This time, we interview Pastor Lam about the proper attitudes of Christians to political issues. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, God is still in control that we can accomplish something which was previously unimaginable in a “normal” life. With great opportunities for creativity, we have more loving actions towards the community, new ministries and so on. Under the “new normal,” the church’s ministries have expanded far and wide.
Discussion about Politics with Our Pastor — Interview with Pastor Lam
By Emily Xu
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. (Romans 13:1-3)
“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (Acts 5:28-29)
Since the Shelter-in-Place ordinance came out in March, more and more people began to focus on the news. That turned attentions to US domestic politics as well as international relations. As Christians, should we have conversations about politics in a church setting? With this question, we interviewed Pastor Lam in hopes of finding answers and guidance.
Q: Pastor Lam, is there any guidance given in the Bible about participating in politics? How should we, as Christian citizens, participate in such political discussions?
A: Let’s first define what politics really is. As a matter of fact, politics is a neutral term; it means “to deal with people’s common issues.” That is it, and all of it. God wants us to glorify Him in all the things we do. The “all things” is not only in the realm of the church, but also in our families and careers, and furthermore includes all parts of life including politics, social media, and even the entertainment industry.
In a church setting, people usually hold two opposite attitudes towards politics. The more passive Christians think,
“The king’s heart is in God’s hand; therefore, personal choices don’t make much difference. God’s kingdom is with spiritual futuristic features. We eventually will have a new heaven and earth; therefore, this current world is not the ultimate perfect world. There is no perfect political system or perfect politician, and so politics is meaningless. To draw a metaphor: if the world we live in is a boat, the boat is absolutely the Titanic, which will sink to the bottom of the ocean one day. Since it’s destined to sink, what we strive to save shouldn’t be the boat itself, but the people on the boat. In the world we live in, politics represents conflict, deceit, darkness, manipulation, and defaming. As Christians who seek what is holy, we should not involve ourselves in it. Most importantly, politics cannot accomplish the great mission — only the Gospel can.
On the contrary, the Bible gives us plenty of examples of active participation in politics:
“In the Old Testament, Joseph rose to power to protect and provide for his own people, the Egyptians, and the people in the surrounding countries. Esther, as a queen, influenced the king to change his decree so that the Israelites could fight against mistreatment. Jeremiah persuaded people to pray for the city they lived in. Let’s take a look at a new concept in the New Testament: stewardship. Stewardship refers not only to property or physical material, but it also refers to people’s networks and opportunities, etc. As a citizen, it also includes the voting power we are bestowed. Paul sued the Romans not for his own power, but for the faith; the Church did not intend to overturn the Roman political power. When he was in the prison at Philippians, Paul was discovered as a Roman citizen so the person in charge panicked and tried to release Paul as soon as possible. However, Paul refused to leave because he wanted to take a stand, letting people know that they couldn’t condemn a crime without trial and that people could break Roman laws. The most clearly mentioned example of political involvement is in 1 Timothy, chapter 2: we should pray for the people, pray for those who are in power, and pray for the kings. Therefore, we should pray for politics in our country.”
Q: It sounds like the reasoning behind both stances have their grounds, so what’s our church’s position?
A: If we look back in history, it’s not hard to find human society forming a trend spiraling downwards. Human nature is tempted to abuse power. Under circumstances where supervisions or countering forces don’t exist, politics or the people in the politics are prone to abuse their power. There have been quite a few instances where Christians’ silence became an accomplice of evil — if we keep our silence, we are perceived as in agreement. For example, when the apartheid in South Africa led to black people’s social injustice, the church didn’t say anything. At the time of Germany apprehending the Jews, the church, priests, or pastors didn’t say anything. Relatively recently, we have the legalization of abortion in the United States. Some people say we are just not involved; however, lack of involvement is a form of getting involved or the act of an accomplice. Certainly, not every bill or act or issue has such consequences or extremes. As Christians, though, we should care for politics. As individuals, we need to voice ourselves through our vote.
Q: What should we be aware of when we are engaged in a political discussion? As a church, what can we do, and what not? In other words, where should we draw the line?
A: As to Christians’ participation in politics, let’s look at it through two dimensions: politics of power, and politics of the common good. Politics of power includes becoming a candidate, organizing a party, assisting a candidate, etc. Under the rule of separation of church and state, we can motivate, mobilize, or organize a political event, but it shouldn’t be done under the collective name of the church. The church should not support or oppose one candidate or party either. Therefore, any promotions related to this should not be used on a church platform. We need to be alert and careful, so that the church platform will not become something to support or oppose one party over another or one candidate over another. However, our church strongly encourages church members, as individuals, to participate in the realm of politics of the common good. When a political power or authority is in the process of turning in a bill, a legal document, or an act, and people find that there are areas that are not a reflection of the common good, we then should step up and voice our opinions, through voting, or in support of rallies or protests to express our voice as citizens, and speak for those whose voice can hardly be heard, through platforms like social media.
I especially want to point out the difference between a “morality bill” and an “administrative bill.” I believe the church needs to be pay special attention to the “morality bill” – things like abortion, same sex marriage, etc. If any political movements are against God, the church should unite and oppose such a bill. To Christians, administrative issues are lesser priority. When we contemplate candidates or different bills, we can use this to assess priorities. The church as a collective needs to exercise discernment; while voicing our opinions on morality issues, we need to stay neutral on administrative issues.
Q: Could you please elaborate more on the separation of church and state?
A: The separation of church and state doesn’t necessarily mean “don’t touch politics,” as most people would have thought. In history, there have been many instances where the Pope interfered with a king’s state power, or the king interfered deeply into the business of the Pope’s; in either case, it was corruption in the system for power. Thus, came the separation of church and state. This doesn’t mean that the church should take a passive stand, or not be involved or even indifferent to politics. The two need to be kept well balanced in power.
Q: As a church with a Chinese background, we have unique member structures. Due to the complexity of international relations, people from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China all hold different political views. As Christians, should we openly discuss international relations? If we do, do you have any suggestions on how?
A: Our church members are mostly Chinese descendants. Though we have different backgrounds, we are still connected and care for one another. It is very common for individuals to have different political views. Even as a family, like what I have heard from Hong Kong relatives, there are many different views. Individual political views have nothing to do with morality issues, so we should use our discernment. Our first and foremost identity is God’s people, then U.S. citizens, then the different backgrounds of Hong Kong, Taiwan or Mainland China. If we set this priority straight, we can naturally, among brothers and sisters, remember to respect one another, seek common ground while reserving differences, and become unified in Christ. Therefore, I strongly oppose the use of church platforms, such as group email or social media groups, to promote discussions on political views.
Q: It’s the election year, do you have any remarks to make to everyone?
A: I would like to repeat what I just said: we, as the church, do not support any party or any candidate. No matter whether it’s according to biblical teaching or the Constitution, the church should not lose its neutral stand. As to how to cast our votes, I would provide some thoughts to begin our thinking process. We need to ask ourselves: among all these issues, which one matters the most to Christians? Which issue can absolutely not be sacrificed? Is free welfare important? Or the blessings from heaven? Then we make an understanding of all the political stances of the candidates. Once we know which one is the most important to us, all the other noise can be ignored. Lastly, cast your vote, and then leave the rest to God. To summarize: understand different issues, confirm which ones are the most important to Christians, ignore all the other noise, and with pure hearts, get involved in political events including voting, and finally, respect the choices others make.◆
The First Virtual Happiness Group
By Julie Yao, West Campus/Living Water Bible Church
Although our regular fellowship meetings came to a stop due to the pandemic, the Holy Spirit urged us on to start a virtual Happiness Group in mid-June. Through the time, we had experienced a lot of touching moments and amazing events. We tried to invite as many “Bests” as possible. Our invitees spanned from family members, friends, colleagues to former classmates with some of them in the U.S. and some in Mainland China. One sister even tried to invite a potential tenant of hers. Whether it was on stage or off stage, “we have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to man.” (1 Corinthians 4:9)
The brothers and sisters in my team made meticulous plans that covered even the littlest detail. It was an uncharted water for all, but we believed in God’s guidance. As the team leader though, I did put myself under quite a bit of pressure. At the conclusion of the first on-line meeting, a few sisters pointed out areas I needed improvements on and provided me with their suggestions. Even though my takeaway from the meeting was different, I felt they were right. I asked God for guidance and felt His answer was for me to incorporate their suggestions. Despite all of that, I blew the second meeting! As I listened to the debriefing by the sisters, a dark shroud of guilt enveloped me. I did not understand why things happened the way they did. That night, my confidence disappeared like the air from a popped balloon! As I wept, I heard God’s voice, as if He was saying, “it’s all good,” and I needed to have a deeper grasp of the truth and cast all my burden onto Him. God also made me realize how weak the life of a self-righteous person really was. When God said, “rise up,” My heart was instantly brightened!
Thanks be to God; I was able to understand His plan at the Wednesday prayer meeting. Everyone shared the transformations God brought into their lives, and our hearts were filled with joy. The sisters asked me to forgive them for giving me too much pressure and told me how pleased they were to receive my forgiveness. My heart melted. Who am I? To deserve being cherished and accepted as such? Our brokenness had brought us closer together and we started to feel and see things in the same way. As our small group leader Yao Huang said, “you cannot really defame God, even if you do it intentionally. It’s perfectly all right to have weaknesses, as God is glorified in our weaknesses.” Later, Pastor Minghua also called me with words of encouragement, “you are all like the first humans that dared to eat the crab. Like Peter, you walked on the water even though it was just a step of two. Remember David? He couldn’t fit into Saul’s armor therefore relied on his own sling.” Once more, I experienced God’s presence.
Casting all my burdens upon Him, I prayed continuously to God and was greatly encouraged and emboldened by God’s words. The whole team worked in unison and supported each other’s work. Whether it was leading worship, giving testimony, or saying prayers, we felt the presence of the Almighty God in everything we did! At the conclusion of this ministry, 6 “Bests” decided to commit their lives to God. What a blessing! May the glory go to the meek lamb on the heavenly throne! “I planted the seed, Apollo watered it, but God made it grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:6) Amen! ◆
Making Ear Savers for Medical Staff
By Sophie Wong, Main Campus Youth
1. Why did you have this idea to make the ear savers to the medical staff in the first place?
I wanted to use my passions for God, so I started thinking of what I like to do, and how I could help others while doing that. Initially, I was going to make small stuffed animals and toys, but my mom suggested I make ear savers, so I went with that (because it was a more useful piece of fabric). I chose the Palomar (Poway) Hospital because I was born there, and it was the closest.
- Why was it important to do so?
This was important to me because I wanted to help my community in some way or another and serve God! I knew the medical staff had to wear masks for a long period of time, and their ears would hurt. So, putting the straps of the masks somewhere else would make their ears less sore.
- Did anyone help/ work with you?
Kaitlyn Leung was the person who DID help/work with me. I shared my idea with her because she can also crochet! It was a little hard to coordinate since we couldn’t see each other. I made about 100 ear savers, and Kaitlyn was preparing to move, but she still made 26 of them! (She also crocheted a nice bag to go with them.) Kaitlyn would like to say that she is cool. Also, my mom helped sew on some buttons.
- Do you think your mission was accomplished? How did you feel?
I think my mission was somewhat accomplished. My only mission was to help in some way or another. I felt glad after, knowing that I did something good and kind of USEFUL.
- Anyone you would like to thank?
I would like to thank my dad for buying me SO MUCH YARN, my mom for suggesting making ear savers, and Kaitlyn for helping me!
Note: Sophie is now in 8th grade, and Kaitlyn in 6th. Their love action was recognized and reported on Palomar Health on July 3. Way to go, Sophie and Kaitlyn! ◆
Introducing God to Our Neighbors
By Yan Li and Wendy Lee, Central Campus
Amid the unsettling pandemic, brothers and sisters from Central Campus offered an online course called “Wanderer’s Joy” as part of our summer enrichment program.
As Brother Ruifeng, Sister Wendy Lee and I brainstormed for the course, we felt that our first priority should be bringing home the “wanderers” around us! We hoped to use this platform to build good relationships with this group of people. In light of this overarching goal, we designed the course with their specific needs in mind and even solicited their inputs.
After some discussion, we decided to kick off the program with “A Tour of the Holy Land – Israel” which would not only quench their thirst for the outside world but also serve as a great introduction to Jesus Christ. A husband and wife team, Dingqiu and Jinjin Huang conducted the tour on three separate Sundays (July 5, 12 and 26). Pastor Donald and his wife were also invited as special guests on the second Sunday to share their experience renewing their marriage vow in the very church at Cana where Jesus turned water into wine. Sister Wendy’s 10 minutes presentation called “Tour Book ABC” summed up the program nicely on the third Sunday.
On August 2, Sister Fang Ren, the group leader of “Neighborhood Dance Troupe” spearheaded a great production called “stay-at-home workout” that featured dance moves and other aerobic exercises. The week after that, we staged a special showcase with everyone sharing all kinds of homemade cuisines. When we learned about our invitees’ interest in South America, we also created a special episode featuring “A Tour of Seven Countries in Southern America!”
To help improve their grasp of spoken English, Sister Wendy provided several weeks of English instructions over the air which were very well received. Along the way, I experienced God’s presence and guidance, learned how to make connections with people in the spirit of love, and at the same time benefited from these crash courses of spoken English as well! I am sure God was pleased to see our “Wanderer’s Joy” program come into fruition, as it not only helped more seekers to come to know the church family but also prepared us for the third wave of Happiness Group! Thank you, God! I am also grateful for the coworker prayer meetings we had every Saturday! We walked together, supported each other, and built up each other as we pursued the only goal of glorifying our God! ◆
Understanding Love in A Blink of Eye
By Amanda Tsai, 4S Campus
“Why don’t you create a few more video clips?” Sister Rey asked me with clear excitement in her voice. “Let me think more about it.” Although I responded in a non-committal tone, I felt the fight in my heart if I should take on this new ministry. If I simply turned the other way, I would have been able to have more disposable time in my life.
I have always been actively serving in the Fellowship Ministry. When I was searching for information related to the ministry sometime this March, I was fascinated by the idea of communicating faith messages via video clips. This idea grew bigger and bigger inside of me ever since…
In April, the “small group” ministry came into being at the Main Campus and 4S Campus. I thought that video clips reminding everyone of the biblical principles of love might help jump start this brand-new ministry. So, I created a sample clip and sent it to Sister Rey for her review. Surprisingly, she was sold on it right away and encouraged me to create more. After much praying, I finally solved the dilemma and decided to get out of the comfort zone I’ve been longing for. And that was the genesis for the video series called “Understanding Love in a Blink of Eye!”
Everyone felt the frustration and helplessness the prolonged pandemic has brought. I tried to use refreshing languages, captivating images, and soothing music in my expressions of “love,” which hopefully brought about some therapeutic effect to the audience much like a mini visual and audio symphony. My son’s feedback after watching the clips was “short and sweet!” And that became the defining theme for this video series.
From conception to completion, I prayed every step of the way. Through reading and reflection, I learned to understand and appreciate the weaknesses and challenges of humanity. I found myself spending more time reading the Bible so that I could have a better grasp of God’s love. Through prayers, I often got inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Looking back on what I’ve been through in creating this video series, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that the greatest reward was my ever-closer relationship with God. God sure has an amazing sense of humor!◆
“Rejoice in All Circumstances Chatroom” Ministry
By Rey Sa, Main Campus
Under the Governor’s Stay at Home order issued in late March amid the pandemic, we suddenly found ourselves “prisoners” in the confines of our own home. In order to address such an unexpected turn of events, Pastor Lam shared a vision that evolved around various concerns of the community. He discussed with the pastoral team on how to utilize the online platform to serve not only brothers and sisters within our church but also community members at large so that we will have a team of coworkers properly equipped for the gospel work and a greater circle of influence for our Happiness Group ministry.
Under the leadership of Pastor Joseph and Pastor Rose, a cross campus ministry team was formed. The core team included Corina Sun, Ming Huang, Terrence Liu, Dongni Chu, Rey Sa from Main Campus, Jun Cui from Central Campus , Sulan Yao from Living Water as well as flyer designers, Fang Li and Gigi Tung, and video editors and producers Jesse Sun and Alice Xiao. Pastor Lam named this ministry “Rejoice in All Circumstances Chatroom” to remind everyone to stay positive and hopeful despite the circumstances they are in, pandemic included.
Between May and August, this Chatroom Ministry conducted many online workshops tailored for us amid the pandemic:
- 5/16 – “Cooking with Blessings,” Pastor Sam Li & his wife shared their special recipe for “steamed pork over rice noodle” as well as their tips on how to improve the relationship between husband and wife amid the pandemic.
- 5/22 – Professor YeouCherng Bor shared gospel message titled “Where is My Home in Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic?”
- 5/29 – “Cooking with Blessings,” Sophie Hsu shared her advice on “Homeschool 101.”
- 6/6 & 6/13 – Elder George Chu talked about “Workplace New Perspectives in Face of the COVID-19 Storm.”
- 6/20 – Harry Liu & Nancy Wang shared their insights on sorting out “Love and Conflicts” in domestic settings.
- 7/11 – Elder Peter Liu talked about “It’s not Easy being a Man” which brought much needed encouragement for fathers with teenage kids.
- 7/24 – Rev. Kuo-Liang Lin talked about “Families on a Hot Pan” and shared three must-have principles in building a resilient family.
To facilitate the third wave of Happiness Group ministry set to start in September, the Chatroom Ministry conducted a few special outreach sessions in August that addressed casual topics in daily lives.
- 8/1 – “The Art of Organizing” by Wendy Wu, Julia Wang, Julia Chen from Central Campus.
- 8/15 – “Joyful Cooking to the Third Power” by Kaison Yen, Yishuang Tang, Jing Zhang, Daniel Hsu.
- 8/29 – “Hiking and Travelling in the Comfort of Your Own Home,” Dr. Chun-Wai Chan shared the importance of staying active during the pandemic.
Thank you, Lord, for the concerted efforts, the mutual support, the joyful service and the months’ long brotherhood on all of the coworkers’ part despite a tight schedule. What a joyful ministry! I pray that the “Rejoice in All Circumstances Chatroom” Ministry would bring benefits and blessings to more people! ◆
Break Free from Physical Boundary
Cantonese Congregation
The Stay at Home order due to Covid-19 has forced us to make a lot of adjustments to the lifestyle we accustomed to. No one could have anticipated that God would use such “new normal” to help Cantonese ministry to break free from the physical boundary and break through into brand new territories.
- Effective March this year, we started the online streaming of our Sunday worship which enabled the attendance by brothers and sisters already relocated to other parts of the U.S. The distance between us was drastically shortened by the internet.
- Zion Fellowship held an online farewell party for a family moving to Texas in July. Everyone was pleasantly surprised by the participation of brothers and sisters who are now in Taiwan and Oregon.
We kicked off “Discipleship III” as part of the Sunday school curriculum started in September. Among the limited attendance were a couple who lives in a small city a couple of hours flying time away from Mexico City. It was unimaginable before the pandemic to even have “overseas students” in Sunday school. ◆
Healing Testimony: My Journey with God towards Cancer Recovery
By Sai Kwok, Cantonese Congregation
I was diagnosed with stage 3A lung cancer on Sept 12, 19. I am not a smoker. There were nearly no symptoms. I had a cold with a low fever, a sore throat, and coughing. Usually, I would wait it out, but this time there was a bit of blood in the mucus and so I decided to see a doctor on July 17, 19. My family physician was on vacation so the substituted doctor gave me an X-ray which came out negative. She sent me home with medicine and asked me to take a CAT-scan if it got worse. I was fully recovered after 10 days and went back to my normal routine. Since the CAT-scan was ordered, I decided to go for it after a month, despite the lack of need. To my total surprise, the results came back positive. They did a biopsy, PET-scan, and an MRI immediately to confirm stage 3A cancer. My oncologist said I was lucky to find out relatively early. Most lung cancer patients find out at stage 4 with a significantly lower survival rate.
The treatment plan was 6 weeks of radiation/chemo followed by 1 year of immunotherapy on Imfinzi, which was only recently approved by FDA. Though it shows promising results, there is not much long-term survival data. Unlike all the illness I had in the past, there is no total cure on stage 3A lung cancer. How many years did I have left? 3, 5 or 10+ years? Only God knows.
When I found out about my cancer, my first reaction was total denial. It was unreal. One day I thought I was in good health and the next day, I knew I could die soon. There were so many questions of why, how, what, and if, but so few answers. Once reality sank in, I was terrified. All these years, my work was my life and my life was my work. I had not given much thought to mortality and was not prepared to face it. I was a marginal Sunday Christian; I went to church whenever I could and attended gatherings occasionally. Faith was not my strength. I did not have deep trust and faith in God to experience lasting comfort and peace. I was very anxious and worried, and I am still learning let go of my worries. God, please help.
The first few weeks of treatment were the toughest. Physically I was fine but mentally, I was drained. God spared me most side effects; I did not have hair loss, nausea, or vomiting. By the grace of God, I was surrounded by love from family, church brothers, and church sisters. Our walking buddy group held prayer meetings for me every Sunday. There were many highs and lows, and we cried and laughed together. Thank God for putting so many angels around me. Their prayers and support helped sooth my nerves and gave me something to live on. Since we do not have family in town, I don’t know how I could pull through this without them. I still feel lonely at times, as nobody knows exactly how I feel and think. Whenever I have such thoughts, I immediately seek God for help. He always comes to my aid.
I remember shopping at Costco one day. It really hit home for me when I checked whether the expiration date on the food would outlast me. I was frozen from fear at that moment. The whole world seemed to collapse in front of me. What should I do from here on? I knew I should give all my worries to God, but that is easier said than done. I have always admired people who have total faith in God, like my wife. If the sky fell down, she still could sleep like a log. Now, reading the Bible and listening to inspirational messages helps calm me down.
The following is a probability estimate on catching stage 4 cancer instead of 3A:
- Habit of seeing doctor on cold, 25%
- Family doctor vacation, 3/52
- Chance of seeing that particular doctor, 1/6
- Ordered cat-scan after negative X-ray, 20%
- Habit of delay on cat-scan, 25%
- Accumulative chance of stage 4 [1 – Product(X]) = 99.99%
By the mercy of God, my cancer was caught at stage 3A not 4.
Against all odds, God found a way to take away my cancer for now. Along the way, He has transformed me from a marginal Christian to a better Christian and person. Considering the stakes of eternal life, I think transformation is more important than a cure. I did not know how to hear from God. Now I can tune my ears, eyes, heart to receive his message with limited sensitivity. I seldom prayed before; now I pray daily. I used to do things my own way and consult with God only when desperate; now I seek his advice often and read the Bible regularly.
Upon discovering my cancer, I quit all my contracts immediately. After radiation and chemo, I went back to part time consulting, as work helps me take the focus off illness.
People who know me usually type-cast me as a workaholic. I have done consulting for 25+ years. I usually have multiple clients, and 70 hrs/wk is not uncommon. When I was younger, I used to work 100+ hours. I think I was driven by insecurity and fiscal worries. I was not a good husband and father. It is because of God’s blessings that our son turned out to be a good man with a beautiful family. Looking back, I realize now that no money in the world is worth spending so little time with family. I know if I had continued that path, I would die on the job one day. God gave me cancer to make me change my lifestyle. I used to work till 4am in the morning, with every day zipping by without purpose. Now I am beginning to look at life with a different perspective. God is changing me.
Leading up to my recent PET-scan to determine whether there was any cancer left in my body, I was anxious and couldn’t sleep. My wife and son reminded me that if I did not get clean results, there was next time. But I begged God to take away my cancer and give me confidence that immunotherapy was working well in my body. I am so happy God answered this time.
When my radiologist told me that I was cancer free, I was very emotional; I wanted to hug him and all the nurses but couldn’t because of social distancing. I know this is not a total cure, but it gives me a better chance of winning. I still have 6 months left of immunotherapy. I will keep fighting. If God permits, I will use the rest of my life to glorify, serve Him and help others for a long time.
P.S. I did not expect being so hard to write this testimony. It brought back so many painful memories and so much emotion. I cried a few times and had to stop and walk away to calm myself down. But I want to do this to 1) Help myself adjust my mindset to the perspective of a larger picture. 2) Help others. ◆