12 Years with This Church, CERC ft. Joy Gan

As I look back over the past 12 years, I see God’s sovereign hand and mercy in our church – from its birth, to its growth, and in its perseverance. CERC is a testament of God’s grace. It wouldn’t be untrue to say that we have faced many hardships and trials that have discouraged and disheartened us at times. Having said that, we’ve also seen God’s growth in people’s lives, a steadfastness in Christ, and a firm conviction to stand as a church without compromise for the truth of God’s Word.

This year, when the pandemic hit, it struck at the core of the foundations of our beliefs. Has our only comfort in life (and death) been in Christ? Or has it been in ourselves or this world? Will we keep holding fast to our Lord and serve each other in love, or give up, cocoon ourselves inwardly and disregard the call to meet under God’s Word together?

I’m so thankful for the God’s Story series (an overview of the whole Bible stemming from a deep theology of God) this year and the next. Going through the Old Testament in a biblical theological way (from the start of January) on Sundays and in our Growth Groups has been a great reminder to fear God rightly, to love His Word, and to proclaim His gospel zealously. I’ve been encouraged to see church people meeting regularly (even over Zoom), continuing to evangelise their friends and using their gifts to proclaim God’s truth. Two such efforts have been the “CERC stays at home” series, and the Little People TV (headed by some of the Sunday School teachers).

Throughout church history, enemies of the cross have sought to persecute God’s church, shut down the message of the gospel, and draw God’s people away from the truth.

As CERC, we endeavour with God’s strength and by His grace, to love Jesus more than ourselves, to glorify God rather than being filled with pride, and to consider the sufferings of this world not worth comparing with the glory to come when our Lord returns.

It is truly a privilege to serve alongside saints who don’t compromise God’s truth, and are willing to lose their lives for it.