Sow a seed in prayer and just wait for the harvest

Le Huong in the Baptism Day

Kim Van in the Baptism Day

Kim Van & Le Huong in strategy to be prayed and reached

Kim Van & Le Huong, together with To Phuong in our English class in park

Sow a seed in prayer and just wait for the harvest, it's what we did with a group of To Phuong's collage mates and roommates. As I met and shared Christ with Phuong in a park nearby our house, she was the only one in the three first converts to our church that attended our Bible Study in the first 3 months of our church. And we planned and prayed to reach out to her friends. That's why I taught them in English class 2 Saturdays a month in the park. I inserted Christian values into our lessons so they felt something different in my way of living. We had a very good relationship with this group of 15 girls. Phuong secretly invited one by one to our church for several times in different occasions. And finally, God answered our prayers and responded to our efforts. Le Huong and Kim Van, the close pair in their group surrendered their lives to God. In the month that they went to the follow-up class, we found so much joy in seeing them grow in Christ. Praise God!

John 15:16 for Linh

Anh & Linh in Anh's Baptism Day

Linh, our staff cried before us one time in our prayer time when we started this church. She said why she is "barren" spiritually. She prayed earnestly, had heart for mission completely, shared compassionately but no one came to Christ through her testimony or witnessing. We asked God to empower her and make her fruitful. And God started working. Last year, she brought 5 people to Christ and Anh is her uncle.

Mrs. Hoa testifying

God's purpose for His children is to bear much fruit and fruit that will last (John 15:16). We used to buy things in a good shop in our market that Mrs. Hoa owns. She used to work for the army of Vietnam as her dad and her husband. With a family that is happy, successful and rich, she still looked for something that missing in her heart. Till she talked to Linh because she found something diffrent in Linh. Linh shared with her about the eternal life in Jesus Christ. On the first Sunday she attended church, she cried as she entered the church and listened to the hymn "Near to God." She said she had been looking for something missing but she did not know. She was born in Christmas Eve so she used to think she must be God's child but no one told her about that. Till she met Linh. She knew that it was Jesus who came to earth on that Christmas Eve to save her and give her assurance for living with Him. God really works in and through Linh to prove her that He has called me to bear fruit and fruit that will last.

"Thought I could never walk with God again!"

Thuy & Thang in Thang's baptism day

Thuy cried as she testified how grateful she isseeing her husband
serving God in Christmas: "Thought I could never walk with God again!"

June 20 - Thang received Christ.

The news that Thuy got married to a non-believer guy saddened my heart. I remember in 2003 when I first came to Da Nang, a city of Central Vietnam for work, I led Nguyet to Christ and Nguyet was Thuy’s classmate then. As a new believer, Nguyet brought Thuy to church and I called her to receive Christ into her heart as her Savior and Lord. To my joy, Thuy offered her life to Christ. We had a great time growing and faith and serving God together in Da Nang for 3 years. And then, I left Da Nang for my theological training. 2009 as I came back I heard that she no long walked with God and even worshiped idols again in her wedding day.

We prayed for her, asking God’s forgiveness and interference to save Thuy again and even save her husband. We started contacting with them. Thuy was not that willing because she hardly thought of her husband to be a Christian. After 3 months demonstrating Christian love to this couple, Thang surrendered his life to God in our great joy.

Thang’s testimony is also an awesome story. He grows up with single mom and experienced a lot of failure in his life and work, till the point that he wanted to commit suicide. That’s why the gift of eternal life to him was so precious when he heard about the gospel.

Now we thank God for having this couple in our church. Thuy is our treasurer and Thang is a cell group leader and a Lead Team member.

"I came to Christ because of my brother's life transformation."

Tram is sister of Thanh, who received Christ in August 1, 2010 and his life has been changed amazingly since then. As a strong witness of her brother's life transformation in his words, thoughts, and responses, she came to our church and after several services, she prayed to receive Christ in November 17, 2010. Her brother said after her conversion, she became matured significantly in her character, behaviors, works and deeds. She started loving herself and others. She started thinking about her life, purpose, and how she can impact life. Now she is a active member of our church and one of our best dance team members.

Tram in the day she received Christ.

Thien Tam and My Nhan, her discipler in the Baptism Day

Thien Tam with Thien Thanh her brother in the right.

Daughter-in-law burdened for her husband's father

In 2004, My Nhan, my sister, got married to Quang Thai, a believer-for-marriage. After a year living with the husband's family, her father-in-law received Christ because of her life testimony but due to the manipulation of others, he stopped walking with God completely. He even brought the idols back to his house to worship. Since then, My Nhan burdened for her father-in-law's salvation through Christ. As she witnessed her husband growing in God through her prayers, she spent more time praying and trusting God for Mr. Trung, her father-in-law. And it has been 7 years from that day! As they moved to HCMC for work, (her small restaurant is down stair of our gathering building), Mr Trung followed her. There God really touched his heart, showing him that Jesus died for him to have eternal life and through Christian love of AEC, he moved to tear as he shared how God captures his heart. Now, he is one of the old people in our congregation who memorizes Bible verse and cites in front of congregation every week faithfully and joyfully. A life is changed because of prayer, love, care, and burden for that soul.

My Nhan & her father-in-law in his Baptism Day

He thanked God in tear.

Mr Trung received Christ during Christmas evangelism event

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

Amazing Thanksgiving Night!

It's great to see 7 who attending AEC for some time come to the decision of surrendering their lives to God. Amazingly, we now have 10 adults members come from the same area. "God is having a special concern about AEC." Our pastor said.

AEC friend to be an AEC member

It is Quan (in red). I remember he first came to our church in April 25 when we were around 10 people. Since then he became a friend of our church. We had so many great times together. This is the picture he joined our baptism trip in July 17,18.

And he is a part of AEC soccer team. Still he was not willing to receive Christ into his heart.
Along the way of our church form and growth, he was always a part, being active even in prayer meeting. Some offers were rejected, we then just kept him in prayer and Oct 17 became his spiritual birthday when he opened his heart for Jesus Christ.

We all just can "wow" and thank God for His work in Quan's heart.

Duyen and Gary's Wedding

This is the second wedding that we organized and celebrated as a church. Duyen got married with Gary, a American Baptist believer in 2009 but back then she was not a believer yet. Being burdened for his wife's faith, Gary looked for a church that would introduce Christ for her. They came to know Tram Deborah, one of our teammates and we joyfully welcomed her into AEC family in June 24. This couple expressed their desire to be blessed by the church, so we celebrated with them in this celebration. It was also a good experience for the youth new believers to know what it means to be husband and wife in Christ.

The wedding song from AEC

Pastor spoke and charged them for their marriage.

Please pray for Duyen's parents who do not come to the saving faith yet.

Duyen's visa is in process. So Gary comes and goes several times a year.

We are honored to be a part of their marriage.