In July 2022, our family of three moved from Taiwan to Auckland. Time has passed quickly, and it has now been four years.
During our first year in New Zealand, we attended the morning congregation at EFC Central Auckland. We met many brothers and sisters who love the Lord and deeply experienced everyone’s love and care, which greatly eased our homesickness while living far from home.
In our second year, the pastor invited us to join the evening congregation. It had been established for just over a year, and I began serving in its worship ministry as the worship coordinator.
Through serving, I gained a deep conviction. Many churches today have fewer and fewer young people. Congregations are ageing, and some churches are gradually shrinking or even facing closure. When young people come to church, will they choose to stay or leave?
I felt strongly that young people needed to be on the platform—a group of young people full of energy and passion.
When they stand on the platform for the glory of God, other young people can see that church is not only for middle-aged and older people. When young people visit and see others their own age worshipping God with passion, they naturally become curious: What is the reason? What gives these young people the strength and desire to stand on the platform?
When they are willing to stay, we have further opportunities to share the gospel with them. God delights in our worship, and I believe He longs even more for us to share the gospel with young people, passing it from generation to generation so that they can take up the baton and continue living for His kingdom.
I have now been part of the evening congregation for three years. I thank the Lord for His grace throughout this journey. I also thank Pastor Dong for his patience, teaching, support and encouragement, and I am grateful to everyone who has helped me and to all the brothers and sisters who have worked together in the evening congregation to advance God’s Great Commission.
When I first joined the evening congregation, there were sometimes more ministry volunteers than worshippers. Today, seeing attendance continue to grow fills my heart with gratitude and encouragement.
I am especially moved to see the evening worship team becoming a larger and increasingly vibrant group, with young people now making up most of those on the platform. More than once, the sight has moved me to tears.
Some of these young people were once shy and disliked being on stage. Yet for the Lord’s sake, they have been willing to set themselves aside, step forward courageously and take up a microphone to worship God. Whenever I see them do this, I thank God from the depths of my heart.
Thank God! He not only moved my heart; He also moved the hearts of these young people. We all know that we are not standing on the platform for ourselves, but to glorify God’s name.
It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.
We are simply vessels whom God chooses to use—His servants. I thank the Lord for His grace, and I thank God for being willing to use us.
Over these three years, I have come to realise that I myself have received the greatest benefit. The blessings God has given me are far beyond anything I could have imagined.
Each week, as I rehearse with the team, I watch them grow step by step and see how God blesses each person. One particular experience has shown me His wonderful leading even more deeply.
One single brother who loves the Lord met the woman who would become his partner through serving. She is a sister whose character is as beautiful as her appearance. He once told me, ‘I did not do anything. I do not even know how it happened—we simply started dating and confirmed our relationship. It is amazing!’
I remember saying to him some time earlier, ‘Simply serve God faithfully. When you care about the things of His kingdom, He will take care of your needs.’
God understands us better than we understand ourselves. He knows what timing is best for us, and He acts beautifully at the right time. Often, when we feel that God is doing nothing, He has already been at work.
God determines His timetable; we do not.
He alone is our Lord and our God. Our part is to learn trust and obedience, because through obedience we experience His blessing.
Matthew 6:33 says:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Seeking God’s kingdom first does not mean treating Him as a means of obtaining worldly blessings. It means experiencing His faithful provision as we trust Him. When our hearts are aligned with God, He will give us what we truly need at the most fitting time.
Perhaps only after we have truly endured hardship and stood again by God’s grace can we understand His faithfulness more deeply and praise the Lord wholeheartedly.
Several lines from one of my favourite worship songs speak deeply to my heart:
To the weary, He gives strength; to the weak, He gives power; those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength!
Like eagles rising on their wings, soaring in the kingdom of God, passing over every hardship and storm, fixing our eyes on Your glorious throne.
Like eagles rising on their wings, soaring in the kingdom of God, receiving the Holy Spirit’s anointing and power, living a beautiful life of freedom!
May each of us learn to wait, trust and obey within God’s grace. May one generation follow another, with more young people rising to live and stand for the Lord so that the gospel continues to be passed on.
May all glory be given to God!
Anna Chen 15 September 2026
