ago I was startled again when a brother I sat next to at their after-service fellowship lunch told me his story. He had been homeless. He once had deep addictions and was estranged from his family. He said he was in such a bad place physically that one day he went to the church property to literally die. One of the lay pastors was there and prayed prayers of healing over him. I was enthralled as he so joyously shared about God’s power in his life that led to physical healing and restoration of his life and family. I went into the fellowship hall intending to make brief connections and then transition to my next thing. Instead, I was captivated and ended up staying longer than even Pastor Shaun.
Miracles. God wants to show himself despite you thinking it’s impossible.
I’m writing this while in Taipei with five other conference pastors. We sat with Pastor Wayne Cheng from Top Church, Taipei, and he shared how things are in Taiwan related to China. He expressed the sense of urgency the Church feels, that leads them to prepare and train their leaders for at least a six-month disruption of corporate meetings. Even as Chinese military drills are happening right now, while we’re here, over 6000 people have gathered (including leaders from Hindustani Covenant Church!) for four days to pray and worship. During this time, I’ve been struck by how much is sung and spoken about expectations of miracles.
Miracles. Easter is our grand confession that we believe in them.
Conference family, as you continue to walk Lent and enter Holy Week soon, may you be absolutely and shockingly startled. May you not be tempted to move onto the next thing, but linger and soak it in. We celebrate the greatest miracle of all every Resurrection Sunday each year. This year, I pray that you will be captivated anew. I pray that Jesus meets you and continues to show you and your community supernatural things this day and in the days to come.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
