Dr David Yonggi Cho, founder of the biggest church in the world of over one million members —Yohoido Full Gospel Church— came to officially dedicate the Calvary Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur on 27th August. Close to 5000 people from 39 nations packed into the four-floor auditorium for this momentous ceremony.
“God has put this vision of building the Calvary Convention Centre in Rev Prince (Guneratnam) long time ago,” said Yonggi. “And now I see with my own eyes the glorious, tremendous church you have. I cannot express in all languages what a great church!”
The prophecy was fulfilled after a decade of purchasing the land in 2003, where CCC had their first church service in March 2013. Currently, CCC is the largest church in Southeast Asia, covering an exterior of 600,000 square foot.
“Rev Prince has accomplished a miracle in Asia. You brought the power of God and dissipated the power of Satan. We are very encouraged by you,” said Yonggi commending Rev Tan Sri Dr Prince Guneratnam, Senior Pastor of CCC.
Yonggi prayed that the Holy Spirit would saturate and multiply the church, healing people in the name of Jesus Christ.
“Most of the people in this generation are neglecting the power of Jesus Christ but when you look in to the Bible, Jesus spent two-third of his ministry in healing and casting out the devil,” said Yonggi.
At 17 years old, Yonggi was saved by the touch of miracle from tuberculosis in his lungs. Having told that he had only one week to live, he went home to await his death when one day, a Christian lady came to his home and shared the gospel with him.
“I told her, ‘I am a dying person, I don’t need a religion,’” said Yonggi.
The lady told him that Christianity is not a mere religion but it can change lives. Hence, he prayed to God for the first time, where Jesus heard his prayer and came to him in a white robe at night. And ever since, Yonggi was healed from tuberculosis until his current age of 78 years old.
“Healing is God’s Will and it comes from the power of the church. We are not only dedicating this church as a healing ministry but for Jesus Christ to take away the curse and bless his children with Abrahamic blessing,” said Yonggi.
Citing an economic professor from Peking, Yonggi shared how the professor found that all developed nations had the Bible and Christianity in place before the country experienced tremendous economic growth. Indeed, the ‘prosperity gospel’ is not heresy per se, but wealth in resources could support many missionary works to the ends of the world.
Personally, he had also experienced prosperity during his first year of preaching, where God multiplied his one straw mat in the church into becoming 70 mats!
“Jesus was rich but become poor for you, so that you can receive the Abrahamic blessing. The people in the (Yohoido Full Gospel) church start to become prosperous and the number of people got saved increased.”
“It was not done by my own triumph but by the power of the Holy Spirit. God said again and again in my heart, ‘You pray, I work. Work belongs to me but prayer belongs to you,’” said Yonggi.
And although the journey of his growing church had its growing pains and sorrows, the Will of God is fulfilled.
“Only that Jesus wants us to give him total sovereignty over our church. When we dedicate this church for divine healing, sanctification, and salvation, Jesus Christ will use us to change the whole nation and the whole world,” said Yonggi.
Many people asked Yonggi how he could fulfill his vision and dream. He explained that it was the Holy Spirit who guided him to fulfill them. And now, having retired from the church, people would tell him that he is too old to start a church.
“I am not too old. I am young in God. When I come back from Malaysia, I will decide if I will have my evangelistic ministry after a long vacation,” said Yonggi, who humorously shared that The Lord would bring him ‘home,’ if he planned to take a long vacation.
“God is counting your time in the world,” said Yonggi.
“You should always have a clear goal in your heart. God would make it very clear. He will come and touch you, giving you fulfillment in your dream. I don’t only preach but I receive visions and dreams that everything was fulfilled,” he added.
And such is the vision given to Rev Prince Guneratnam who saw the fulfillment of the completed Calvary Convention Center.
Following Dr Yonggi, Rev Ong Sek Leang –General Superintendent of AOG in Malaysia– also gave his congratulatory message before Dr George Wood performed the benediction ceremony. The night ended with a traditional Korean fan dance personally brought by Dr David Yonggi Cho.
Amongst the prominent guests who came to the dedication ceremony were YB Tan Sri Joseph Kurup and his wife Puan Sri Melinda, YB Dato’ Sri Idris Jala and his wife Datin Sri Pang Ngan Yue, Isak Burger (Vice Chairman of the Pentecostal World Fellowship), Dr George Wood (General Superintendant of AOG in USA), Larry Miller (Secretary of the Global Christian Forum), Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam (Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur), Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng (Chairman of the Christian Federation of Malaysia), Dr Geoff Tunni Cliffe (CEO and Secretary-General of the World Evangelical Alliance) and also the honorable speakers of the Pentecostal World Conference 2013.
Note: Calvary Church is started by Prince Guneratnam and his wife Petrina in 1972. Currently, it has planted more than 30 churches, sending out missionaries and having given more than 28 million US dollars to national and foreign missions.
Reference for picture:
http://www.blackchristiannews.com/news/img_8743.jpg
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