Family Note – I am the Resurrection and the Life – Part 2 – 10/24/21

October 24, 2021

Pastor Li-Shang continues with the message today “I am the Resurrection & the Life” from John 11:1-44.  God’s fountain is here.  Let’s come together and drink from what He has prepared for us.

We would like to make you aware that MTC 2021 will be held over Friday, 11/26 – Saturday, 11/27, with corporate worship on Sunday morning, 11/28. It will take place at our WPC and will also be online live via Zoom and/or YouTube stream.

Collectively, we see a clear leading of the Spirit to bring a focus on “Giving Thanks.”  Yes, we finally have settled on a thanksgiving theme for Thanksgiving.

A thankful attitude is a most potent antidote to all the negativities, hardships, and losses thrown at us. We, as a church body, are anticipating increasing shakings at all levels and “giving thanks in all circumstances” will be our most powerful weapon to detoxify the increasing toxic environment.

Many have walked through fires and storms in the past year – many negativities, hardships, and losses that can harden hearts and turn them bitter.  God has graced us with people whose hearts remained steadfast and soft through these fires and storms by the power of thanksgiving.  These individuals understood God’s ways, and through an attitude of thanks, had their eyes open to God’s working – of all things for the good.  We invite these individuals to impart that obedience of thanksgiving to the body, to encourage and prepare us.

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CASC now has a Zelle account that you can use for tithing.  Please use the following email for fund transfer: tithing@cascchurch.org

Feel free to also use this Zelle QR Code with your bank’s app.

All this info, plus other ways to transfer funds, are always available at our tithing page.  May our church be a testimony of the blessings of Malachi 3.

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If you cannot attend in person, the online stream will be available at around 10:45 AM, Central Time

Stream link: https://youtu.be/Bs9CKdaJXwc

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt

Family Note – I am the Resurrection and the Life – 10/17/212

October 17, 2021

Pastor Li-Shang’s message today is “I am the Resurrection & the Life” from John 11:1-44.  The passage portrays a powerful value system of Jesus’ heart – that His life can only be found in resurrection, and that resurrection must journey through death – to our flesh, our rights, our ambition, our power, our assurance, our insurance, our possessions, even our expectations of being serviced by God, or the church.

It is natural to seek after churches that offer organized programming, enjoyable fellowship, and inspiring leadership – and see these “service benefits” as criteria for spiritual food.  God’s way will always take us through death and resurrection, and through the pandemic, He is calling us to die to our way of measuring spiritual food.  The most potent spiritual foods often do not lie in the “service benefits” we seek after, but is in the struggle of dying to ourselves when the church’s “service benefits” do not meet our expectations.  That’s the food that will lead to a resurrected life.

God has been giving this food to us for many years, and we are encouraged in coming to understand His heart in this difficult process.  Stand strong in the Lord’s grace and find joy in dying to ourselves – through forgiveness, through tithing, through faithfulness, through anticipating that resurrection is at hand and has already started its process among us.

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CASC now has a Zelle account that you can use for tithing.  Please use the following email for fund transfer: tithing@cascchurch.org

Feel free to also use this Zelle QR Code with your bank’s app.

All this info, plus other ways to transfer funds, are always available at our tithing page.  May our church be a testimony of the blessings of Malachi 3.

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If you cannot attend in person, the online stream will be available at around 10:45 AM, Central Time

Stream link: https://youtu.be/WbKvj6GaUNo

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt

Family Note – The Gate of Life – 10/3/21

October 3, 2021

Romans 12:1-2 calls the church, as living sacrifice, to renew our minds by transforming away from the world’s ways.  Attaining that is very difficult, if not impossible, with our tendency to measure a church based on personalities, presentations, theatrics, music, activities, personal development opportunities, family services, social connections, management efficiency, and even “spiritual” experiences.  When we try to draw people by promoting on these benefits, they understandably take on a customer’s attitude and establish an expectation of being served – and may become offended by the demands of a living sacrifice dictated in Romans 12.  This is the world’s way.

In one sweep with the pandemic, God render all of the “measures” mentioned above irrelevant.  God is purifying His church by transforming us from a “customer orientation” to a “worshipper orientation” – to raise up worshippers who sees the power behind self-denial and embraces the soft-heart of a living sacrifice.

What has truly amazed me, even through the past year’s difficult ministry environment, is to see the tremendous growth experienced by some brothers and sisters through the power of the soft-heart.  Their growth has been some of the most powerful and deep we have seen in the past 13 years since returning to Chicago.  We shall share more on this next time.

Pastor Li-Shang will preach out of John 10:7-10, on that famous proclamation of Jesus as the “Gate of Life” and the Protector of our abundant life, where true life is found in living as a sacrifice.

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CASC now has a Zelle account that you can use for tithing.  Please use the following email for fund transfer: tithing@cascchurch.org

Feel free to also use this Zelle QR Code with your bank’s app.

All this info, plus other ways to transfer funds, are always available at our tithing page.  May our church be a testimony of the blessings of Malachi 3.

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If you cannot attend in person, the online stream will be available at around 10:45 AM, Central Time

Stream link: https://youtu.be/Cp3oO0ePznE

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt

Family Note – The Good Shepherd – 10/10/21

October 10, 2021

So what has the pandemic revealed to us about God’s heart for the church?

We strongly believe that God still desires us to minister to people with organized programming, enjoyable fellowship, and inspiring leadership.  We are also convinced that God has withheld these “benefits” for a season to show us that raising up “living sacrifices” must be our first pursuit.  Without the precedence of a “living sacrifice” – a soft-heart through self-denial, the “benefits” of programs, fellowships, and leadership will not advance our spirituality in any meaningful way, no matter how organized, enjoyable or inspiring.  It’s like building a beautiful car without an engine – nice optics, but not drivable.  We learn from Judas’ example.

Through the past year and a half, I have seen this dynamic played out in the astounding spiritual growth experienced by some brothers and sisters.  There was no fancy programs or fellowships to appeal to certain demographics.  The key factor is a simple commitment to the pursuit of a soft-heart – a priority to first worship God as a living sacrifice.  The programs and fellowship that flowed from this commitment produced some of the most significant fruits I have ever seen in our church – all during a pandemic!

We thank God for revealing to us, through this pandemic, the “engine for the car.”  Let us take hold of this grace and build the “engine” of self-denial together.  Let us do this by coming together in one heart for Pastor Li-Shang’s message from John 10:11-18 on “The Good Shepherd.”

Praise God!  Our car is beginning to show signs of movement.

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CASC now has a Zelle account that you can use for tithing.  Please use the following email for fund transfer: tithing@cascchurch.org

Feel free to also use this Zelle QR Code with your bank’s app.

All this info, plus other ways to transfer funds, are always available at our tithing page.  May our church be a testimony of the blessings of Malachi 3.

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If you cannot attend in person, the online stream will be available at around 10:45 AM, Central Time

Stream link: https://youtu.be/ArdZE5K9k8U

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt

Family Note – WPC Gets a New Connection to Power – 6/6/21

If you saw our earlier Sunday service stream, you may have noticed that the father and son led worship not only in the light of LOVE, but also in the natural light of the sun.



About 15 minutes before we were to start the worship service, the power in the church tripped up in a funny way – some lights turned on and some off.  We had internet, but no stage sound our lights, and the fire safety alarm blared to warn us that its pumps were starving for power.  This was confusing because all the circuit breakers were in their normal positions, but many equipment they connect to do not work.

Just as we thought that this will be an expensive Sunday morning electrician call, Brother John Lee walks over.  Because John works for a company that installs electrical systems in buildings, Pastor Li-Shang asked him if he knew anyone who can help us in this bind.  Immediately, John got hold of his professional electrician buddy who helped us to diagnose the problem over the phone.  Based on our description, he was able to determine that this was a partial outage problem that came from the outside of the WPC building.  We do not need to call an expensive electrician.  We should just call ComEd, the power service provider.

ComEd came right away and determined that an underground connection has malfunctioned and needs replacement.  Amazingly, through all of this, our team was still able to get the internet, sound equipment, computer, camera, and even the “LOVE” light to work together to provide live streaming.  Our team worked relentlessly to make sure that our brothers and sisters can all join as one body in worship.

Later in the afternoon, ComEd came with some serious equipment and crew to provide WPC temporary power for stabilizing the fire safety system, and then excavated the area to install a new connection to power.

God is good, all the time – and through this time of confusion and anxiety, He upgraded WPC with a new connection to power.

God is with us.  Experience Emmanuel!

pdt


God picked a most beautiful day to upgrade WPC’s power connection with some serious equipment.


Massive generator sustaining the entire WPC while it gets its new connection.


I’ve always wondered what’s inside this box…powerful, but simple.


Pinpointing the trouble spot was exact, and the digging was fast and efficient.


It’s like angels watching over our power connections.


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June 6, 2021

Dear Church Family,

We invite you to join with us for a time of corporate worship and fellowship, beginning at 11 AM Central Time.  If you cannot attend in person, the online option on YouTube video stream will be available at around 10:45 AM, Central Time (11:45 PM Asia, 9:15 PM India).

Stream link:  https://youtu.be/jHeBsqRk18U

We plan to wrap up our “Soft-heart by the Mountainside” series this Sunday with the message from Matthew 5:10 – on the heart desire “to be God’s witness.” 

The development and delivery of this message series has been a great challenge for me because I constantly find myself falling short of the soft-heart that I preach about.  At the same time, this process has taken me through a most significant spiritual growth spurt that I have ever experienced.  I am greatly encouraged by the roadmap that the Holy Spirit has shown us for experiencing “shalom” in 2021.  God is truly with us and will continue to show us the way.

This page may bring you some enlightenment on this topic of the soft-heart.  I’d be glad to your insights.

We pray that God will open the ears of His children so that they might hear..

Please click here to see the three ways you can tithe or give.

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt

Stand with Pastor David Wan and Family in Prayer for Healing
Stand with Robin William and Family in Prayer for India

Family Note – 5/30/21

May 29, 2021

Dear Church Family,

You are invited to join with our church family, in person, for worship and the offering up of our living sacrifices on Sunday, 11 AM Central Time.  For online access, please follow the below link to the YouTube video stream at around 10:45 AM, Central Time (11:45 PM Asia, 9:15 PM India).

https://youtu.be/UguXkSxjSB4

This Sunday, we bring together Part 2 of the message of Matthew 5:9 – on the heart desire of “collaboration.”  Last week we introduced the DACS Leadership Model to help us to see the natural tensions that exist between the apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor/teacher, and how those tensions may keep them from collaborating with one another.  This week, we will look at how we can exercise self-denial to overcome those barriers of collaboration.  You might find this page helpful to see the list of the entire “Soft-heart” message series.

We pray that God will open the ears of His children so that they might hear..

We ask you to collaborate with us in intercession for the Wan family as they stand against covid in their family.  We also ask you to collaborate with us in intercession for Robin and Lenu William as they stand against covid in India.  Our God is greater.  The church is stronger.

Please click here to see the three ways you can tithe or give.

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt

Family Note – 5/23/21

May 23, 2021

Dear Church Family,

You are invited to join with our church family, in person, for worship and the offering up of our living sacrifices.  For online access, please follow the below link to the YouTube video stream at around 10:45 AM Central Time (11:45 PM Asia, 9:15 PM India).

https://youtu.be/Ub4gqW3VHAA

Today, we continue with the pursuit of a soft-heart through Jesus’ blessing for a peacemaker (Matthew 5:9) – on the heart desire of “collaboration.”  This is a topic that the Holy Spirit has taken us through some deep challenges and transformation over the past decade, as He is raising us up to become trusted stewards of the authority of shalom.  On exercising this topic of collaboration, we will introduce the tool of the DACS Leadership Model, and from it, we strive for a greater manifestation of the “fullness of Christ” in our church body.

Another tool we have just prepared to help you in this journey of the soft-heart is “The Soft-heart Page” at cascchurch.org.  This page nicely summarizes our message series on “Soft-heart from the Mountainside” and provides links to the broadcasts.  We will review the framework of this page in today’s message.

Jesus is purifying His bride, and lifting her up as a glorious testimony with the authority of shalom.  Let’s put aside all distractions, and join together in this great calling.

Please click here to see the three ways you can tithe or give.

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt

Family Note – 5/16/21

Dear Church Family,

You are invited to join with our church family, in person, for worship and the offering up of our living sacrifices.  For online access, please follow the below link to the YouTube video stream at around 10:45 AM Central Time (11:45 PM Asia).

https://youtu.be/k7WFohxtir8

Words from just this past week’s headlines – ransomware, gas shortage, oxygen shortage, chip shortage, car shortage, inflation, variant of concern, border crisis, rocket attacks – speak of a world thirsting and hungering for “shalom.”  God continues to set the stage for the church to be His witness through the increasing storms and shakings.  This is the reason for our intense focus on the Shalom 2021 roadmap.  This is the reason we strive to prepare Christ followers for Kingdom encounters so they can steward the “authority of shalom.”  This is the reason we pursue the discipline of the soft-heart.  This is the reason we prioritized the past many weeks studying the 8 Heart Desires of a soft-heart that Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 5:3-10:

  • Submission over subdue – to learn  順服勝於制服 – 學習
  • Repentance over rationalization – to reconcile  悔改勝過講理 – 和好
  • Wisdom over reason – be respectful  智慧勝於解釋 – 尊重
  • Nutrition over taste – to please the Father  營養勝過滋味 – 討天父的喜悅
  • Giving over receiving – generosity  施勝於受 – 慷慨
  • Sincerity over expediency – authenticity  誠心誠意甚於權宜之計 – 真實
  • Patience over justification – to collaborate  忍耐重於說理 – 合作
  • Recognition over rejection – to be God’s witness  識別勝過拒絕- 做神的見證人

Today, we will share from Jesus’ proclamation of the pure heart (Matthew 5:8) – on the heart desire of “authenticity.”  Jesus is purifying His bride, and lifting her up as a glorious testimony with the authority of shalom.  Let’s join together in His calling.

Please click here to see the three ways you can tithe or give.

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt

Family Note – 5/9/21

May 9, 2021

Dear Church Family,

You are invited to join with our church family, in person, for worship and the offering up of our living sacrifices.  For online access, please follow the below link to the YouTube video stream at around 10:45 AM Central Time (11:45 PM Asia).

https://youtu.be/glN8JcTTfig

Pastor Li-Shang will celebrate our Mother’s Day with the message entitled, “Becoming the Right Person – The Life of David.”  Scripture references are: 1 Samuel 13:14, 16:18.

This message of David’s life example paints another powerful picture of a soft-heart, of a vessel whom God called “a man after His own heart.”  We hope that this message will continue to reinforce for you the 8 Heart Desires of a soft-heart that Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 5:3-10:

  • Submission over subdue – to learn  順服勝於制服 – 學習
  • Repentance over rationalization – to reconcile  悔改勝過講理 – 和好
  • Wisdom over reason – be respectful  智慧勝於解釋 – 尊重
  • Nutrition over taste – to please the Father  營養勝過滋味 – 討天父的喜悅
  • Giving over receiving – generosity  施勝於受 – 慷慨
  • Sincerity over expediency – authenticity  誠心誠意甚於權宜之計 – 真實
  • Patience over justification – to collaborate  忍耐重於說理 – 合作
  • Recognition over rejection – to be God’s witness  識別勝過拒絕- 做神的見證人

Messages on the 8 Heart Desires can be reviewed at our Shalom 2021 page.

Please click here to see the three ways you can tithe or give.

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt

Family Note – 2/28/21

February 28, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Our Sunday Celebration today can be accessed on YouTube video stream at around 10:45 AM (12:45 AM Asia).

Feel free to visit the Shalom 2021 page to review this past Sunday’s message on the biblical examples of hard-hearts and soft-hearts.  This survey of scripture has imparted to us the following principles to our 2021 roadmap:

  • Hard-heart Persists in Protecting Self-interest
  • Soft-heart Flows in the Fruit of the Spirit

This topic has proven to be quite rich, and has afforded us a second part, which I creatively titled: Preparing for Kingdom Encounters – Pictures of the Heart 2.  For part 2, we will ponder on how is it that Peter and Judas, both started together side-by-side with the greatest Leader ever, can end up so differently.  Their case provides a powerful lesson on how a soft-heart during kairos can make the difference between destiny and demise, life and death, heaven and hell.  It’s astounding that a simple heart attitude can swing us through such extremes – probably the greatest extremes in all creation.  As such, it’d be worth our effort to master this discipline of “soft-heart,” don’t you think?

Speaking of extremes, Chicago is forecasted to be near 50 F today (Sunday).  That is a swing of about 60 degrees in just 14 days.  God seems to be speaking about extremes, and may those with a soft-heart hear…

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.


-Psalm 19:1-4

Let’s stand together as a body to bring God our best possible worship with our offerings of sacrifice – and astound Him with our faith.

For tithing during this time, please click here to see the three ways listed by our finance team.

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt