#apyac2015

[pluvio-phille]

If you understand grace you will understand people more.

Melisa Simanjuntak

[tirzamagdiel]

Led to the Mountains

By the time Monday rolled in on December 7th, I was pooped and didn’t want to leave for the Philippines. I still had errands to run and work to do that day, and I was so close to throwing a tantrum. “I don’t wanna go!!!” But I did. (I mean, the tickets have been purchased, and I don’t think it was refundable. Also, I think my team would have killed me if I decided not to go.)

I didn’t know it at the time, but God wanted my attention. He took me through a 4-hour plane ride, a 4-hour wait at the airport and a 5-hour drive to a mountain with little-to-no internet access. God needed to take me away from the distractions I revel in, from the wall of routinity I have built around me. God needed me to be in unfamiliar territory for him to talk to me. And for me to listen.

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her…

...And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more...

...And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord...

And I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’; and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’” (Hosea 2:14-23)

About ten years ago, when I would go to youth conferences, I would always be expectant of the hype. I expected the hype, I craved the hype, I celebrated the hype. This probably was much more because of the fact that I had energy to spare. This time around, though, I didn’t look for the hype. I arrived in Baguio City utterly spent, tired and, to be honest, more than a little cranky. I didn’t have any expectations whatsoever. I was more than prepared to hunker down and just plummet through the conference.

Because of God’s great grace, he didn’t leave me to muck around in my crankiness. He gently guided me to a realization that differs from my previous experiences at youth conferences. One of the biggest surprise for me was how God challenged me to disregard the limelight.

The picture above was of our team during our second day sound check. To be perfectly honest - it looks super cool! It looks like something people put on the cover of their album. This is probably one of my favorite pictures of us. However, when I look at my experience, I definitely felt that God guided my focus away from the lights, the blaring sound, the smoke machine. My encounter with God had nothing to do with the coolness of singing or speaking on stage in front of a multitude of people.

One of the best part of my worship experience happened at around 7:00 AM on the second day of conference. We came early for our sound check with Team Singapore. They were leading the first session, so they got to sound check first. It was when they went through their set that I had my best worship experience. The chairs were empty save for our team. My body was still in the process of waking up, but my soul and my spirit were focused on One. I was just able to really look at Jesus and worship him, spend some time in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit for his presence. It was hands down one of the coolest time ever! (So thanks, Team Singapore! We loved worshiping with you!)

The other world-rocking experience for me happened in a dark corner during the altar call on the evening of the second day. The altar call was for those called to full time ministry, and there were plenty of people up at the altar. Similar to the theme of my trip, I was exhausted and ready to collapse. I also was struggling with a number of different feelings - bitterness, anger, desperation - all exacerbated by my fatigue. I just stood against the wall in a dark corner and cried my eyes out.

I felt raw, my otherwise put together shell cracked open. And I cried. And cried. And cried. That was when I heard from God, much clearer than some of the ways he has spoken to me in the past. It was simple, gentle, yet at the same time piercing.

“Tirza, if it’s just the two of us - you and me - will you still follow me?"

In a song, it would be very easy to reply, “I have decided to follow Jesus… No turning back, no turning back.” At that moment, when I felt God spoke to me, I had no answer for him. I had more tears, but no answers. I didn’t know what to say! I felt a lot like Peter in his conversation with Jesus (John 21). I didn’t know how to answer his question because I know myself. As the hymn says, I am prone to wander… prone to leave the One I love. But I want to follow him.

Yesterday, a couple of days after APYAC was done, in my room and in the comfort of my own bed, God revealed to me Part 2 of this encounter. The question he asked me wasn’t a question that was meant to be answered once and for all. It is a question that I need to answer every morning. At the start of every day, I need to give God an answer. If today it’s just God and me, and all the frills and thrills are stripped away, will I still follow him?

Friends, it’s never about the frills and the thrills. It’s never about the lights and smoke machines. It’s never about the human praises and the packed auditorium. It’s always about the time when it’s you and God and a daily decision to follow.

"Though none go with me still I will follow… No turning back, no turning back."

[tmsnpriv]

You must not like being someone else. Because if you became someone else then who will be you? Someone has to be you! Someone needs to be you!

Ptr. Joey Tan from Singapore

[misunderstoodsunshinekid]

By God's grace, for God's glory.  Three years ago, I was a delegate at APYAC 2012. This past week, I got to preach two sermons on redemption, participate as a "young blood" panelist, give an impromptu offering exhortation, introduce 19 R-AGErs to the APYAC family, pray for 1,500 young people from 20 nations, connect with Asia-Pacific ministers, hang out with Spirit-filled pastors, and witness a powerful move of God as He unleashed youths to the nations. #APYAC2015 has been a truly momentous and memorable Pentecostal experience! For the nations, for the generations, for redemption! #ilovemycalling #youthministry #youthpastor #RAGExAPYAC (at Camp John Hay)

[tmsnpriv]

APYAC 2015

one word to describe it. AMAZING. Yung feeling na sulit lahat… eto na yun eh. one of the moments that I will never forget. dito ko rin nakilala yung mga pastors na sobrang powerful magpreach like Ptr. Joey Tan from Singapore, Ptr. Clement Wong from Malaysia, Ptr. Josh Obeng from Africa and Ptr. Melisa Sikjuntak from Indonesia. 19 countries na nagsama sama para sa event na to. para mapraise si God and to know more about the Youth Ministry. kahit na minsan naaantok na kami sa sobrang pagod nakauwi parin ako na may maipagmamalaking experience ko dito at mga natutunan. I believe that this new generation will bring the revival. nakakaamaze nga kung pano kagaling si God. imagine 19 countries di lahat marunong mag-english, di lahat nagkakaintindihan pero when it comes to worshiping God… we became one. and nakakaamaze kung pano bumaba yung Holy Spirit kanina sa last night nung event. halos lahat nagspeak in tongues kasama na ko… yung pinapunta kami ni Ptr. Scott Martin sa kung san namin gustong pumwesto and pinaggrupo grupo kami. 4-5 members each and ipagppray niyo na mabaptize yung di pa nakakapa speak in tongues and they were all like praying to God na maramdaman ko siya while the song “Fire, fall down” was being played and I just found myself kneeling while shaking and crying so hard na ang nasa isip ko “Halleluah” pero di mo na malaman na iyon yung sinasabi ko kasi ang maririnig mo lang is whail na nanginginig at sigaw ko. yung di ko na makontrol parang gusto ko lang ilabas siya ng ilabas. I swear na after that APYAC somethings will change in my life. i just hope na sana makasama ako sa next APYAC in 2018. ngayon palang kelangan ng mag-ipon dahil sa Malaysia sya gaganapin. di ko rin makakalimutan yung mga nakilala kong Taiwanese at mga walang sawang nilabanan ako sa Country Erase na mga taga Singapore. just kinda sad na kelangan naming umuwi agad kanina. but still sabi nga si Ptr. Wong mahihirapan siyang i-beat yung naging convention ngayon sa Philippines.