Matthew 4:19

May the name of the Lord be so boldly proclaimed, and His Gospel received with joy!

As we enter into the final quarter of this year, I am reminded of the call of God to all of us who profess faith in Jesus – to bring the Gospel to others. This same call was made to Jesus’ disciples in Matthew 4,
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mt 4:19)

When the disciples heard Jesus’ call, they left everything behind and followed Him. Over the next 3 years or so of Jesus’ ministry, He taught them all they needed to know to continue the mission – He had turned them into fishers of men! When Jesus died, however, the disciples quickly forgot what Jesus had called them to do. And they went back to what was familiar to them – fishing.
And so, Jesus, after rising from the dead, meets the disciples where they are at. He doesn’t scold them or express any disappointment, He merely reminds them gently that they are no longer to catch fish, but to catch men.
He called out to them, ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’ ‘No,’ they answered. He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’ When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. ~ JOHN 21:5-6
Earlier in the year, I shared a strategy for evangelism with the English congregation that consists of 4 simple steps:

• Pray faithfully
• Connect relationally
• Love practically
• Share boldly

Since then, we have prayed faithfully, at least once a month, for 1, 2 or 3 persons the Lord has put on our hearts to reach. For some, we have moved into the second step where opportunities have opened up for us to connect on a personal level with these friends, acquaintances or colleagues. For others, we are acting out practical ways to show our friends God’s love.
For this last quarter of the year, I believe that the whole of Kum Yan will have opportunities to share our faith boldly.
Kum Yan Methodist Church, let us not be discouraged as we enter into this last quarter of 2025, but let us hold firmly to the call that Jesus has spoken to us. And let us all, every one of us, be ready to give a reason for our faith so that when the door is open, we can step into it boldly to claim the lost soul for Jesus.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes… ~ ROMANS 1:16
May the name of the Lord be so boldly proclaimed, and His Gospel received with joy!