Agape House Fellowship 愛家

8:00pm A kitten joined bible study on-line:

This webcam screen was how we started AH weekly on-line bible study

At 7:55pm, I, in Princeton NJ, was sitting in front of my computer and webcam, ready to go.

7:59pm, Shuguo popped up on the webcame (well, he somehow came on using his last name, Tang as you can see from the webcam screen, and I promise that we do not use nickname or online identify as a fish) and also called in, joining from PA, 45 miles away from Princeton.

At 8:01pm, Philip dropped in from Lawrenceville, NJ, 20 miles but showed as a kitten on the screen.

“What is going on? Phillip?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I need to fix this”, Phillip answered on the conference call.

I know that God so loved the world and gave His son for us, but not sure about a kitten who wanted to join a “foundation” bible study.

We all shared a good laugh!!

8:05 pm Three musketeers talking about jobs:

Now we have three men, three musketeers, all on-line, chatting.

Don't be surprised, first thing we talked about was not bible. Job.

Especially under this economy, Obama just announced his bailout plan today but stock market responded by tumbling almost 400 points.

One musketeer’s company is going through a round of layoff toward the end of Feb. He is a single dad raising up two young daughters alone.

[family pause] Sarah, 8, and Britney, 5, came in the room and showed on the webcam, we all waved to each other

One musketeer, used to be a VP of a bank, was laid off almost 4 months ago. He has been waiting for opportunities. None came so far. We all understand giving what is going on in Wall Street.

[family pause] Hanna, 7, and Joseph,4, came in the webcam and waved to us

One musketeer, living in a rented half-basement in Princeton, recently resigned from a church as a pastor, no job, are praying, dreaming, and working to start a house church.

Wednesday night, 8:00pm, we are all on-line, bible studying. No driving, staying home with our family.

Then we learned that one musketeer got a phone interview today. It went well. And it is a job he has been praying about so he can change life style to have more time with family.

We all cheered and praised the Lord for this great encouragement!!

Phillip found a YouTube clip of “Rock of Ages” with lyrics and send to all of us under “chat” box. We sang and prayed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB5Sc5vewcI

8:35pm Bible study on “Baptism”

Here is a screen shot on the subject and outline last night. It was shown on all of our computer screen so we can look at it, shared on the phone call.

We went through all foundamentals on baptism, from its Greek origin to its bibile verses.

Bible talked about 4 baptisms, one being Christ’s suffering, Mathew 10:8.

9:30pm Guess whom the fourth webcam was setup for?

We talked about our struggle in life, as husbands, as fathers

Some of struggle and suffering last for almost 10 years. 10 long years force us to start from scratch. "Start from zero" was exact word we shared, we felt.

"No. We are not starting from zero. We have a lot", one musketeer said

A single dad who is raising two younr daughter is thankful for all what God did and appreciated he now has the opportunity to learn all the girl's thing, especailly the valentine's day is comig. He took them to shop little gifts to give out to school friends., things that he would never learn if not being a single dad.

I feel encouraged. I was not the one who was ministering to them. Jesus showed up. He might be the one that filled that #4 empty seat. Now I know that is what it is setup for.

[family break] Zach, 4, and Hsiaowei, my wife, popped in my room. Zach sit on my lap. Now show time!!

9:45 pm Phillip Puppet Show

Phillip turned back to a kitten, then a puppy, then a alien, with smiling, crying, angry, sleepy faces (yes a snoring alien is a bit of funky).

Zach had a great time joining our bible study.

10:00pm Be Thou My Vision

I felt like to wrap up with a song, What else can be better to sing this one.

Phillip again found this video clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XZ3ja-quhA

We sang and prayed and said goodbye into the night. I was back instantly home with my family ( NO driving through the night)

Heart of my own heart, Whatever befall, Still be my Vision, Ruler of all