Category: NPC

By Greg Yee, Superintendent, PacNWC

Have you ever experienced a miracle? Have you ever unmistakably heard God’s voice or seen some other kind of supernatural manifestation?  I have.  And we currently are reading and watching reports of thousands of college students that have as well, at Asbury University.   

Tens-of-thousands of pilgrims descended on the normally 1,700-student Asbury University in the small town of Wilmore, KY. They wanted to be part of what became an 18-day revival/awakening/outpouring that spread to many other campuses and online.  It started with a normal morning chapel ending with a small group of students that remained.  One convicted student decided to confess his sins to the group and this led to ongoing prayer and musical worship.  It became a spark that set the campus on fire and opened the eyes and hearts of millions globally.  Testimonies of healings and miracles were reported.  

We are no strangers to these amazing movements of God.  In our own ECC history, we can look at First Covenant Seattle, remember Rev. Erik August Skogsbergh, and the revivals that occurred in the early 20th Century.  In February 1950, a revival similar to Asbury broke out at Wheaton College.  That day, our very own Rev. Edwin Johnson (again Seattle First!), was supposed to be the scheduled speaker.  He said to those there, “We’ve seen a probing of the heart today such as we’ve never seen before.”  When I first was called to the PacNWC, I remember reading conference minutes of exciting reports that came back to our own regional annual meeting encouraging people to pay attention to what was going on in Wheaton.  

I have been reflecting back to when I was just finishing seminary in Chicago in 1995. At that time another awakening hit Wheaton College.  I was serving a Chinese church and we had a couple of Wheaton students that attended.  I remember hearing their amazing experiences of repentance, prayer, and corporate worship.  It felt so unfamiliar to me.  I wonder why I wasn’t moved to just get in the car and make the less than 30-minute drive to be on campus.  

Am I like the crowds by the Sea of Galilee or on the hillside that made their way to just get a glimpse of him?  They heard of miracles and an awakening and they dropped everything to get a touch.  A touch of the hem of his robe.  A glance from a sycamore tree.  Children wanted a front-row seat.  How eager am I to see Jesus?  

With 17, 22, and 27-year-old children of my own, seeing young people catch fire about their faith and give their whole selves to God is always inspirational.  Watching them worship with reckless abandon ushers me into worship myself.  

But most often revival is not an 18-day-long outpouring.  It doesn’t usually go viral or draw people from all over the country.  It most often happens in more common places and ways.

I see it here when I’m with Iglesia Latinoamericana and their pastoral staff and worship team cry out to God, praying in one voice over the room, walking through each pew, and literally sanctifying Highland Covenant Church’s sanctuary for worship every Sunday.  

I see it when I’m at Radiant and folks are called to a decision and come forward, kneel, and pray.  I see it at Newport during communion as their prayer ministers lay hands on and intercede for people or at City of Rain when people are invited to come forward for prayer.  I hear it in reports from our chaplains when they describe life-changing bedside conversations.    

I see it at Seattle Chinese Cov during their healing prayer services and as they are planning a city-wide outreach to the Chinese community in the fall.  I see it from the four corners of the conference when pictures are sent in of people being baptized and finding the joy of new life in Christ.  

In all of these situations, I am left wanting more.  I don’t want it to end.  I want to remain at His feet.  

I pray that what poured out at Asbury University is not foreign to you.  I pray for revival/awakening/outpouring upon us.  I pray that as you walk through Lent that Jesus becomes more real than ever before and it leads you to “get in the car” and see it for yourself, to give him everything, to seek him and linger… At the very least, Asbury gives us the gift of reflecting and checking our spiritual pulse; our relationship with Jesus.  

Revivals have always started with repentance, prayer, and worship: individually, corporately, or throughout a college or a city.  I’m praying for revival today.  And as my colleague, Superintendent Catherine Gilliard, states as part of her email signature “In anticipation of miracles.” Indeed.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

 

By Greg Yee, Superintendent, PacNWC

It’s Friday afternoon and I’m just leaving Midwinter Conference, waiting for my flight back to SEA.  As I walked through Terminal C here at JAX it felt like an after-party, as I ran into so many Covenanters also heading home.  It was good to get last-minute conversations in and to bless colleagues as they made their way home.

As I asked everybody how their week was, I frequently heard from people that they felt a palpable feeling of hope. Folks also reported they felt free in worship and inspired by the fellowship and teaching all week.  Colleagues noted how refreshing it was to be physically together. We are definitely working out those atrophied connectional muscles, as regular annual rhythms re-establish.  But what stands out to me was the hope. I felt it.  Certainly, being in 80-degree weather and on the St. John’s River contributed. I did not see the dolphins or manatees but several did! 

To be clear, there wasn’t an absence of issues.  There were certainly heavy things to carry and tension to hold.  But I’m struck by the prevailing hope above it all. 

We know the enemy uses discouragement to hold us down and divide us.  We know that our human brokenness allows discouragement to make us act in ways that do not reflect the fruit of the Spirit. We also know that with the state of our polarized society, there is already constant fuel being thrown on fires of discouragement.

The disease of discouragement can be devastating.  The weight upon our souls can drag us down.  Our walk through life becomes exhausting and threatens to reduce us to a crawl.  Discouragement can overwhelm and, when extreme, lead to a failure to thrive; death. 

As Paul thoroughly unpacks the pillar of love to the church in Corinth, he also sneaks in two others.  Sandwiched between love and faith, he says that hope endures through everything; it is everlasting. That’s why he brings it up with the church in Rome like this: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

God is the God of Hope.  He gives us his Spirit so we could be overflowing with high-octane hope.  That is why we labor and strive because we have put our hope in the living God. (1 Timothy 4:10a).  It all reminds me that no matter what, hope must rise. 

Hope sightings from last week:

I sat with a colleague from a village in Western Alaska.  He shared about the shockingly high number of suicides this year, especially among youth.  It was heartbreaking.  He also shared about Typhoon Merbok and the widespread damage to personal and church property.  Through the heaviness, he communicated his deep sense of call and commitment.  He shared the good and what brings him joy.  His passion to serve was humbling.  His faith was inspiring.  It was a gut check for me.  I felt like I had just been on holy ground.  I left my time with him with a feeling of enduring hope. 

On the last night, there was a late-night reception in President Tammy’s suite with the four ethnic associations, executive ministers, and superintendents.  Toward the end of our time, we were introduced to a leader from the Vineyard Church denomination.  He told us that the Vineyard is beginning to explore and address issues around ethnic diversity.  He spoke glowingly about his experience at Midwinter and the wisdom and guidance he was receiving from so many of our leaders.  He spoke of not just who was present at Midwinter, but also how we interacted.  As I listened, my heart exploded with gratitude.  If you walked around our hotel last week, I am certain you have been encouraged.  Our growing beautiful mosaic gives me hope.

We had a noticeably larger contingent from our conference present at Midwinter.  Being together was encouraging and watching so many connections happening was fun.  I felt very proud of our ministers.  Chaplain Ken Morse was elected to lead the Chaplains Association.  We honored Rev. Stephanie Mathis for her service with the Covenant Asian Pastors Association as VP.  All six of our ordinands “passed” their finalization interviews (Scott Burnett/Newport, Rachel Gough/Monroe, Shaun Higgins/Midway, Leslie McCauley/Immanuel, Kristi Smith/Milwaukie, Sharad Yadav/First PDX)!  We had many serving on boards and commissions and helping lead different gatherings.  And of course, I’m ever proud of the conference staff as they brought leadership to their areas of specialty to the wider Covenant.  Being together reminds me to continue to hope. 

Challenges remain. There are weighty, unanswered questions. But as I return from Midwinter, I’m confronted by hope’s endurance.  I continue to thank the Lord for our faith family and all who God gives us as we walk together.  Keep hoping Mission Friends.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength

he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Ephesians 1:18-21