Anniversaries mark sacred milestones in the life of any church. They remind us of God’s faithfulness across seasons, transitions, breakthroughs, and challenges. On its 16th anniversary, The New Covenant Church (tNCC) stands as a living testimony of this faithfulness. Yet beyond commemorating an internal milestone, tNCC’s celebration offers a word of encouragement to the wider Christian community, a reminder that we are created, redeemed, and empowered by God not merely to survive, but to thrive.
Traditionally, sixteen years may not be a symbolic number, yet the message shared by Pr Peter Sze, Senior Pastor of tNCC, this year resonates deeply. The Church today is not “on the brink” of danger but on the threshold of something good God is preparing. This hopeful posture is vital not only for tNCC but for all disciples navigating an increasingly complex world.
Created to Thrive: The Original Blueprint
The foundation of Pr Peter’s anniversary message goes all the way back to Genesis. From the beginning, humanity was designed to flourish. God blessed Adam and Eve and commissioned them to “be fruitful” and to “fill the earth and subdue it.” Flourishing was not an upgrade. It was in fact in God’s original blueprint for mankind.
Sadly, sin distorted this design. The ground itself became cursed, and humanity shifted from thriving to striving, labouring with sweat, stress, and burden in order to simply survive. Though the specific form of striving may change from generation to generation, its effects remain painfully familiar: anxiety, exhaustion, pressure, and a sense of wrestling with life rather than rejoicing in it. It is precisely because of this human condition that the heartbeat of the gospel becomes especially relevant today.
Restored Through Christ: From Death to Life
Through Jesus, God reverses what sin had destroyed. The curse in the fall at Eden is not our final story. Christ came not only to forgive sins but to reconnect us to the life we were meant to have, which is not bios (biological life) alone and not merely psychological or emotional life, but zoe: the divine, eternal, God-kind of life which was in that original blueprint. That was Jesus’ mission statement: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
Too often, Christians embrace the first half of that statement (life) but overlook the second (to the full). Many believers accept salvation as a kind of “ticket to heaven,” while enduring life on earth with resignation, fear, or weariness. But salvation was never meant to be a ticket for later. It is an impartation for the now in our lives.
This message holds profound relevance, not just for tNCC, but also for the global Church: Christians are not redeemed to survive until heaven. We are redeemed to thrive in Christ today.
A Journey of Grace: Enlarge, Restore, Thrive
Over the past three years, tNCC has been guided by a trilogy of themes that mirror the movements of God’s work in His people:
- Enlarge – a season of stretching, expanding, and stepping beyond previous boundaries.
- Restore – a season of healing and rebuilding, where God mends what was broken.
- Thrive – the upcoming theme, signalling a season of flourishing regardless of circumstances.
This movement reflects a gospel pattern familiar to the wider Church. In Christ, God enlarges our hearts, restores our identity, and positions us to thrive even in hard times. It is a rhythm of grace, a cycle of divine transformation that every congregation and every believer can identify with.
Six Marks of a Thriving Christian Life
The call to “thrive” is not a vague idea or motivational slogan. It is deeply biblical and profoundly practical. While tNCC will unpack the theme more fully in the coming year, six core dimensions offer a preview of what thriving looks like for the modern believer.
- THRIVE in Peace and Joy
Jesus left His disciples two precious gifts on the eve of the cross: “My peace I give you… My joy I give you.” (John 14:27; 15:11)
Peace and joy are not seasonal emotions. They are spiritual inheritances anchored in Christ. A thriving Christian is not one with a storm-free life, but one with a storm-calmed heart. In a world marked by mental strain and emotional heaviness, Jesus’ peace and joy are among the Church’s greatest witnesses.
- THRIVE in Purpose
Ephesians 2:10 declares that we are God’s workmanship, and in fact Scripture describes us as His masterpiece. We were created for good works prepared in advance for us to walk in. Thriving includes a restored sense of purpose, calling, and meaning. Whether in ministry, marketplace, art, caregiving, or unseen acts of love, every believer is shaped and empowered to participate in God’s good work on earth.
- THRIVE in Power
Acts 1:8 reminds us that such a calling is empowered by the Holy Spirit. Natural ability alone does not make one able to thrive. God equips, enables, and strengthens His people to do what they could never accomplish in their own strength – whether it be leading, serving, creating, or witnessing.
- THRIVE in Provision
God has promised to supply all our needs “according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). Again, this is not necessarily about material abundance for its own sake but about trusting God’s faithful provision. This means living from a place of security rather than scarcity, knowing that the One who calls also provides.
- THRIVE in the Prime of Health
John the apostle prayed, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” To prosper implies to flourish in the whole person; spirit, soul, and body. While the world strives for health as an achievement, believers receive the blessing from Him Who is concerned with each dimension of our lives.
- THRIVE in Community
Even as Pr Peter’s sermon underscored personal flourishing, the anniversary in itself becomes a reminder to the church that God has designed His people to grow together. Churches thrive when believers can encourage, support, and strengthen each other. As the wider Christian community, we are called to rejoice with one another’s victories, bear one another’s burdens, and pursue God’s purposes together.
A Relevancy for the Whole Church
tNCC’s 16th anniversary message is ultimately not just about one congregation. It is a timely word for a global Church navigating uncertainty, rapid change, and cultural upheaval.
The world may warn of decline, pressure, or challenge. But God calls His people to hope, abundance, and confidence in His goodness. The Church is not on the brink. It is on the threshold. Not shrinking, but enlarging. Not broken, but restored. Not struggling to survive, but empowered to thrive.
As tNCC steps into a new congregational year and phase with the theme Thrive, it carries a proclamation the whole body of Christ can echo: Because Christ lives in us, we are made alive to thrive – in peace, in joy, in purpose, in power, in provision, and in every good work God has prepared.
May this message strengthen every believer, every congregation, and the Church across Malaysia and beyond to flourish in Christ, for His glory, in every season ahead.
Christianity Malaysia would like to thank Pr Peter Sze and the church of tNCC for their hospitality and kind help with the production of this article. All photos of tNCC were kindly provided by them.
|Share The Good News|
Leave a Reply