Mountain top experiences

It was kind of symbolic on Sunday morning we had to come down the mountain to get to the church. The previous day had been "a mountain top experience." Literally I had been riding at 50,000 feet above the ground for 15 hrs. in the Boeing 747-400. Though I came down a few thousand feet when we landed, I don't think my shoes were touching the ground because I was so excited to be back in Hong Kong: to ride the double decker buses again, to try my Cantonese on the taxi driver, to see familiar places with new buildings and roads under construction. We arrived at the retreat center after dark and so the view was spectacular of the valley. High rise buildings were squeezed together in the valley with only enough space for the maze of roads that divided them. They are between 30-35 stories tall (6-8,000 people in each building) and in the dark night they looked like Christmas trees with the lights from each home shining. Daybreak removed the collage of colors displayed during the night and revealed the "concrete jungled" that is the home of 1 million people.

Sunday morning we started down the mountain on foot walking along the narrow road that hugged the side of the hill and broke off steeply on the other side. The road was similar to the road that led to our house where we stayed 12 years ago. I remember many Sunday mornings that I had walked down that steep road to the center to make preparations for worship. Today, it would be five minutes walking before we would come to a taxi that could take us into the "concrete jungle" where the congregation would meet at one of the social centers for worship. It had been some time but the sidewalk seemed so familar but so different. In the past I had walked with my children up the steps and now Tim, Russ and Dave, members of our group followed me. As I entered I heard the worship team practicing in Chinese the songs that would be sung in a few minutes. Many I recognized from the past. It was like being gone only yesterday as we greeted and embraced. Yet there were many others I was meeting for the first time. Edmund and Lisa (the pastor and his wife) arrive and we embrace. They were still in school when I was here. Now they are married, both have graduated from the univesity, and he has graduated from seminary with a Master of Divinity. We both look different with 12 years but yet out hearts reconnect.

The center that we are using we opened in 1989 as a study center for secondary students. The center that they had been using for worship they have closed and given back to the government. I had opened it in 1995 and it served this growing church over the twelve years. More was needed and a new place had been found. But renovation would keep them from using it until December of this year. In the transition of these few months required creativity and flexibility. The church had grown from 30 in 1989 to over 200 presently. This study center was divided by a wall with only a door between the two rooms. Each room was 20 X 20. One room would be used for worship. 50 chairs were all that could be squeezed into the room but they quickly filled as the service began and more came in. After 10 minutes more than 30 people had to stand to be a part of the service. The music and prayers lasted for 45 minutes. No one complained. It came time for me to preach and everyone sat down after standing for the music and prayers. Those who had no seat went to the other room where they could only listen. The oldest person was under 40 and most of them are in their 20's. I preached and Edmund translated - it took 45 minutes but no one complained. They came here to worship and praise God. 50 junior high and high school students had comes Saturday afternoon for a worship service. All of them are first generation Christians. They come with commitment and excitement. I had the opportunity to preach the Word of God but they were living out the message as they gathered together.

The seeds that had been planted 20 years ago was now producing a harvest of hearts and lives loving and serving God. It wsa a time for me to celebrate. I had come down from the mountain to get to the center and to participate in worship. Truly God has come much farther from his place on high to be among these young people. Coming here allowed me to pull the curtain to see what had happened during my absence. Next Sunday at worship time, I wil be gone, traveling on back in the air on a 747-400 . But God will still be there working in their lives and in this community of faith. I will take this experience and treasure it in my heart. With it there, my shoes may not touch the ground for I have been lifted up in my spirit. In many ways coming back to the church has been "a mountain top experience" being with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Serving the God of Mountain top experiences,