5:17 church

With thankfulness to God, our little family at 5:17 church is growing nicely. The cross of Christ is at the centre of all we do, and it is a deep privilege to be part of Christ’s work of both redeeming people to himself, as well as maturing his people in their discipleship of him.

It is a joy to see 5:17ers striving “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-4). This has been seen most vividly through our after-service dinners throughout the winter months – where members of 5:17 volunteer to cook a meal for all the congregation to enjoy fellowship over. These have been a highlight for our growth in fellowship and mutual love and service and provide a great opportunity for us to get to know and thus serve each other more deeply and meaningfully.

We’ve also been growing through indepth studies of the Letter of James and the Book of Jeremiah. These have been both challenging and encouraging.  Earlier this year we had to start a third weekly Community Group (in-home Bible study and fellowship) as our numbers warranted it. Similar to SLE’s approach, CG’s each week study the same passage as the previous Sunday’s sermon has covered.  This has meant we soak ourselves in the Scriptures that much more and has been very rewarding.  Looking (from Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 9-10) at how Jesus instituted the New Covenant, enabling us as God’s people to be faithful to Him as the Israelites weren’t able to be, was especially wonderful!

It’s been an enormous joy and privilege for Steve and 5:17ers to introduce a few friends and international students to the Gospel through doing the ‘Christianity Explained’ course with them.  Praise God for recent new life in Christ!!  Reading through ‘The Big Picture Story Bible’ (a children’s Bible in English) with international students has also proven to be an effective way to introduce ESL speakers to the key storyline of God’s word – redemption in Jesus’ death and resurrection.  (You might like to try this yourself – 5:17 girls have found it takes about 2 hours in one sitting!)

We hope to letterbox-drop a second community letter in the coming few weeks – perhaps after the newest 5:17 member (baby Jacob Max Nation, born to Steve and Keiyeng on August 30) grows and settles down a little! Please continue to pray that the salt and light of God’s saving word would go out from amongst us, and that we’ll grow as the little church through whom God is pleased to do great things for His glory.