Fellowships in Taiwan

This time my visit to Taiwan and joining with the brothers visiting Taiwan for church administration training was indeed a grace shown to me. Though this was not meant for me as the burden was for the younger serving ones below 35 years and working saints. The brothers gracefully accepted my request to let me join in as I was in Taiwan too for a family visit. In addition to the many spiritual lessons learned, there were also some fellowships that may be worth mentioning.

In this trip, I simply followed the brothers' fellowship. Only when I was asked to share, then only I did share. Otherwise, I just was with the brothers observing, listening, and learning. In addition to the sharing on three Lord’s Days at three different localities, I was also asked to share in three different meetings at three other different meeting places. 

In a meeting at New Taipei City, one senior sister stood up and gave a testimony about me. She seemed to know me from the time I got married and had listened to my testimony as well. In Chinese she shared whatever she knew about me and finally declared concerning me, "He is Br. Andrew Yu of India." It was a surprised statement to hear from a sister who I barely know about. I had not control nor influence over what she said. If the Lord prompted her to say so, may it be the Lord’s speaking. Otherwise, may it be just a statement a sister made according to her understanding of things. Let the Lord’s will alone be done. Nothing to boast, nothing to betray. Only may the Lord’s will and words be fulfilled.

Later she requested me to share something. Though I was not prepared for such an impromptu speaking, I tried to passed on the burden to my brother sitting next to me and who is also senior to me in the Lord and in the work in India. He insisted that I speak as per the request of the sister. So I shared on my present experiences of the Lord is truth pursuing, in gaining Christ, and encouraged all the saints to love the Lord, pursue the Lord, and gain the Lord unto full maturity. Then, we all prayed together. 

In one of the districts of the church in Taipei, the brothers asked me to share about my feeling concerning the churches in Taiwan, I immediately shared what I had been feeling about the churches in Taiwan. I shared point by point how the churches in Taiwan has been our pattern in India. I also described the specific ways we were helped in following the ministry closely by taking Taiwan as our pattern. To name a few of them; in practicing the God-ordained way, gospel preaching, maintaining statistics, the structure of the church life, PSRP, and Life-study pursuit.

In the church in Hsinchu, as brothers asked us to share how we came into the church life, I shared briefly on how the Lord shepherded me into the church life. I was also helped to shorten my speaking as the time alloted was just about 2 minutes with translation. 

In Taipei, a brother invited us a time of fellowship over dinner lovefeast. A couple of saints joined the feasting as well. Then he asked me to share my testimony of how I came into the church life. Though I hesitated and tried to avoid, he insisted again and again for the sake of the saints who were there too. Therefore, I gave my testimony of the Lord’s work in me. Though the saints were very interested and even touched by the testimony, I encouraged them to simply enjoy the church life. The Lord’s leading differs from person to person. And it is all the Lord’s mercy that we are in the church life today and still continue to look for the Lord’s mercy to be preserved in the church life.

In all these fellowships, I received training and perfecting. Thank the Lord for all the fellowships and His perfecting works in me through the Body.