Service toward other churches is of the strengths and ministry platforms of LCBC. Our leadership has a heart toward strengthening ministries in need, so that people even beyond our own circles and communities can be reached for Christ. In two of these ministries, several of our members have become involved, giving heavily of their time and energy to help them grow and thrive. This month, we wanted to give you an update on Asian Bible Church in Chico and Vietnamese Hope Church in Sacramento and invite you to partner with those serving these churches through prayer.

Asian Bible Church

Soon after officially agreeing to financially assist Asian Bible Church, the sole pastor stepped away for family health reasons. We were left supporting a church with little in the way of leadership, and whose members were rapidly leaving. Unwilling to let this church die and seeing the continued need for an Asian church in the Chico community, Pastor Wes trained and began sending up men to fill the pulpit every week. Since then, he has also started training leaders within the church to help strengthen it from the inside.

At least eight people came to Christ through this ministry in 2009. One of the church leaders, who was part of the church start-up group in 2000, shared with Pastor Wes that the “smaller” church family today is much more committed and spiritually healthy than the “larger” group had been in the earlier years. Slowly, God seems to be rebuilding and strengthening this church for the work of reaching the Asian community in Chico.

Pastor Wes shares that the emphasis in 2010 will be two-fold: discipleship of believers within the church and outreach to the Asian Chico community. There seems to be much outreach potential particularly within the foreign student population at Chico State, one student of which came to Christ at ABC this year within one week of arriving from China. Pray for the development of the people at this church and for their outreach efforts this coming year. Pray also for the LCBC preaching team as they prepare messages and each travel 200 miles each month: Jim Farrell, Terry Chew, Phil Leung, Henry Khoo, and of course Pastor Wes.

Vietnamese Hope Baptist Church

Our relationship with Vietnamese Hope began when we answered a call for help with their youth ministry. Norbert Gee and his family have ministered to this church’s teens and college aged kids for over three years. Norbert has taught them and mentored them, while Jenny and Deanna have led them in worship on Sundays. This year, the Gees also coordinated a multi-church volleyball tournament, a fellowship and outreach event that was very successful.

Many of the youth continue to grow in their faith in Christ and their love for one another, and two were baptized in 2009. Norbert requests that we pray for their continued growth in the grace and knowledge of Christ, particularly in the areas of daily prayer and Scripture reading. Pray also for several youth who have had to relocate to other cities, and for a family of five girls who recently became orphans as their only remaining parent died of cancer. Fortunately, these girls are currently being cared for by Christian families.

Vietnamese Hope is currently facing a major challenge regarding their building plans. They are currently meeting at Fourteenth Avenue Baptist Church, but they are limited at this facility and the youth group is even apparently forced to have their meetings outside. The church is currently seeking the City’s approval of their design plans in order to obtain a building permit. Pray for God’s direction and the church’s unity regarding the building project, and also for God to sustain the youth during this difficult time.