City Harvest Church held its first candlelight service at Suntec Singapore last week.
Contributed By GJ Gonzales
CHC members were reminded to be the light in the darkness as thousands of candles were lit. CN PHOTO: Bernard Soh.
1 John 1:5 proclaims, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”
Believing in this attribute of God, senior pastor and founder of City Harvest Church, Kong Hee, preached last weekend about the power of Jesus Christ to set free those who are struggling in their personal dark areas of disappointment, depression, despair and spiritual death.
The candlelight service is a CHC tradition that knits hearts together as the church celebrates Jesus.
Powerful testimonies of several church members illustrated those truths. Kong shared real-life accounts of how one marriage, on the verge of divorce, was miraculously restored; a girl with tumors in her brain was completely healed; a young woman who tried to take her life 20 times was delivered from depression and a youth in a gang who dabbled in the occult was set free from demonic possession. Each of these members is now living a victorious life, actively engaged in church.
At the end of the message, 386 people responded to the altar call and invited Jesus into their hearts. Walking down from the last row in the auditorium to rededicate his life to Christ, Filipino Lawrence Garcia recalled, “Suddenly, I remember a prayer I said before I came to Singapore, that I wanted to have a deeper relationship with God, and this is the ‘sign’ I’ve been waiting for.”
CELEBRATING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
CN PHOTOS: Daniel Poh and Michael Chan.
The candlelight service was special to many, including Indonesian Inneke Ferawati. “I was amazed to see thousands of candles lighting in the dark. I felt light in my spirit. It’s too beautiful, indescribable, beyond words,” she said.
It was a picture perfect moment for City Harvesters and their family and friends as many whipped out their cameras and phone to capture the warm glow of the candlelight service.
Beyond all the merrymaking, joyful singing of Christmas carols, smiling faces and colorful decorations, what made this gathering extraordinary for those present was spending it with loved ones. Hundreds of people came with their parents, children, relatives, colleagues and friends.
Newlywed Goh Eeh Ling shared, “This is truly memorable [because it is] my first candlelight service with my husband.”
Leader of a thriving adult cell group Ernest Ng, who has been a CHC member since 1997, said that this season is “all about building relationships.” He noted the trend of members bringing another person, family or friend to church, so they may hear the gospel and have the opportunity to experience the abundant love of God in His house through the believers.
Kong ended the service with the lighting of the candles as the congregation sang Christmas carols. As thousands of flames lit up the hall, they set off a cozy glow that warmed every heart. “Let us be like the wise men who followed the star that led to Jesus,” the senior pastor encouraged. “Don’t be like those who ignored the glorious light during the first Christmas Eve. God has given us Jesus, the light of the world. He can dispel darkness in your life.”
