Blessed Morning Before Christmas Eve

"I have never found joy in serving God like last night" one young man shared with us in his testimony. Yes, we all find joy in serving our King, Jesus!

The joy and the excitements were still in our hearts when we ended the Christmas Crusade with around 120 non-believers. Most of us showed up in church early. We welcomed 3 new converts from the previous night come and worship God with us. We also saw 2 friends who liked the event that night come to know more about God. And it was amazing! All wanted to give testimony how the crusade night means to them.

"Joy to the world, Christ has come,. Joy to Vietnam, Christ has come. Joy to AEC, Christ has come."

An old man shared why he wanted to invite Jesus into his heart.

A young lady expressed her expectations in her new life with God.

A young man confirmed that the Holy Spirit prompted him to be God's child. He felt a great warmth and love in God's family.

Evangelistic Christmas Event

After the Teacher's Day when we had demonstrated our new members how to invite friends, reconnect with AEC contacts, organize event, usher... we hold this evangelistic event. Just as we prayed and expected, we saw around 120 friends came. However, it's my first time in life seeing group of 5, 7, and even 10 non-believers came at once. The room was crowded by non-believers. What made us grateful to God even more is the growth of our AEC members. They did all the job in a very professional way. Many of them showed up front for the first time but they did it beautifully and wholeheartedly. We praise God for each of them. A church officially operated for 5 months could organize an event by themselves is something really wonderful. God really grants our churches with many gifts and talents. We are excited when we think of the future of our church.

"Silent night"

"Silent night"

"Joy to the world!"

"Oh Holy night!"Let's sing Hallelujah!"

"Jesus has come to the earth"

Scripture Reading - Luke 2:1-20

"We wish you a merry Christmas"

"Christmas Prayer" - Responding song

Confession of Faith - 8 confessed

Wonderful time of singing Christmas songs

December Urgent Prayer Requests

Dear Partners in Ministry,

2010 has been a great and fruitful year for us both in family life and ministry life when we witnessed God’s hands upon us, moving us forward for His purpose and plan. Especially when AEC was established, what a great joy it is to see His Church built on the Rock of overwhelming testimonies of how Jesus Christ came, transformed life, and changed the future. We have been experiencing so much joy and excitement in serving God more than any time before in our lives. In this journey, you have been there for us and foremost for AEC. Your prayers, support, love, and care time to time lift us up. Just as other young couples in ministry, our hearts are pure for the call but we lack of wisdom, experience, and knowledge to fulfill His call. But you were there, with us, listening to our joy and sometimes our tear, sharing with us faith-stretching periods and joy-overwhelming moments. We thank God for you and you are always in our prayers.

These words had been kept in our hearts to write to you in the end of this 2010 but we need you to pray for a very urgent need of our church so we are writing to keep you posted but also ask you to specially pray for us. Just in one sermon, God shows Thuan that He has a very special concern regarding AEC; that’s why He brought people, resources, prayer to build up His Church. So let us continue to trust that the greater things are yet to come in this church. Hallelujah!

Now, we don’t know how to start with our prayer requests. =) Well, let’s start when Mr. Tam’s family received Christ...

July 18, 2010

Sept 5, 2010

Since this family came to the saving faith, they attended church very faithfully even their house is around 50 kilometers (30 miles) away from our church. We were always moved and excited with their testimonies of how God started His good work in them. Many severe sicknesses were healed; Joy and hope were brought in their miserable and hopeless hearts; especially one of the young men in this family, Tien sensed the call of serving God so he has been devoting his time to read the Bible and learn music instrument. As a great testimony of new life in Christ, they encouraged and brought another family of 4, Mr. Tam’s brother to Christ. We were overwhelmed as we saw them surrendering their lives to God, altogether hoping for tomorrow, a turning point for their future.

Mr. Tam brought his brother's family to Christ in Nov 17, 2010.

These two families cried in joy on the day they received Christ.

And now, together with his two other children, there are 10 adult believers in that area. We are grateful for the fact that more people added into church and their faith growing in Him but we have to face with a challenge that they can’t come to church every Sunday because it’s too far and there have not conveniences for them to all come at the same time.

Last Sunday as we came back from a far trip, it broke our hearts when we heard the story of their struggles. On Friday, Tien came to church for Evangelistic Training and Music Class up till Sunday afternoon. He came back after 2 hours traveling and handed the money he has for 2 other members, 1 from each family to travel to our place for Sunday Service. Seeing that, Mr. Tam left the house. Unintentionally, we phoned him just when he was wandering outside. In a very great confusion, he said: “I just don’t know what to do. The money Tien has is all we have now in our family. My wife is sick, she needs food and medicine; but my children choose to use it to go to church and my heart is there with them also. We all want to go to church. Please tell me what to do in this situation.” We then called Tien and found out that his brother and cousin just disappointingly came back home because they missed catching the last bus going to the city.

In the Sunday Service, with church new equipments, all the lights, and Christmas decorations, our hearts were divided, half in church and half with our dear brothers and sisters who could not make it to worship God with us in the same manner because of geographical, financial reasons. God is putting a burden and also a pressure on us to start a new branch church there. It’s not in our plan at all but it seems that we don’t have any other choices. It has been 4 weeks; they could not come to church together.

Therefore, please pray for us:

1. Please pray that we can minister to these families and God will reveal to us and to them what He wants for this area as we set up initial foundational works for a branch church. We want to start with a Christmas dinner in Mr. Hue’s house (Mr. Tam’s brother) and deliver gifts for their poor neighbors.
2. Please for our Christmas Mass Evangelism Program Dec 18 when we expect to have from 150 to 200 attendants. May God work in the hearts of at least 20 people to come to the faith.
3. Please pray for the first wonderful, meaningful, and exciting Christmas celebration for most of our congregation to experience and enjoy.
4. Please pray for commissioning prayer for our first staff to serve in AEC this Jan 02, 2011. Linh was one of the other 2 who started this church with us as a part-time worker. Now her desire is to devote her life for God’s ministry in AEC. Please pray for annointment and for God’s provision for her ministry.

Praise God:

1. For His safety and favor as we traveled this month.
2. For His provision for our church equipments. It upgrades our worship experience in a sense.
3. For the new believer being transformed and growing in Him and also in the Lord’s service.
   

December Mission Trip with LOI

As a church, we are privileged to partner with LOI, an organization that brings a huge impact on orphans and goes beyond that to impact lives of people that joined their mission trip, twice a year. Thuan and I came to know this group through the Global Advance, an organization empowers marketplace ministers (I was a translator for them). And we fell in love LOI and the kids. We joined them every trip and always experienced God's touch in our personal life and ministry view. Especially, we always meet good people in the trip. They usually have great team of great people with great heart. They came to serve and learn from the trip. How humbling it is!

Prayer for God's anointment over the trip.

Praying in the cemetery where the aborted babies were buried.

Giving soup every morning in the hospital.

Feeding the disabled

Our American friends got excited about ice-cream on the motorbike.

Our church members cut hair for the poor.

Gifts for kids and the poor

Kids' performances as we arrived. How lovely!

It must be fun for these ladies, huh?!

The team spent a lot of time with the kids.

This is a wonderful experience, serving the disabled.

In the Sunday Service we came back from Lagi, the orphanage, AEC team came and shared in tear how God ministers to them in a very wonderful and personal way. We are grateful that "He has placed His people everywhere for His purpose." (Christine, the founder's word in the first time we met).