Testimonies

Corporate and Personal Pursuit of Christ

My family was introduced to the church in Vancouver 11 years ago when we had just migrated to Vancouver. I was only 10 years old then. After two years of attending meetings in the local church, my father, my two siblings and I received the Lord and were baptized (my mother was saved in Taiwan). I'm now a third year college student. Looking back, the local church and the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee have been a great blessing to me. By reading and listening to their ministry, I have come to know Christ corporately with the church and also personally in my daily life.

Growing up in the church meetings I have learned many ways to enjoy Christ, such as calling on His name, singing, praying, listening to messages and practicing to speak Christ. I have also learned to exercise my spirit in my contact of Christ (1 Timothy 4:7-8). Of the various church meetings, I especially enjoy attending the young people's retreats. In these retreats, young people from different cities come together to enjoy God's Word, pursue Christ and fellowship with one another. Often in these retreats we experience the Spirit's shining and touching our hearts. The speakings in these retreats have often touched me deeply and encouraged me in my pursuit of the Lord.

In the summer of 1995, the Lord brought me to know Him in a more personal way. That summer I attended a Bible-study conference in Anaheim in which we studied the Song of Solomon. Song of Solomon is a book in the Bible which speaks of the love relationship between Christ (typified by Solomon) and the lover of Christ (typified by the Shulammite). Christ longs to gain a corporate lover (the church as the bride) (Eph. 5:25-27) but first He must gain individual lovers. Christ longs for each one of us to love Him in a personal and affectionate way. After the conference, I read The Song of Songs by Watchman Nee, which further helped me in developing a personal relationship with the Lord. In my personal time with the Lord I enjoy the Lord's presence by calling on Him, telling Him I love Him, reading a portion of the Word or by praying to Him. This personal time with the Lord in the mornings refreshes me and supplies me for the day. As I spend more personal time with Him, He becomes more real to me and my hunger for Him also increases. Though not consistently, I began to read some spiritual books by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. Their ministry books help me greatly in my understanding of the Bible. They also strengthen me when I am weak and supply me for the growth in life.

I thank the Lord for placing me in the church where I can receive the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee and, where I may enjoy the abundant supply of life (John 10:10) and know Christ deeper each day.

-J.K.