A few guiding lights have stood out consistently over more than ten years for the New Covenant Church (tNCC). Founded in 2009 with an emphasis and focus on the love of Christ and the model of a community of believers as a family and Body of Christ, tNCC grew immensely throughout its 14 years of existence. Headed by Pr Peter Sze, one of the humblest pastors I know and a man with a great capacity to love, I was privileged to witness its 14th Anniversary Celebration.
Pr Peter conveyed that the Mission Statement of tNCC (the focus on today and who they are as a church) is to be a community that celebrates the finished work on the cross and to live a supernatural life because of what Christ has done for His people. Alongside this is the Vision Statement of what it is to become – being a community transformed by grace with the power to impact nations passionately. The Core Values guiding tNCC forms an acronym (CHIPS) – A Chip off the old block of Jesus Christ (to be a church that is Christ-centered, Honouring, Impactful, Passionate, and Supernatural).
In addition, Pr Peter shared a message on Christian growth relevant to the larger Body of Christ from Isaiah 54: 1-5. The passage is well-known and beloved by Christians everywhere as a vision of glory, strength, and vitality. However, Isaiah 54 was, in fact, not written during a peaceful time for the Israelites. The nation was about to be brought into exile by the Babylonians, something the prophet also foresaw. Exile, by its very nature, connotes shame, disgrace, and humiliation. Yet, amidst the dark times, Isaiah celebrated the faithfulness and sovereignty of God, encouraging the nation of Israel to sing unto the Lord.
Isaiah 54:1-5
1 “Sing, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,”
says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.
4 “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
5 For your Maker is your husband—
the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.
Why sing? Isaiah trusted the Lord. He knew that the Lord was still with His people. Similarly, as Christians, we can sing songs that focus on Jesus. Despite the events in the world, we can find peace and joy in the Lord. Pr Peter expressed that something happens within us when we sing to the Lord. Despite the circumstances, the Israelites knew that there was still a promise of fruitfulness in God (v1: more are the children of the desolate woman). Therefore, they could sing in anticipation. Our world changes when we focus on what Jesus has done for us.
Because the Israelites aligned their faith and trust with God, they could envision the future glory of their nation. Instead of dwelling in despair, they challenged themselves to enlarge their tents. We also have the same challenge today to have a larger view of God and to see from His viewpoint instead of ours. We must enlarge our capacities in the Lord, Pr Peter conveyed. God has big things to give us, and we must be ready. Ultimately, we are to enlarge our vision for God. We serve a big God with big plans.
In enlarging our views of and for God, we Stretch the curtains of our hearts and spirits wide. Like the curtains in our homes, when we stretch our spiritual curtains, we let the light of Christ shine in, and His spirit blows through our lives. Often, when we do not let His light shine in, we can get into a state where darkness comes in, and we do not see hope, we lose our faith, and we get overwhelmed by our problems. When His light shines in, there is hope, and when His Spirit blows through us, we are inspired and encouraged. We want to do great things for Him.
Isaiah also enjoined the Israelites not to hold back. By extension, Christians also should not hold back. Sometimes, doubt and fear can set in. How can we increase our efforts for the Lord in our time and expenses? Pr Peter shared his experience holding two jobs as CEO of his company and as a full-time pastor. Though he sometimes wondered whether he could handle the immense workload, the Lord kept him and prospered his company (Agrifert) until it grew to 3 times its original size in the 10 years until his retirement. At the same time, the church also continued to grow. Sometimes, we may wonder how to handle the workload, but the Lord brings in people, Pr Peter shared. The Lord is no man’s debtor. Where our resources end is where His grace begins, and the grace of God enables us. In stretching our capacities, we also lengthen our reach beyond the familiar. It may be missions into unfamiliar territories or expanding our skill sets. The Lord provides many opportunities to extend and grow in numerous ways.
Crucially, we must strengthen our stakes. The tent can only stand if its stakes are fixed firmly in the ground. With a firm foundation in the Lord, we will have firm footing and know our direction no matter what happens around us. How do we strengthen our stakes? By being rooted and established in love and grasping how wide, long, high, and deep is the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:17-19) for us. We need to remind ourselves of this repeatedly, even more so because we live in times of war and an uncertain global economy.
As a church, we are to spread out. A church is more than just a building; it is a community with many members equipped with the capacity, talents, and gifts for leadership in community groups. It is time to stand out. Influence and impact lives in the community, be a blessing to someone. The Church extends to more than its four walls.
How do we know that we will be fruitful or blessed? The Maker Himself has promised to be the husband of the Church. God is the Head, and we are the Body, Pr Peter encouraged. God is our Creator, the Lord Almighty, the Holy One, our Redeemer, God of all the Earth. He is always beside us. He will carry us through.
Pr Peter shared the testimony of William Carey, the renowned missionary to India. During his 40 years in India, Carey did many things for the Lord. He started a printing press and translated the Bible into Hindi, Sanskrit, and Bengali. Schools and universities were established by him, including the first university that awarded degrees in India. Throughout his life, Carey had two callings. He expected great things from Jesus and attempted great things for Jesus.
The people of God have an immense capacity for growth. It is through the Lord’s strength and by His grace we grow. Like William Carey, we can expect great things from Jesus and attempt the big things for Jesus.
Note: The writer would like to thank Pr Peter and the church of tNCC for their great hospitality and help throughout the production of this article. All photos of tNCC kindly contributed by Pr Peter and the church.
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