ETF Vision

For the past 31 years, CCCOWE has been working slowly to realise the vision of evangelizing the Chinese around the world and bringing them to maturity in Christ. It is a grand vision, certainly aiming to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was Paul’s passion was well. We read in Colossians 1:28, 29 that Paul’s goal in life was to proclaim the Lord Jesus in all His fullness in order to present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end he laboured and suffered.

It is difficult to quantify how successful we have been. Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 2:19 only “The Lord knows those who are His.” For this reason, what is most important is not success but faithfulness to the task that has been entrusted to His people. Nevertheless, there is a huge task before us. How shall we realise such a grand vision?

The CCCOWE ETF recognises that the key must lie in continually raising up new generations of Christ-like leaders who will grow godly churches in one accord to bring the gospel to the nations.

When our Lord saw the crowds, He had compassion on the people who were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He then exhorted His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out more workers into the harvest field, for the harvest was great but the workers were few. (Matthew 9:36-38)

Paul tells us in Romans 10:14, 15 that people are saved when they hear the good news about the Lord Jesus Christ. But how can they hear unless people proclaim the good news to them?

Similarly in 2 Timothy 2:2 as Paul’s ministry drew to a close, his mind turned to the continuing work of the gospel after him. For this reason, he exhorted Timothy to entrust the gospel, which had been entrusted to him, to others who would be faithful in proclaiming and defending it.

The common thread in all these passages is the need to raise up leaders and teachers who will proclaim and defend the gospel. While God can and does work independently of human agents, in His mercy, He has chosen to use fallible and fragile vessels such as ourselves to bring His gospel to the world and to grow His church. If this is the case, then a key strategy and priority in our church ministry must be given to raising up godly and faithful teachers of God’s Word.

This need for more workers is certainly pressing in Chinese churches as well as in all churches around the world. There are many Chinese churches in which there are no leaders and no pastors who are able to build up His church and to equip them and support them for the work of missions.

For this reason, the vision of the CCCOWE ETF reads:

To raise generations of Christ-like leaders who will grow godly churches in one accord to bring the gospel to all nations.

Firstly, the vision reminds us of our responsibility to raise up leaders. While it is true that God raises up leaders, it is equally true that one of the ways God chooses to raise up future leaders is through human agents. Jesus exhorted His disciples to pray for more leaders. In Romans, Paul recognised that preachers had to be sent. In 2 Timothy, the responsibility to pass the gospel on to others lay with Timothy. We need to recognise our role and responsibility in passing the baton to others who will in turn pass it on to still others.

Secondly, the vision reminds us that the kind of leaders we want are leaders who are Christ-like. The stories of disgraced and disreputable leaders are countless. Contrary to the model of leadership that is promoted by the world, the leaders who will grow God’s church and spread His gospel should be steeped in God’s Word, focused on Christ, spiritually humble and passionate to see the lost brought to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, the vision reminds us that the kind of churches we want to see in the future are churches characterised by godliness. While misunderstanding and cultural differences have been a cause of much tension within the Chinese churches between the English and the Chinese, it is important to recognise that the problem is more fundamental than this. The problem lies with our sinful hearts. This is the one thing that threatens the life and health of God’s church worldwide. This is not to dismiss the significance that culture has on the way we do church. Mutual understanding and recognising our differences is important. However, it is only as we deal with our sinful hearts that we will see a united church is a light to the world.

Fourthly, the vision also reminds us that godly churches are marked by a unity in the gospel. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:14 that God has destroyed the wall of hostility between enemies. Unity is the mark of God’s church. This unity is held up by God to be a trophy of His wisdom and power (Eph 3:10, 11). For this reason, it is important that God’s churches are marked by a profound unity in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ

Lastly, the vision focuses our mind on missions. Jesus came into this world not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). CCCOWE’s vision is not to grow inward-looking churches, which only concern themselves with internal affairs and are indifferent to the eternal hell that awaits billions around the world. Rather, the ETF is committed to grow leaders who will raise up mission-minded leaders whose passion is to glorify God, whose task is to proclaim the message of forgiveness and whose goal is to grow His church and mobilize her for missions.

The ETF vision is a grand vision and who is equal to such a task? Thank God that He is able.