By Rev. Vincent Lee

For any short term mission requesting ACEM Missions subsidies, ACEM Missions will still support financially according to the usual practice.  However, ACEM cannot be held responsible or liable for the following:

•Danger of being infected with coronavirus at the overseas field or on the plane or other mode of transport;

•The need to quarantine (however long) after arriving back home, and will affect the team members' home, work, school and local church ministries;

•Insurance companies may cancel the travel insurance once the Canadian government issued travel advisories or warnings;

•The possibility that airlines may refuse boarding of the team or the air flight may be cancelled or delayed due to new development in coronavirus spread.

Also, ACEM cannot be held responsible or liable for any additional unforeseeable consequences and expenses.  Each team member will be required to sign a special waiver form.

Examples are (not exhaustive):

a.airplane ticket cancellation

b.airplane ticket cancellation admin fee

c.extra air travel fare or other mode of transportation fee

d.salary or wage loss due to quarantine (during or after the Trip, whether on the field, other countries or in Canada)

e.extra hotel or other accommodation fee beyond the Trip end period

We strongly suggest you clarify the support issues with ACEM office before you purchase your plane tickets.  Each team member is required to complete and return the Waiver form prior to the Trip.  Otherwise the application will not be processed.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

TCCC Saddle Lake Short-term Mission Trip Reflection – Edmund Wu

From May 7-17, 2016, a 13-member team from TCCC visited the Saddle Lake Cree Reserve through SIM with the goal of participating in a ‘ministry of presence’ among the residents there. Saddle Lake Reserve is located about 180km NE of Edmonton. With an on-reserve population of approximately 6500 Saddle Lakers, this community has faced its fair share of heartache and death over the recent years. It was indeed God’s orchestration that our team was able to be there as a Christian presence on the reserve. Unlike other more structured, more task-oriented STM trips, this ministry of presence trip consisted of (1) living among the people, (2) learning about the Cree culture, (3) listening to their stories and (4) praying together with them for their needs.

(1) Living among the People

Our team was the first group that our missionary host arranged to stay in various homes of Cree Saddle Lake residents on the reserve. Other previous options included staying in a motel about 20km outside the reserve, and the youth centre or the healing centre on the reserve. By far, staying in people’s home was the best option considering the purpose of the trip. Our team was divided among 4 different homes. We were well received by the locals as they appreciated our willingness to be among them. By no means were the living conditions up to hotel style accommodations. My family stayed in the cold basement in a house. But at least there weren’t any pets and animals crawling over us at night – as was experienced by one of the other groups. As guests in their home, we needed to be wary of not wasting water and electricity as we so often take for granted in our own homes.

谢飞鹏

这次去德国短宣有很多感触，最深刻的领受是圣灵奇妙的工作。虽然德国华人牧者少、教会小，很多城市甚至没有华人教会，只有查经小组，在属灵资源上远远比不上北美的华人教会，但神的灵在那里抓住一批很优秀的中国年轻人，引导他们认识真理，接受耶稣基督，在小组或教会接受栽培，然后回中国大陆带职传福音。在德国接触的信徒，属灵生命比北美教会的会众更追求。有些人在主日来回花4-5小时坐车赶来，令人感动。

另外深深触动我心弦是認識德国人葛忠良牧师。葛牧师和师母能讲一口流利国语，他们本是OMF在台湾的宣教士，1966年去台湾，在那里住了十多年。1978年从台湾回德国述职，正好有大量越南难民涌进德国，其中有很多华侨，他们开始在难民中向华侨传福音。

Pastor Katherine Yu, ACEM Ministry Director, represents Church Planting Department to serve in the newly planted Argentina Christian Community Church from May 19 to June 7. 事工主任余彩玉傳道5月19日至6月7日代表植堂部在新植堂之阿根廷華基教會事奉.

(Katherine Yu) Praise the Lord for the smooth entry with one and a half luggage of church supply. I was sick on the first Sat., the day before Sunday preaching.

Nepal/India PEACE Mission Team Report

Period of Mission – February 11-23, 2016

The PEACE Mission Team from RHCCC consisted of 10 members: Pastor Grover Crosby, Pastor Ho-Ming Tsui, Alex Chan, Simon Leung, Angela Leung, Richard Sae, Sylvia Sae, Michelle Dao, Vania Tong and Tiffany Wan. Shimon Singh from India joined us as an interpreter. Two of our RHCCC members, Weng and Tan Yeo, also joined our team in Nepal. The team conducted their mission in two locations, Nepal and North Bengal, India. Our host partners were Good Friends of Nepal and Dooers Outreach Ministries in North Bengal.

RHCCC Nepal/India PEACE Team with local leaders

Trip: Bluefields, Nicaragua, CA

When: March 9-20, 2016

Team leader: Kevin Ko

This was the 11^th trip to Bluefields Nicaragua for Cornerstone. We have built up a relationship with Verbo church and school, working with Pastor Ed over these past 11 years. Over the years, we have supported the Verbo church and school with construction projects, helping at the feeding program, helping at the new orphanage, building a computer lab for the school, installing Internet both at the school and at the Pastor’s home, and supporting a variety of projects in the local neighbourhood to help individuals to get out of poverty.

We have gone down with the mindset based upon “When Helping Hurts.” We are not the ones with all the answers, nor do we go in as the “saviours of all their ills.” We go to help where they ask for help. We support through the local church. We believe that for the mission to be successful, and for the message of Jesus to be preached, it must come through the local church. To that extent we have worked with the leaders of Verbo to provide them with the tools, skills, and strategies that will help maximize their impact long after we are gone. We are there only for 9 days – they see them 365 days!

By Rev. Simon Wong

Under the guidance of God, Rev. John Kao accepted a call from CNEC to serve as a missionary and plant new churches in Toronto. His pioneering work in January 1975 led to the establishment of Toronto Chinese Community Churches (TCCC). Rev. Kao has great passion for missions. He set up a missions offering in the first year. Four years later, the first Annual Missions Conference was held. The congregation was encouraged to be involved in global evangelization and gave to the missions fund. Young people joined short term missions. Some became missionaries; others dedicated their lives to God and became pastors of local churches, with missions as important and integral parts of their ministry.

As the number of Chinese Community Churches grows, so does the need to organize, resulting in the Association of Chinese Evangelical Ministries (ACEM). In 2011, twelve ACEM churches sent representatives to be part of the ACEM Missions Department. The main objectives are setting missions philosophy, objectives, strategies, targets, plans and budgets.  The Missions Department also allocates funding distribution, promotes missions education, coordinates cooperation among churches, and supports missions projects and workers in different people groups and locations.

Trials and Setbacks

As a non-denominational organization, ACEM has no traditions of its own. It has to develop its ministries from scratch. Christians in our 12 churches come from different backgrounds, countries of origin and cultures. Even our pastors may come from other denominations with different traditions. In addition, different languages – English, Cantonese, Mandarin - often lead to very different perspectives. For example, each may have its own definition to the question “What is Mission?” In the past, it may refer to cross cultural evangelism in distant, untouched places, with the church supporting overseas missionaries and their work. Nowadays many different ethnic groups live in our communities and become our neighbours. What is local mission? Missionaries now would not need to go overseas in order to do cross cultural evangelism. Will ACEM support such a ministry? According to tradition, this does not meet the criteria of being a missionary. Financial support would be minimal, if any. It is even harder to fundraise for local coworkers who provide administrative support for overseas missionaries.

Occasionally a certain special need of a church may lower the priority of missions there. In recent years, many believers shift the emphasis to the needs of the society, and to the issue of social justice. Not only do they address these issues in their local communities, but also in missions fields to spread the gospel and care for the needy at the same time.  However these are different points of view on a variety of fields. Holding to extremes will easily create friction and disharmony.

Traditional overseas missionaries serve cross culturally. They have to adapt to a new culture, language and living environment. When a country refuses the entry of missionaries, then sending missionaries as tentmakers would become an alternative. Furthermore, the issue of sending missionaries by a professional agency or non-professional ones is real. It is common practice for a church to send their missionaries through an established missions organization because of the existence of a mature structure for training, counseling, support and administration. Nowadays, many Chinese churches eagerly participate in missions. The need of establishing a Chinese Missions Organization is mentioned frequently. In what role should ACEM play?  Though we have tried, the road ahead is difficult due to our inexperience and limited resources.

Within ACEM, there are English only, Mandarin only, and tri-lingual churches. Each has its unique characteristics but all must deal with the cultural and language differences between immigrant and local-born coworkers. Their diverse backgrounds may lead to different priorities in their ministries. If handled well, they will complement one another. If not, the result can be disastrous to all.

Challenges and Harmony

For more than 30 years, Rev. Kao has emphasized greatly that senior pastors of ACEM churches must be advocates of missions. They must set a good example and follow the teaching of “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. Rev. Kao has a very clear vision and an almost unstoppable passion for missions. He has set a wonderful example for us to follow. “It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing…pass it on”. Our leaders and co-workers have followed this conviction for missions for many years. If this vision and teaching are embedded into the ACEM church growth genetic codes (DNA), surely the new churches will also emphasize on missions and giving.

In addition, it is very important for church leaders to broaden their views on global evangelism. This is instrumental to avoid closing ourselves up. ACEM encourages church pastors and leaders to participate in different world evangelical conventions by providing funding and support to attend these meetings. In 2006 more than 50 delegates attended the 7th Chinese Congress on World Evangelism in Macao.

The Missions Department of ACEM is composed of teams of delegates from all the ACEM churches. They set up policies and guidelines, such as, a newly appointed pastor has to serve in a short term missions trip for one month in the first year, and pastors are encouraged to lead short term teams periodically. Meanwhile our missions philosophy emphasizes participation. Each individual church may choose its own missions project and fields. For example, the Toronto Christian Community Church has sent their mission teams to Panama for many years. They worked together with the local church visiting small towns and leading many people to Christ. In 2011, they helped established a new church in Panama. The North York Chinese Community Church put their focus on the First Nation people in Quebec. Each summer they send young people to help organize and lead Summer Camps there.

In order to raise the interest of and promote further education in missions ministry, ACEM has financially supported brothers and sisters in ACEM churches to join in long term or short term missions trips regardless of the contribution of resources and funding from their home churches.

Every year ACEM organizes an annual missions conference. The pastors and delegates from different ACEM churches participate in planning and executing this conference. Our continuous cooperation not only brings out the joy of serving in missions, it also fosters our love and unity. ACEM also conducts a bi-monthly pastoral fellowship, an annual retreat and regularly scheduled lunches with our pastors. Through different communication platforms, ACEM works to build better relationships among church congregations. Weekly news and our publication, “ACEM Monthly” are distributed to all the churches to enhance communication. There is also an ACEM Conference, which is held twice a year for delegates representing each of our churches, to decide on important matters related to ACEM. Through God’s grace, our churches continue to grow and new ones are planted. The number of believers grow steadily bringing excitement and encouragement to all.  It is an honour to be a part of ACEM.

Making Breakthroughs, Advancing Further

ACEM has no interest to dominate over individual churches. Our role is to establish a long term relationship, provide direction and support. Hence we must look at the big picture, be generous and flexible, not petty on little things. ACEM recognizes that for our churches to be connected, we must build a firm foundation based on mutual trust and love. The degeneration of our foundation is usually not due to huge difficulties or enemies; rather it is the silent erosion of Satan such as loss of faith in ACEM leadership, questioning on the direction of ACEM or the loss of love among the churches. We need wisdom and discernment in working with each other.

As for the future, ACEM must continue to seek breakthroughs in order to make advancement. If circumstances prevail, it may be necessary to make some minor changes in our missions policy every three or five years, and major changes in 10 years or so. Recently we have reviewed the framework of our Missions policy. The first step of restructuring has been approved. The next step will include the assisting of member churches to actively participate in missions in the next 2-3 years. In order to gain ACEM’s support, missions project will require the sponsorship of at least one member church. Financial contribution alone is not sufficient.

The missions ministry at ACEM continues to move in the direction of the “P.E.A.C.E.” plan, working to attain a healthy balance of spreading the gospel and caring for the need of people in our missions fields. Richmond Hill Christian Community Church is in the process of transforming and establishing a systematic missions training institute. In the past two years, 40 people have completed training as lay missions leaders.  At present an additional 30 people are in training. In time, the result will be even more encouraging.

(The Author is ACEM General Director)

•    Translated by Anthony Pang

Why is ‘To Give’ Better Than ‘To Receive’?

Written by Rev. Dr. John Kao

‘To give’ is to give away, which implies the meaning of decrease. ‘To receive’ is to accept, which implies an increase. 
Although I often preach on the message of “To give is better than to receive” (Acts 20:35), but I have never studied it in a systematic way. After giving it much thought, I have found it to be a very helpful biblical teaching.

New Global Mission Challenges for Chinese Canadians

Rev. Simon Wong
Former ACEM General Director

Since the 1980s there were waves of Chinese migration to North America. Many Christians moved to Canada, settled down, grew up and nurtured the next generation. We are now into the second decade of the 21st century; the world’s political landscape has changed. China has emerged as an economic power. There are frequent natural disasters, threats of economic recessions and different stages of democratic movements in the world. With the advancement of electronic communication, places around the globe are easily accessed and connected, providing opportunities as well as risks everywhere.

TOUCH: Overcoming Poverty
Written by Ian Arienda-Jose

In the 2009 ACEM Missions Conference, we started our five-year T.O.U.C.H.  journey. Last year the theme was “Tearing Down Injustice”. This year the theme for the 2010 English Missions Conference is “Overcoming Poverty”, which is the second part of the acronym T.O.U.C.H. In this article I would like to share with you a Bible verse, a story, and a question.

Touching Lives Where It Counts

Written by Vincent Lee

During the time while Jesus was walking on earth, He touched many people’s lives and healed them. In Mark 1:41-43, a man with leprosy came to Jesus and asked for healing.  Jesus, filled with compassion, reached out His hand and touched the man, and said, “Be clean!”

POLICY OF ACEM MISSIONS DEPARTMENT (click to download)

ABS Centre of Canada

Alliance Global Service Canada

Ambassadors for Christ in Canada

Association of Canadian Chinese Theological Education

Bible League Canada

Breakthrough Overseas Missions Inc.

Canadian Baptist Ministries

Chinese Christian Communication

Chinese Christian Educational Ministries Association

Chinese Coordination Centre of World Evangelism (Canada)

Chinese Gospel Broadcasting Centre of Canada

Chinese Overseas Christian Mission UK

Christian Aids & Relational Evangelism

Christian Communication Inc. Canada

CIAM Media & Radio Broadcasting Association

Connect City

Evangelical Fellowship of Canada

Far East Broadcasting Associated of Canada

Go and Share Missions Canada

GO International

Glow Cambodia

Halifax Chinese Christian Church

Herald Monthly

Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship of Canada

International China Concern (Canada)

Interserve

Joy Beyond Vision Community

Langham Partnership Canada

Living Water Counselling Centre

OMF

Operation Dawn

Operation Mobilization Canada

Our Common Calling

Showers of Blessing Evangelistic Ministry

SIM Canada

TEAM of Canada

The Alliance Canada

Toronto Chinese Christian Mission of Canada

Toronto Chinese Christian Short Term Mission Training Centre

Toronto City Mission

Trans World Radio Canada

Tyndale University

World Team

Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada

Youth Unlimited Toronto

YWAM Canada

Cha, Tan Yone & Susan (CNEC)

Chan, John (Canadian Baptist Ministries)

Chan, Victor (Christian Aid and Relational Evangelism)

Chan, Wai Chuen & Chun Oi (GO International）

Chang, Paul (CNEC)

Cheung, Barry (Fellowship of Evangelical Student HK)

Cheung, Sandy (Chinese Mission Seminary)

Chu, Joseph (CEM)

Chu, Joshua (Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of Canada)

Chuang, Henry & Wendy (The Alliance Canada)

Co Chien, Caroline (Youth Unlimited)

Fok, Joyce (Go & Share Missions Canada)

Garcia, Marcio (Partners International)

Gang, Xiaodan (Canadian Baptist Ministries)

Hawkins, Stephen & Esther (Operation Mobilization)

Hjir, Anie (Interserve)

Ho, Rachelle (GO International)

Ho-Abbas, Holly (Canadian Baptist Ministries)

Huang, Eric & Ping (GO International)

Kazanjian, Shant (Partners International)

Kwok, Prisca (Showers of Blessing Evangelistic Ministry)

Kwong, Andrew & Josephine (Glow Cambodia)

Lai, James (CNEC)

Lam, Lewis & Felain (Canadian Baptist Ministries)

Lau, Simon (Operation Dawn)

Lee, Chrison & Angela (OMF International)

Lee, Keith (GO International)

Leung, Danny (Joy Beyond Vision Community)

Lin, Selina (OMF International)

Ling, Sam & Linda (Interserve)

Liu, Grace (COCM)

Lo, Janice (GO International)

Loh, John & Karen (GO International)

Lu, Henry (COCM)

Lu, Jennifer (Operation Mobilization)

Lui-Yee, Doris (TEAM of Canada)

Luk, Chiu Ming (ABS Centre of Canada)

Luo, Florence (CCEMA)

Mah, Randall (Wycliff Bible Translators of Canada)

McCartney, Colin (Connect City)

Najem, Joseph & Doris (Partners International)

Nelson, Scott & Kyoko (TEAM of Canada)

Okoyo, George Liboyi (Changing Times Ministry)

Pang, James (Toronto Chinese Christian Short Term Mission Training Centre)

Sandström, Michael & Man (CIAM Radio)

Schalm, Stephen (Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of Canada)

S, Valerie & Jiten

Stiller, Brian (World Evangelical Alliance)

Sun, Nathanael

Tam, Francis (CCCOWE-Canada)

Tao, Jonathan (Interserve)

Taylor, Leone (OMF International)

Tse, Bella (CCIC)

Tsui, William (TWR Canada)

V, Chris & Esther

Vijitrakul, Boonprasert & Boon Har (CNEC)

Vuong, Carol (SEND International of Canada)

Watt, Graham & Jennifer (Power To Change)

Wen, J & A (Interserve)

Wong, Letty (AFC)

Wong, Nicole (Across U-hub)

Wu, Cecilia (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada)

Yan, Chun-Yu (OMF International)

Ye, Yuanchuan & Ming (Canadian Baptist Ministries)

Yee, Joanna (Youth Unlimited)

Yeung, Samuel & Lydia (Power To Change)

Yoon, Peter & Elaine (Ethnos Canada)

Yu, Joshua (Far East Broadcasting Associates of Canada)

Zhang, Ying Zao (GO International)