Street sweeping team on Gale Avenue

——The International Great Commission Church building the kingdom community

Interview/Philip Chen‧Interview／Shi Lingyu
Photo provided/International Great Commission Church, Shi Lingyu

It was a warm spring day in March, and at nine o'clock in the morning, it was the time for government agencies, companies, and schools to go to work and go to school. Located on Gale Ave, Hacienda Heights, CA, east of Los Angeles, there is a group of cleaners with black hair, yellow skin, and orange vests happily cleaning the streets. People wearing yellow gloves concentrated on picking up discarded cigarette butts, Coke cans, and paper scraps on the ground. A few people used brooms to sweep fallen leaves and branches into a pile. Finally, the team leader dumped all the garbage into fifteen giant black garbage bags. .

Many people in this cleaning team have asked for leave from companies and schools, ranging from junior high school and high school students aged 14 to 16, professional engineers in their thirties, insurance brokers, real estate developers, bank CEOs, government civil servants, and people in their forties. From multi-year-old housewives to healthy grandfathers and grandmothers who have reached retirement age, everyone has a happy look on their face from time to time as they carry out the work at hand.

This "different" cleaning team comes from the International Great Commission Church. On March 13, 2010, from nine o'clock in the morning to twelve o'clock in the afternoon, the church sent four teams to clean up the four main streets of Hagang City (including three other smaller streets), giving the city a completely new look. .

For the brothers and sisters of the International Great Commission Church, Haggang is not only the location of their spiritual home on earth, but also the territory God has measured to them with a rope. They are required to maintain it with love and guard this beautiful place with actions. !

The New Age Church, Beyond the Wall

If churches in the 21st century can step outside the "walls", integrate into the community with the love of Christ, care for their neighbors, and become a beacon of blessing to the community, the kingdom of heaven is likely to be right around the corner.

It is a pity that due to language, cultural and other restrictions, most Chinese churches rarely take a step outside the wall and integrate into the mainstream community. Therefore, the teaching in the Bible that one should not ignore the place of residence "Jerusalem" has always been reduced to a slogan and cannot be transformed. for practical action.

"It is very blessed to obey the inspiration of the Holy Spirit!" Pastor Philip Chen, who is small, speaks with a strong voice and is a little hoarse, is sitting in the office of the International Great Commission Church, talking about the blessing launched a few years ago. There was a strange look on his face during the community series of actions.

On the day of the interview, he was dressed in casual clothes and jeans, and he did not look like an ordinary pastor of a large church. Until 2009, the salary he received was still issued by Campus Crusade. Philip Chen always regarded himself as a co-worker of Campus Crusade. At that time, he was only temporarily assigned to the Chinese United Church of Christ in Ha Gang. Facing the popular Hsi Lai Temple, which is only a six-minute drive away in the community, he had a sacred commission from above: to establish a healthy Christian church here that glorifies the Lord!

Although pastoral ministry never appeared in his life plan, his obedience to God’s will made him stay. This stay lasted for thirty years.

Looking back over time, this church started with dozens of Chinese immigrant believers taking turns meeting in different homes, then hired Philip Chen as the senior pastor, purchased land and built a church, and transformed into a small group church. In 2005, due to its mission to the world The church was officially renamed "International Great Commission Church", with more than 1,000 people gathering. God’s grace fills every step of the way, and God’s vision is also with the people who obey Him. As the number of people meeting in small groups grew, God gave more commissions to the International Great Commission Church to establish a church of prayer, balance, care, small groups and missions in the Haggang community.

Navigate with love and move forward with confidence

When talking about Ha Gang International Great Commission Church in the Chinese church community, what is most talked about is that the church has extended the tentacles of Christian love to all parts of the world in the past ten years, including assisting South Africa in building universities; helping poor people in Mexico build houses; Assisted the construction of 19 primary and secondary school buildings in poor areas of Guizhou and Fujian, China, allowing 6,000 students to resume school; reconstructed after the Sichuan earthquake; funded the construction of permanent housing for residents affected by the "1988 Flood" in Pingtung, Taiwan, etc.

From 2000 to 2007, the International Great Commission Church’s missionary footprints spanned five continents around the world. During several trips to the remote mountainous areas of Guizhou, China, the poverty scene described by the poet as "the sky is never clear for three days, the land is never three miles flat, and the people are without three cents of silver" was vividly staged in Mashan Township, more than 100 kilometers away from Guiyang City. The average monthly income of each household in the village is RMB 100 to 140 (less than US$25). The men all go to work elsewhere. Nine out of ten people working in the fields are old and weak, women and children, working in the oldest way. . In many families, the father goes out to work and the mother remarries or disappears, leaving behind a helpless grandmother and grandchildren. In the cave house with bare walls, the teenage sister often has to walk two hours a day to work in the farmland to maintain food and clothing in order for her younger brother to complete his studies.

The township head said that the main reason for poverty is lack of education. According to the "Ten-Year Evaluation Report on Rural Education Layout Adjustment", from 2000 to 2010, an average of 63 primary schools disappeared every day in rural China, and rural schools have been reduced by more than half in ten years.

The problem of poor and out-of-school children kept Philip Chen, the captain of the mission team, awake at night several times. In 2002, the Holy Spirit inspired him to suspend the main church expansion project, which was already in its second phase.

Adhere to the vision, do not rely on the naked eye but rely on the inner eye

"When we posted the vision, a large number of people left." Philip Chen bluntly pointed out that as soon as the motion was proposed, there was so much opposition that it once made him question whether his decision was correct. Philip Chen, who is severely visually impaired, said humorously: "Even I think there are fewer people. Think about it, how many people have left?"
When Philip Chen stood on the podium and preached, he could only outline the dark figures in the audience, but could not clearly see the expressions on the faces of the members; he had a high fever in Taiwan when he was four years old, and his optic nerve was damaged by more than 90%. He was burned out and was diagnosed as "legally blind" by doctors.

Philip Chen's sermons were sonorous and powerful, and his body language was rich, making it impossible for anyone to notice his visual impairment. Because he couldn't see, he had to memorize every sermon by heart. "This hindrance has turned into a blessing. I have to understand it more carefully when preparing my sermon, so that I can express it more freely when I go on stage." Philip Chen said.

"God gave me a pair of bright eyes: spiritual eyes!" With this bright eyes and an obedient heart, Philip Chen often "sees" things that others cannot; he is forward-looking. His vision and mobility also make him willing to challenge what others see as impossible in his ministry career.

"Whatever God touches me, I will do it and challenge it!" Therefore, he first used the church building donation to build a school in Guizhou, which caused the church to lose a group of people. The amazing thing is that after these opponents left, the donation for Sunday worship did not decrease at all, and the brothers and sisters who stayed became more enthusiastic in serving. Philip Chen said that God used this incident to let him see the work of the Holy Spirit. When church members share the same spirit and have the same spirit, they can accomplish great things for the Lord. It is worth mentioning that during the seven or eight years since the establishment of the school in Guizhou and Fujian, the International Great Commission Church has changed from a church with "a lot of debt" to a church with no debt. "God is a God of abundant gifts. As long as we obey, His blessings will be abundant!"

Financial crisis hits school district, launches five waves of brightening up

In 2009, the financial tsunami swept across the world, and the U.S. economy faced the most severe test in history. The California government, which is saddled with a huge deficit, decided to significantly cut education funding for school districts due to the sluggish environment and despite waves of street protests from teachers union groups and parents. As a result, fifteen primary and secondary schools in Hagang were forced to lay off employees, cut salaries, cut classes, and old classroom equipment could not be renovated. Among those affected, students were the first to bear the brunt.

Philip Chen, who had just finished his first sabbatical year in his ministry, returned to the church. On his first day, the pastor of the Spanish Language Church came to visit and mentioned that Ha Gang had been frequently reported of promiscuity and endless social incidents recently, hoping to follow up. Chinese churches pray together for the community.

"We want to purify the spiritual air in Ha Gang and declare that this place belongs to God!" After deep prayer, Philip Chen launched five consecutive waves of blessing Ha Gang action. This series of activities has a resounding name - "Let Ha Gang light up!"

On the morning of Saturday, October 17, the International Great Commission Church dispatched 300 members to march and pray around the main street of Hagang, declaring that the Lord Jesus is in power in Hagang and will bless this community.

A month later, Philip Chen gathered 426 brothers and sisters and divided the 16,181 households in Ha Gang into five blocks. In pairs, they went to the door one by one to bless each family and hung up posters with Chinese and English signs. "Blessed Door Knocker" in three languages: "May the Lord bless you and protect you; May the Lord treat you with kindness and be gracious to you; May the Lord watch over you and give you peace" To you." (Numbers 6:24-26, Revised Modern Chinese Version)

▲Pastor Philip Chen (middle, front row) is visually impaired, but has a bright spiritual eye and a clear forward-looking vision. At the press conference, she announced "Let Hagang light up". Sister Su Wangxiulan, mayor of Walnut City, a member of the church (front row, second from left), gave her full support as before.
▲The "Creative Culture Festival-Large Charity Garden Party" was held to raise funds for the school district.

Raise funds to help meet needs and display the spirit of good neighborliness

"March Prayer" and "Blessing Door Knockers" indirectly ignited the third wave of blessing actions. After learning that the Hagang City Police Department, Fire Department and nearby primary and secondary schools were facing financial constraints, the church launched an internal fund-raising campaign and raised US$27,000, including donations of US$17,158 and backpacks worth US$2,000 to six schools to buy for the fire station. We purchased a fitness treadmill worth US$4,000, and gave another US$4,000 to the police department to express our care for the community through concrete actions and fill their needs.

"At the beginning, when I took the initiative to call these schools and asked if they were in need, most people's reaction was: How could such a good thing be possible? Has Christmas come early?" said the English ministry intern pastor who is responsible for liaising with the school district. Zhang Yannan said with a smile. "It took me a long time to explain to the principal to convince them that the church really wants to help!"

So, when the church wrote the first check to purchase 100 backpacks for Los Altos high school students, it subsequently purchased new tables and chairs worth $2,000 for the multi-purpose hall adjacent to Cedarlane College, and provided $4,000 to Los Molinos Elementary School. computer software for after-school tutoring, computer software for Wedgeworth Elementary School worth $2,000, after-school tutoring funding for Newton Junior High School of $5,000, and outdoor cabinets for Mesa Robles Junior High School worth $$3241.

Specific donations not only help meet the needs of the school district, but also establish a positive image of the church in the community. "Because the children will tell their parents when they go home that the computer software in the school and the tables and chairs in the classroom were purchased with funding from the church!"

Let’s build a national community together

The fourth wave of charity action was for more than 300 brothers and sisters to help Hagang sweep the streets and tidy up the city appearance. The fifth wave of "Creative Culture Festival - Large Charity Garden Party" is a fund-raising event for the school district, inviting seven churches and organizations in the community to join forces to participate and rise and shine together. As the Lord Jesus said: "You are the light of the world. A city built on a mountain cannot be hidden. When a person lights a lamp, he does not put it under a bushel, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house." (Matthew Gospel) 5:14-15) The coordination and cooperation of all churches illuminate the light of the kingdom in the neighbors of the Haggang community.

"On the surface, it looks like we are blessing the community, but in fact, we are the biggest beneficiaries!" Philip Chen recalled that at a charity sale in the community park, he accidentally saw a large empty parking lot next to the park and asked about it. The land belongs to the Haggang School District. Due to the strong friendship established between the church and the school, the five members of the Education Committee unanimously approved the lease of a large parking lot with 400 parking spaces to the church at a discounted rate.

Five Waves of Blessings makes Great Commission Church International, located at 16152 Gale Avenue, a beacon that ignites the community. These waves of caring actions are like the March spring breeze carrying hope, blowing the seeds of the country’s life into the hearts of every household in Haagang. For this group of brothers and sisters, it is not difficult to build a kingdom community. They just start by cleaning a fallen leaf under their feet!

Interviewee profile:
Pastor Philip Chen, also known as Chen Zengqin, is the senior pastor of Haegan International Great Commission Church in Southern California. Under his leadership, the church transformed into small group gatherings and the number of people grew rapidly. In 2000, he produced the "Please Hear Me" testimony and TV sermon program, which received enthusiastic response. In 2002, the church expansion plan was suspended and the school was first built in Guizhou, China. In 2009, the church organized the "Let Ha Gang Light Up" community blessing action to raise funds for the school district and became a good story. For the meeting time and address of Ha Gang International Great Commission Church, please go to http://www.gcciusa.com/ and click "Visit" to find out.

Journalist profile:
Shi Lingyu, former Zhongtian TV news anchor/special correspondent. Settled in Southern California, USA with her husband and daughter. She enjoys an ordinary and simple home life, but is often taken around various places by her husband, an architect who loves to travel.