Bridge News
Bridge Bible Study Group! Sign up today!
https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSf0uaC7ci0XKRV0PN…/viewform
Self-guided daily Bible Study with virtual group meetings from the comfort of your own home...
This holiday month, we will have a short two week study on 1&2 Thessalonians. All are welcome!
Tuesday Groups on 12/8 & 12/15, sign up before 12/1/2020.
Friday Groups on 12/11 & 12/18, sign up before 12/4/2020.
Visit sfcacrevitalizationprojects.com and see the following videos for the latest on the Building Revitalization Project:
A Message from Church Governing Board Vice-Chair Eric Yee
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
Video Recording of Town Hall Meeting on November 15, 2020
SFCAC 三藩市華人宣道會 The team will share the vision, purpose, value and details of the project. In order to help you better understand the details of the Main Buil...
November 3, 2020
Dear Church Family,
As Christians, we must appreciate the civic responsibilities we have as citizens of this nation. A citizen’s responsibility is to engage and participate in the politics and affairs of our society, which includes exercising our right to vote. We should pay attention and be careful about how we, as Christians, should choose our leaders as well as sway local and national policies in a manner worthy of the Gospel and the teachings of Scripture. We should remain open-minded and listen to different voices and perspectives, rather than being judgmental or making emotional criticisms of people who have different opinions.
In 1 Samuel 8, the people of Israel asked Samuel to appoint a king over them to be like other nations: “So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord.” (1 Samuel 8:4-6)
God, out of His grace and an eye on redemption, did not reject the Israelites’ request for a king and He instructed Samuel to find a king. Yet, the Lord was clear to point out that this desire for a king was a rejection of Yahweh as king. “And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.” (1 Samuel 8:7)
Therefore, the people’s desire for a king did not follow God’s intention. This reminds us that there is really no “king” on earth who perfectly conforms to God’s will. People, including rulers of all kinds, are sinful and imperfect. What God intends is a true "Theo-cracy," government truly centered on Him, over all forms of "Human-cracy, government centered on human beings, regardless if it comes in in the form of democracy, republicanism, monarchy, communism, “small-t theocracy,” or authoritarianism. It is the tragedy of history (as well as these current times) that people often demand and desire to be governed by incomplete people and therefore, become incomplete.
There is no king or leader that satisfies God's will, and many leaders disappoint. Even King David, who was chosen and “a man after God’s own heart,” committed serious crimes of adultery and murder. There are kings and leaders who possess principles relatively close to the Bible, but there is no one on earth who can follow God’s will perfectly. As Christians and as American voters, we can follow and represent God's will in politics just like the king of Persia who let the exiled Israelites return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. "In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him." (Proverbs 21:1)
Political leaders, policies, and platforms constantly change. Even leaders who claim to be God-oriented change. Yet, during this unprecedented time with an uncertain political future, we know that God is still constant and sovereign. In this election, let’s pursue the entire counsel of Scripture and pray for the peace for this city, this country, and this generation as we execute the responsibilities of citizenry today. No matter who becomes the leader, I exhort us all that we pray continually and pursue godliness and God’s shalom peace for all.
As the Bible says, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
In prayer with grace + peace to you,
Rev. Sam Yat-Sing Lai
Senior Pastor
September is Missions Month at SFCAC. Join us every Sunday as we feature a guest missions speaker and highlight the global work of the Alliance and our church.
Mark your calendars especially for Sept. 18-20 for the very first online SFCAC Missions Conference featuring keynote speaker, Dr. Tim Meier, the US C&MA Vice President for Development.
For more information and the Zoom link, please email us.
Click the graphic for the maklouba ingredients.
Even in a pandemic, the call to discipleship and follow Jesus continues. Nothing can stop it. At SFCAC, a new discipleship movement has started and gets its official launch on Sunday, August 30. Join us! More info to be announced.
____________________________
UPDATE: Grow in following Jesus! Sunday August 30 is Discipleship Sunday. Along with worship service, come to the special discipleship vision meeting at 2pm that afternoon. The Zoom info is at the top of the graphic below.
The SFCAC Children’s Ministry is hosting a series of webinars by children’s minister Melissa J. MacDonald during the first week of August. See below for more info or contact Stephanie.
For more on Melissa, visit http://www.melissajmacdonald.com/.
