Asia Conference First Opening Night!

City Harvest Church opened its doors this November 19 to almost 20,000 delegates representing 37 countries all over the world for the inaugural Asia Conference with the theme Touching Asia, Transforming the World at the Singapore  Expo. 

With an exciting line-up of electives, speakers and powerful praise and worship this much awaited conference is the event for Christian churches all over Asia for 2008. On the first night of the Asia Conference, both Singapore Halls 8 and 10 were fully packed with people hungry for a mighty move of God and revelation. The CHC band led the people to a wonderful time of  praise and worship into the presence of God. Conference delegates were then given a spectacular display of the Ministry Parade, a showcase of all the ministries in City Harvest Church. This included the Drama Ministry, JAMS Church, Children’s Church, Usher Ministry, Chinese Church and Dialect Church, and the Marketplace Ministry. Aside from the colorful floats, each ministry performed a short skit, or a song or a dance item to the delight of the audience. The Marketplace Ministry also introduced their members who have gained awards for emerging as the top movers and shakers in their industry.  

Pastor Kong in his message, urged church leaders and lay members that it’s time to step out of the First Space – the Church to impact the Second Space known as the Marketplace. Jesus has sent us to be the salt of the earth to prevent decay, as light of the world to shine brightest in the darkness and as sheep among wolves in the Marketplace. It’s in the Marketplace, the areas of Business, Education, Government, Mass Media, Arts and Entertainment that we spend the majority of our time in. We must not be afraid to engage the Marketplace and through upward mobility enter into the realm of the Third Space, the place where we as Christians earn the right to be heard.  Through this sermon, Pastor Kong casted the vision and the purpose of the Asia Conference – that churches in Asia will not be limited by old mindsets and traditional thinking but obey the voice of God which is the definition of true holiness.  

During the offering message, Pastor Kong showed a video of the various community work and humanitarian relief efforts that City Harvest Church has been involved with both locally and overseas. Many were moved by the plight Pastor Kong challenged the people to rise up and give unseflishly to the less fortunate and needy even if the world is in the middle of an economic recession.

The first night of the Asia Conference was truly a momentous night not just for City Harvest Church but for all churches represented by the foreign delegates. The Asia Conference marks the new beginning of the churches in Asia to rise up and move from the four corners of the Church to the transform the World.