God
repeatedly directs His people to remember, to think back
over past history and to commemorate His "mighty
acts."
Every year we set aside a time for this kind of reflection.
We remember our past thankfully, examine ourselves honestly
and commit our lives fully to the vision of serving our
God and His people. This is the purpose for our anniversary
celebration every year, which takes place on the first
Saturday of December. This year, we will remember and
celebrate what the Lord has done on December 1.
2001
will always be a monumental year for CGBC. One of our
ex-student intern's father, also a one time volunteer,
passed away in February three months after being diagnosed
with liver cancer. In May, our Board director Rev. David
Chan had a glorious memorial service for his wife. And
Hector, our president, said goodbye to his 75 years old
mother who had cooked for the speakers, workers and volunteers
while the ministry was in their Long Island home basement.
Then in October, we missed our dear brother Herbert, a
Board member, who died of cancer. With tears and fond
memories of all these loved ones, we REJOICE in the fact
that we will meet at Jesus feet. They are just like the
cloud of witnesses, reminding us to be faithful to the
very end.
The
tragedy of 911 also changed many of our lives. It affected
our student interns as three of their friends died in
the terrorist attack. The cloud of dust and soot, the
rescue and dump trucks continue to remind us that without
warning, thousands of people were instantly cremated.
How many will perish in eternity? How many are now in
His presence? With the uniformed national guards and
tanks stationed outside our office building since September
11, we are reminded that America is at war. We too
are engaged in war, a spiritual warfare!
Before
911, we were not sure if we should relocate our Headquarters
in New York City to another place: we have a production
team in Dallas, this year we moved our distribution and
mailing department to Washington DC, and the living cost
is relatively high in New York City. Yet the staff and
Board members continue to hold onto God's faithfulness
and instruction, with the determination that unless the
Lord says so, we will not move away from Lower Manhattan.
The
tragedy in September has reminded us of the
strategic location in which we are situated and the great
city we are in. Ten years ago this month, November
1991, CGBC signed a seven year lease with a Christian
businessman to use his two units. It was a dream to us
to be up on the top floor looking over the western and
northwest skyline of New York City, while being so close
to the Chinatown community. We moved out from our Long
Island basement operation in 1992 and opened our audio
library in 1993 in New York City. It was a miracle very
much like what God did for the Israelites. God dried up
the Jordan River for His people to enter the Promised
Land. In 1994, we assumed the $400,000 mortgage from our
landlord at a discounted price and now own these units
permanently.
It
also has become real to our hearts that this city
is great as a training ground for Christians who are involved
in cross-cultural ministry and for young people who use
the latest technology for evangelism and discipleship.
Lower Manhattan, also known as the Silicon Alley, is the
hub of the modern communications network.
Operating
from New York City, We have a Broadcast station that can
potentially reach all Chinese families around the globe
via Internet. Since November 2000, people can hear our
programs online via www.cgbc.net
and also we supply programs for www.BBNradio.org.
Today via China Radio Network, we have also the gospel
message broadcast into homes and workplaces, such as factories
and restaurants, in New York City. (This has been expanded
to more places like New Jersey and Dallas.) Gospel Broadcast
whether via radio, cassette, telephone and Internet cannot
work in a vacuum. We know full well that without a team
of dedicated people under the sovereign rule of the Holy
Spirit, to apply His Word in real life and to work with
His body, the local churches, we have no substance and
content for the broadcast media.
In
God we trust, on ground zero we stay, by His grace we
dare to expand and move on with a renewed vision to make
Him known--all for His glory. Great is our God and greatly
to be praised! The hustle and bustle of the streets
below our office constantly reminds us that still millions
have not heard the gospel and that God so loved the WORLD!
.
.
met
few times each year for the purpose of discussing
and praying for the CGBC ministry. Yet, during
the brief time that we spent together, Herbert
left an indelible impression on me.