2023-01-15 CBC Family Training

CBC Family Training
My Church, My Home
By Rev. Albert Lam

We often hear people say, “You only know how to cherish something when you’ve lost it.” The past three years with the pandemic have affected not only our lives, but also our church life. At the start of the pandemic, due to restrictions on gatherings, everyone stayed at home and there were fewer chances for in-person meetings. Gatherings like worship had to be moved online. For quite a while, we went to church on Fridays to record Sunday messages. The worship hall was wide open but empty except for a few tech supports. When I recorded, I had to motivate myself to continue by imagining the empty seats full of people and forcing myself to think that the congregation would be responsive to my message. Although brothers and sisters could sit through sermons and worship in front of their screens, it can never fully equate to our experience when we stand next to one another. We couldn’t connect with one another after video recordings. It was a loss. It was then that we started to fully understand and cherish the gathering of our church family. Indeed, we only know how to cherish something after losing it.

Although the pandemic is nearly over, we still haven’t seen many brothers and sisters return. In all our congregations – and we have many – we only see Sunday attendance at 50-70% of pre-pandemic attendance on average. There are certainly issues preventing some from returning, like health, aging, or transportation. However, other brothers and sisters don’t experience the formerly mentioned issues; instead, they are still afraid of being infected and think that coming to church, being in the congregation, will automatically get them a positive COVID test. This has restrained them from church. There are others who have become accustomed to worshiping at home, enjoying the convenience – they don’t have to change clothes or drive a car, and they can even worship while cooking. They are restrained by these conveniences. Some others felt freed by the pandemic – they only need to show up online every Sunday for worship with no limits or obligations. Staying online, they think, “I know what church events there are, but the church doesn’t know what I’m up to. If I feel like it, I’ll show up or not. I’m free to go or not, no strings attached.” This type of Christian life seems to come with boundless freedom.

But is that the purpose of God’s church? Is it just so that Christians have a regular place to get together? Is it just so that we have a place to listen to Sunday messages? Is it so that the youth have a place for Bible studies and socializing? The same questions apply to a family – what’s the purpose of having a family? Is it just so that we have a place to reside with parents and siblings? Is it just so that we have a place to eat, sleep, watch TV, and take showers? In fact, the family is a channel of God’s grace through which we receive love, stimulating the seed of love in our life to sprout and grow. This is the same with God’s family. After God’s love is poured in us, we let the love flow out of us and fill every corner of this spiritual family so that everyone in the family can feel that they are loved. Love is like the morning dew. It nourishes lives and everything grows out of it. Every one of us has been cared, led, and brought up in God’s family. Those who love God are God’s angels – God’s vessels. He uses them to complete us, and then it is our turn to return this love. Then let us become love like living water. Wherever living water flows, there will be life and growth.

My spiritual mentor Pastor Timothy Lin once said, “A true lover of God will absolutely love God’s family. Loving God’s family is the outward manifestation of love for God.” From a broad perspective, God’s family is the universal church, but more restrictively, God’s home is your local church. What does God’s family mean to you? God’s family is where you were reborn. Or, if you moved from another city, you needed to look for a church that fit your needs and, after seeking and praying, confirm that a particular church was where you wanted to participate in worship and service. That church is your home. If the church asked for you to transfer your membership, you would as a gesture of commitment. If the church needed someone to help in certain ministries, you wouldn’t ask why someone else didn’t do it, but join the team out of love for God. What you do is for the Lord. Just like how Mary continued to quietly and loyally use expensive perfume on the Lord despite what others said, we also should share the burden of family responsibilities and build up a functioning family with love.

The church is also a family of young and old. Chinese families attach great importance to family ethics; fathers are kind, sons are filial, and brothers are respectful. These served as the cornerstone of building a harmonious and happy family in Chinese culture. Paul also repeatedly tells the children of God to pay attention to this aspect of our conduct in 1 Timothy. Disciples should learn to obey their church elders – those who toil and preach, and the brothers and sisters who are spiritually ahead. In an individualistic and democratic age, this spiritual virtue has gradually been lost. We should think twice about it. We should also think about how we view and train our next generation, what we often call American Born Chinese. Over the years, we have sadly watched our children grow up and, one by one, leave their Chinese churches. Of course, there are some Chinese churches that do a good job in their English and youth ministry, but I dare say that most Chinese churches have suffered a “spiritual hemorrhage.” We are gradually losing our next generation and we must face this problem seriously instead of pretending that it is invisible. The first thing I think should be done is that pastors and elders should deliberately promote spiritual “teacher and friend” mentorship relationships and create more opportunities for the old, middle-aged, and young to worship and serve together as coworkers so that they know each other and communicate with one another more often. 

Although God’s family is certainly not perfect, I still love it because it is God’s family. God has used the people in this family, the things this family has done, and the road this family has travelled to bless my life and my family. I love my church, my family! ◆

CBC Discipleship Training, Full of Grace
By Pastor Rose Gong, Main Campus Mandarin Congregation Assistant Pastor

We are thankful for God’s guidance to the CBC family on the Happiness Group Ministry in 2019. This ministry was not only a platform for the gospel, but also an interlocking pastoring system of “giving birth, bringing up, and cultivating.” Cultivation happened through the discipleship guided by preaching and pastoring. In the beginning, 2019-2020, it was called Happiness Group Discipleship Training, and in 2021 it was officially renamed to CBC Discipleship Training. 

CBC Discipleship Training is rooted in the combination of teaching truth and on-site gospel practice with Happiness Groups. We envisioned this way of spiritual growth to reach a stage of “layers of pastoral care, knowing and doing, passed down generations without ending.” Looking back on the past four years, the discipleship training program has truly flourished from God’s abundant grace.

1. Thanks to God’s guidance on writing and revising the material.

The material of the CBC Discipleship Training is divided into four phases, which cover the four phases of a Christian’s spiritual growth. They are CBC Discipleship Training I: Foundation of the Truth; CBC Discipleship Training II: Renewal of Concept; CBC Discipleship Training III: Life Service; and CBC Discipleship Training IV: Servant Leader. Each phase includes corresponding devotions and must-read books.

This material has both traditional and simplified Chinese versions, and teacher’s and student’s versions. It was spearheaded by Pastor Lam, its editorial direction formulated by the pastoral team, and guided by Pastor Wanda who led the Happiness Group Ministry across congregations. It had a team of over ten core coworkers and pastors from seven congregations. It underwent four years of unwavering commitment in writing, revising, and editing.

When the first Happiness Group started in 2019, the CBC version of the Happiness Group Discipleship Training material had already been synchronized. The goal was to custom-make it to be more suitable for North America, especially for the CBC Happiness Babies. Based on the BESTs’ (seekers) understanding and the church’s teaching, with reference to the Taiwanese version of “Happiness Group Discipleship Training” and their relevant materials, our editorial team completed the Happiness Group Discipleship Training I-IV in 2019-2020.

Each volume completed was immediately put into use in each congregation. All four volumes were put into practice for one round before the editorial team made corresponding changes to the original based on feedback from pastors, teachers, and students. Then in 2021-2022, the revision was completed. The title of the material was also changed from “Happiness Group Discipleship Training” to “CBC Discipleship Training.” We faced many difficulties with writing and editing, but the pastors and coworkers were united under prayer, seeking God’s guidance.

We are thankful to God for His provision of pastors and coworkers in many areas: writing, revising, cover design, editing, typesetting, proofreading, publishing, must-read book purchasing, material and books distribution, completion of program certificate design, etc. Everyone worked together with a joyful heart.

2. Thanks to God that He touches, provides, revives, and prepares the teachers and small group leaders.

In the very beginning, we were short of teachers. Many pastors started doing discipleship in each congregation. Many Sunday School teachers also took on this responsibility. In discipleship training classes, God prepared some new Happiness Babies and equipped leaders and small group leaders. Small group leaders cared for the members, helped them make up lessons, and led the group sharing and prayers. They also led the icebreakers (games), worship, and sharing. Some small groups continued to meet even after the Happiness Groups ended. Some discipleship teams continued through IV. Some Happiness Babies naturally joined the small group leaders and started serving.

Some small group leaders were invited to become teaching assistants and then new teachers. Thus, teachers pastored teaching assistants, and the “layers of pastoral care” gradually came to its fruition.

For the first time in July 2022, CBC Discipleship Training I-IV, all four classes started at the same time. Praise God!

3. Praise God that the material becomes the food to feed, cultivate, and build up the “Happiness Babies.”

Through the discipleship training, some Happiness Babies have built the habit of daily devotions. Some have experienced God’s faithfulness through prayers. The spiritual life grows from Discipleship Trainings I through IV. Their relationship with families and others also has changed. They have become coworkers and leaders in Happiness Groups. They have also joined by serving in the welcome team, as ushers, in food preparation, on the piano, in fellowship, etc.

4. Praise to God that there have been three graduations since 2019.

After the first Happiness Group, the second went through Discipleship Training I-IV in two years of continuous study and practice, totaling 45 members from West, Temecula, North, Central, and Main campus. They finally graduated on April 25, 2021. 41 of them served in the Happiness Group Ministry. So far, we have had three graduations! Glory to God!

The ministry of CBC Discipleship Training has an abundance of God’s grace. CBC is our spiritual family. The theme for 2023 is My Church, My Home. This CBC Discipleship Training is the final product of many pastors and coworkers welding CBC’s spiritual concept and core values. It’s not only good for Happiness babies, but also helpful to every brother and sister. I wish everyone in our spiritual family can learn and grow through CBC Discipleship Training.◆

The Abundant Grace in CBC Discipleship Training
By Pastor William Fu, North Campus Resident Pastor

Praise to God! In December 2022, the revision of “Discipleship Training IV: Servant Leader” was finally complete, as planned. It has taken four years for the material for Discipleship Training I-IV to come about, including its writing, reviewing, revising, editing, cover designing, typesetting, proofreading, printing, and coordinating. From the original 2019 “Happiness Group Discipleship Training,” officially renamed in 2021 to “CBC Discipleship Training,” the coworkers involved have gone through highs and lows just like the experience the poet in Psalm 65:11 describes: “You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.” In fact, the formation of “CBC Discipleship Training” exudes the seven characteristics that God has bestowed on CBC: it is visionary, team-oriented, targeted, coherent, innovative, practical, and kingdom minded.

Regarding vision, we can look back to 2019 when CBC was called upon by the grace of God and started the ministry of the Gospel through Happiness Groups. It focused on creating an interlocking ministerial system, “giving birth, bringing up, and cultivating.” Pastor Lam spearheaded the pastoral team and established the core vision of discipleship training – “foundation of truth,” “renewal of concept,” “life service,” and “servant leader.” This sets out a gradual spiritual growth of the members and ministries.

For teamwork, it was initially Pastor Wanda who called across seven congregations to form the editorial team of pastoral representatives and recommended brothers and sisters. This team-oriented aspect of CBC Discipleship Training was handed over to Pastor Rose at Main Campus. Looking back, Pastor Rose always came to my office with a humble heart to discuss her thoughts and methodology, and her love for the brothers and sisters on the team was overflowing. The coworkers have now held endless meetings in person or online, striving to make the best content.

As to being targeted, CBC Discipleship Training is not only fit for the Happiness Baby who has just committed to Jesus, but it is also of great help to brothers and sisters who have been in Christ for many years. It includes a reconstruction of a relationship with God through devotional commitment, knowing how to reconcile the blessings from the spirit with individual personalities, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance on one’s spiritual journey.

For coherence, each team member not only knows well about their own assigned part, but also have a good comprehension on other’s parts. They even sometimes need to echo around for something mentioned beforehand or in the later chapters. I recall the common ground the team members reached was that to move the lesson 9 “The Practice of Servant Leader” in “CBC Happiness Training IV” to Lesson 5 in CBC Discipleship Training IV”, thus, to make a good foundation for practice, for example, serving as a leader, confronting conflict, overcome discouragement, word of encouragement, etc.

As for innovation, our team members needed to synthesize material. For each phase of the discipleship training, there is a designated book; in the “servant leader” section, we selected the book “The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader.” It’s a concise and practical book whose author is well-known in the field of Christian education. Because it was written for the general public, he kept the truth but didn’t cite any verses, and our team members supplemented this by concurrently using the story of Joseph in Genesis.

For practicality, after the completion of the discipleship training, brothers and sisters can join the happiness groups, small families, small groups, fellowships, and church to serve in different ministries. They could even become the future leaders in those groups.

In terms of God’s kingdom, if God delights, this “CBC Discipleship Training” can be published in the near future and become the material for Chinese Churches in North America.

All in all, the completion of the material for “CBC Discipleship Training” was an abundant blessing from God onto CBC. We need to “walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2) ◆

My Reflections on the Discipleship Training
By Vickie Lee, Main Campus

When I first taught the CBC Discipleship Training, I was still at the 4S Campus. That was the very first training session of its kind in CBCSD’s history and it was called “Happiness Discipleship Training.” Five of us were teaching; all of them except for me were group leaders of various Happiness Groups. We had a shortage of teachers at the 4S campus at the time and I was the only Sunday School teacher. The Happiness Group leaders had felt compelled to get out of their comfort zone and teach out of the sheer love they felt for God and their obligation to fulfil God’s great mission. Both Sunday School and the Discipleship Training program became integral to the Disciple Development Ministry.

I had mixed emotions when I first received the teaching material. The beautiful prints and systematized rich content customized for CBCSD’s needs made me happy, and I was pleasantly surprised by the different student and teacher versions, with the latter including step-by-step teaching guides, ice-breakers, worship songs, and discussion topics. My excitement was curbed by anxieties as I tried to fathom the depths of this uncharted territory. I was teaching it for the first time – there was no example to follow. How should I approach it? What was the most effective way for BESTs to learn this content? How could I help BESTs achieve their training goals and encourage them to commit to 12 weekly lessons? It turned out I wasn’t the only one losing sleep over this. The other four teachers were trying to figure out the same things. After some discussion, we decided to get help from Main Campus and observe how they taught…. Such was the genesis of our hands-on teaching experience in CBCSD’s first Discipleship Training session. Just like someone crossing a river for the first time by feeling the stones on the way, we completed our own learning curve as we delivered lessons one at a time.

Three years have passed since. As I reflect upon my service for the Discipleship Training program, three words come to mind: love, relationship, and shepherding. The Discipleship Training is an extension of the Happiness Group; therefore, its focus is different than that of Sunday School despite the same truth-centered teaching foundation. Discipleship Training caters toward individual needs and relationship-building. The students are the center of attention and the lessons are designed with the students’ positive physical and emotional experience in mind. Content is taught interactively, using “baby” language to convey universal truth. Development and shepherding happen at each level of interaction including students, group leaders, and teachers. The students are taught not only the knowledge of truth, but also how to put knowledge to practice to develop maturity, capability, and excellent character. Students took turns leading worship songs and icebreakers. They were encouraged to walk the talk by serving others and sharing their experiences and what they learned, either from devotions or each other. The goal of Discipleship Training is to help the students become ready to share the Gospel, fight in the front lines of spiritual warfare, and be practitioners of the knowledge they’ve acquired in their head.

Discipleship Training is still a rather new program, but we’ve already witnessed the growth and transformation of our Happiness Babies. I am so thankful that God has made our hard work so fruitful and I pray that more brothers and sisters will join this program, feeling the stones in the river one step and lesson at a time until we cross it to bear abundant fruits from this blessed and blessing-giving land.◆

CBC Discipleship Training – From Students to Teachers
By Lyndell Hwang and Lucy Chu, Main Campus

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) We sat and recited Bible verses in unison in classroom 301 as a part of the Discipleship Training requirements. The recitation and memorization of Bible verses helped new believers realize how God’s words can become the powerhouse of our lives and bring strength and comfort to us when we most need it. It was so fun to simultaneously try and memorize the same verses, sometimes even forgetting the same words coincidentally. We made so many sweet and impactful memories together.

Our church kicked off the first Discipleship Training session in July 2019. A few veteran believer sisters, including myself, decided to participate in Discipleship Training I to not only provide companionship to new believers like Fenfen and Helen, but also to learn how to become a disciple after God’s heart. We were divided into groups. My group included Winnie, Theresa, Lucy, and Lyndell, and two Happiness Babies: Fenfen and Helen. Our teacher and mentor was Pastor Rose, who taught most of the lessons in Discipleship Training I-IV. Discipleship Training I focused on building up our foundation of truth; the curriculum included devotions, prayer, memorizing verses, worship songs similar to what was done in Happiness Groups, and leading ice-breaker games. As a team, we learned to serve, accept, and forgive. In that process, we also learned much more about each other. Pastor Rose required us to turn in our daily devotions, and I will never forget how she reviewed and provided encouraging feedback for each and every one of us. Being exposed so early to the habit of keeping a daily devotional journal was so helpful and such a blessing for the new believers, especially as some of us veterans didn’t have that habit.

At the start of Discipleship Training II, our group shrank to four participants. Once a week on a weekday night, we would all go on Line to memorize verses, share what we learned in class, check in with each other, pray for each other’s needs, and most importantly, prepare the deliverables for the next class. We developed a deeper connection through this and were able to walk hand-in-hand, supporting each other’s pursuit of spiritual growth. Together, we completed Discipleship Training III and IV and became the first graduates of the program.

After graduating, we became teaching assistants for Discipleship Training II and learned how to train new Happiness Babies. Just as it was said in Matthew 28:20, we have an obligation to teach new believers to obey everything God has commanded of us. Despite my feelings of inadequacy and trepidation, I was greatly encouraged by the guidance and support from the pastors and by the effort of and transformation seen in the Happiness Babies. Praise the Lord! We realized we learned so much more while teaching others and experienced firsthand how faithful God truly is and how much grace He gives to each and every one of us. Some of the Happiness Babies have since become coworkers and even Happiness Group leaders, continuing to carry the baton for God’s Great Commission.

Sister Winnie, who graduated at the same time as us, started to lead the Sisters’ Fellowship and became one of the core members of the coworker team. She is now in charge of the snack ministry. Sister Fenfen joined fellowship and became a small group leader and a coworker for Happiness Group. Sister Tina, who served in the same Happiness Group as Fenfen, was so inspired by her and felt compelled to step up her game, so to speak, and became a Happiness Group leader. These are all fruits of the Discipleship Training program. The four of us keep in touch to this day; I continue to have conversations with Winne and Fenfen on Line every once a while to catch up, share our thoughts and the status quo of our fellowship groups, and pray for and encourage each other. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9) The continued fellowship us four have is a great attestation to this verse.

The Discipleship Training program has built up many new disciples who are after Christ’s own heart. They contribute back to Happiness Groups and carry the baton of the Great Commission. As more and more people become such disciples, a greater portion of the church body can be served, and in turn God’s name will be glorified. Amen!◆

My Takeaways from the Discipleship Training
By Stacy Shann, Main Campus

I became a believer many years ago, yet once in a while I still find myself stranded in a spiritual low tide, unable to maneuver out of it until quite some time later. I was desperately in need of a spiritual renewal when I signed myself up for the Discipleship Training at Sunday School. During the first session, I learned that all the attendees, with the exception of the teacher and myself, were either BESTs or coworkers from Happiness Groups. My presence seemed a little odd, as I was neither. But I was eager to learn and from day one I was absorbed in the teaching. Two years later, I am still an active participant.

I am so glad that I signed up for this program. From Discipleship Training I-IV, I was able to gradually rebuild my spiritual foundation. I was once again assured of my salvation with a rekindled love for Christ and renewed conviction of God’s sovereignty. I learned many lessons, and I’ll name a few. I realized that character could be built through intentional and consistent practice and action; spiritual growth is not just about our relationship with God, but also our connection with others.  I learned that as my spiritual life takes shape, I should never cease learning, and when the going gets tough, I must place my faith in God because He, through the Holy Spirit, uses circumstances, language, and people to help shape my values, character, thought processes, and actions so that, expanding my life and becoming more mature, I can transform from someone who is served by others to someone who serves others. Service is not so much dependent on one’s gifts or capabilities, but more dependent on one’s willing heart and servant mentality.

In my discipleship study group, we looked out for each other whether we were in class or not, and we urged each other to memorize verses. I initially thought that memorization was just a casual requirement, but our group leader was very keen on it. That helped me realize the importance of attitude.

What Paul said in Romans 7:18 resonated with me: “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” I often had negative reactions to disturbances to me or others around me that came out of the blue. I realized that my sin was the culprit of the dirty thoughts which led to my negative reactions – anxiety and fear – and this anxiety and fear could only be released through God’s salvation. Therefore, I learned to always be vigilant and guard my heart and thoughts with God’s love so I would stop accusing myself or others and instead look at things with a positive light, accepting myself as one loved by God. The ensuing positive thoughts helped to season my words with milk and honey and I found that I had better relationships with people and I was going about life with a much lighter load. It’s so amazing to discover that such a seamless, inside-out transformation was accomplished in Christ alone! Studying God’s words, understanding and practicing them; it was such a rewarding experience for me and made me realize how conceited I was in the past. What I have shared above is just the tip of the iceberg and I have already benefitted so much. Just imagine how many more blessings we will receive if we submit ourselves to God wholeheartedly!

I am so grateful for what I learned in the past two years. The editorial team has poured their hearts and souls into the development of the training material and the teachers also gave it their all. The genuine and authentic discussions in class have helped me understand the truth from different angles. Thank you all again! ◆

My Takeaways from the Discipleship Training I
By Rachel Wang, Central Campus

I was baptized this year at Main Campus in June. Prior to my baptism, I had been a seeker for many years and attended fellowship Bible studies and worship services. I was initially resistant to the idea of Discipleship Training since I was lacking faith and not wanting to burden myself with too many deliverables. After much encouragement from the group leader of the Beloved Happiness Group, I reluctantly agreed to participate. Unbeknownst to me, I was in for a pleasant surprise! The well-thought content and systematic, foundation-laying teaching; the memorization, sharing, and practicing in classes; the review and devotion post-class – these all helped me form great habits of reading the Bible, saying prayers, and doing devotions. I successfully completed the program and started living a life that resembled that of a real Christian, also actively spreading the good news wherever the opportunity arose.

During the course of this training, God helped me get out of my comfort zone and pray aloud. I was an introvert; I did not know how to pray aloud and I was envious of people who could pray nonstop with genuine passion. When I silently poured out all my thoughts to God and drew close to Him, He heard me and used His Word to encourage and guide me. Little by little, my strength and confidence grew. I would use what I learned in class to practice praying aloud when I got home, and gradually I loosened myself up, opening my mouth and practicing again and again to cast all my fears and anxieties onto God. It’s worth mentioning that the practice of praying for each other during small group time didn’t only help us to pray aloud, but it also built a closer connection between the teachers and students.

While I was in Discipleship Training, I also participated in several Bible studies during the week. I used to just skim through the Bible verses without really trying to understand them, but now I read with my heart. I also set aside an hour each day to read the Bible with my son. We share the thoughts and emotions that the passages prompt and discover new things every time without fail. Better yet, the bond between us as mother and son is becoming even stronger.

After completing training, I started learning about how to share the Gospel, cooperate with other coworkers, and help BESTs grow. I became a coworker in Happiness Group and assisted in the kickoff preparation, which included icebreakers, worship songs, and sharing content. I actively recruited BESTs and helped UCSD Chinese international students with moving and grocery shopping so that the students could feel the warmth of home despite being an ocean away. Following God’s lead, I would tell them about the Bible when I got the chance, and I encouraged them to participate in Sunday Worship and Happiness Group.

Discipleship Training was very important to me. As new believers, we should not stop at being baptized; instead, we should continuously learn to become a true disciple of God. Not only should we truly understand God’s words in theory, but we ought to put God’s words into practice and become more spiritually mature, victorious Christ followers capable of spreading the Gospel to more people. ◆

Editoral Group Members:

Pastor Wanda Lam, Pastor Donald Liu, Becky Tsai, Emily Xu, XiaoQiong Dong, Yuwei Chiu, Joyce Yu, Lan Tang, Zoe Xu, Michael Hsu, Margaret Lee & Vivian Chiu.