12 Years with This Church, CERC ft. Adrian Miller

Being a member of CERC has been really encouraging and deeply sanctifying. In the midst of all that has happened, I am thankful that my church has not wavered in terms of faithful teaching and its ministry of building the kingdom, but has only grown stronger in these. We are constantly being challenged by God’s Word and the needs of Christ’s ministry here, and these factors, together with the hardships and opposition we endure, have kept us on our toes and protected us from being complacent in our lives as Christians. It’s actually incredibly comforting, because in all of this, God is sustaining and maturing us as His church to be His people saved to do His will.

Looking back at the past 12 years, I am grateful for the many things that we did in order to proclaim God’s gospel uncompromisingly:

• Pastor Robin started the church despite limited resources and only a handful of people; he has worked tirelessly at its growth since day 1.
• The church made a commitment to raise ministers for God through apprenticeship and seminary training, even at the high cost of time, effort and money.
• We run evangelistic weddings, where the church, the preacher and the couple work to call people to Christ.
• Our Growth Group leaders are trained to not merely run Bible studies, but to pastor its members to maturity through the teaching of the Word.
• Our comprehensive sermons treat God’s word with the respect and reverence it deserves, and help us to think through what God is saying to us today and how He is addressing us.
• Our sermon series cover a wide range of Bible books with the intention of equipping the church with the knowledge of the Son of God – theology – that the church requires for its growth.
• Our pastors, staff and members are all willing to make sacrifices (and some have made big ones) in order to support the ministry.

I’ve said all that, but I can still name you lots more instances such as these. Haha!

It is my hope that the church continues to keep going – see the God who is worthy of our lives, be thankful that we are His people, receive His discipline and grow mature, and to be like Christ in His love for God.

Keep going – serve His people in love, put away the way of life that is self-seeking, be self-correcting, to not overlook your sin, and put sin to death.

Keep going – work hard on the Word, be clear in your understanding, speak clearly about Christ to each other, preach boldly to a world that hates God and call them to repent.

Keep going – don’t take it lightly when His gospel is distorted, be responsible as a steward, don’t fear the threats of man; only look to God and do His will.

Keep going – don’t be discouraged in hardships or overwhelming work, look to Christ who is worthy, and don’t depend on what you see but on what He says.

Keep going – don’t grow complacent, don’t become a Christian just in namesake and don’t compromise as you look forward to His return.

Keep going – God deserves nothing less.