Dear Friends and Supporters of Arrows
As we step into 2021, we are waving good-bye to a rather challenging year in 2020. It was a year that started with high hopes and expectation until the pandemic started.
When it started, many did not expect it to be long drawn. I for one thought that it will be like SARS that took a couple of months to come back to normalcy. But the next thing we know, we are in a global lockdown. All our plans were changed overnight, and all our goals must be adjusted.
Year 2020 goes from great anticipation to great apprehension. But in the darkness, we found a glimmer of light. We discovered that what the devil has meant for harm, God can turn it around for His own redemptive purpose. We found streams in dry places. We discovered diamonds in the dirt. We found strength in weakness. We see hope in hopelessness!
2020 has turned out to be a challenging but ground-breaking year for many of us. I have many things to be grateful for. Allow me to outline some of them.
THE PERSONAL FRONT
God has used this pandemic to shake us and helped us to differentiate between what is important and what is not. With the slowing down of travel and ministry opportunities, it has given many busy preachers and teachers the enforced rest that we desperately need but do not realize.
It was a sabbatical stop that is long overdue. With this enforced slow down, I can recalibrate my inner compass and spent more time in reflection and reading. This has been enriching and refreshing.
THE FAMILY FRONT
Since I travel 40% of the time, I am grateful for the extended time that I get to spend with my family here in Perth. I get to see my granddaughter Zoe grow up, literally a week to week, before my eyes. I get front row seats watching two of my children build their first home.
I had my first experience of seeing one of my children getting married in Japan over Zoom. It was unusual but interesting, and not to mention, super cheap too! It literally costs nothing! We do regularly conduct Zoom meetings with our extended family over in Singapore. We are separated by distance but brought together by technology.
All things considered; I would think that this pandemic had brought some benefits on the family front.
THE CHURCH FRONT
With my travels curtailed, 2020 has been a year of focus on my local church. It was a great opportunity to get closer to the staff team and watch the ministries developing, up close and personal. It forces me to address the gap that can often happen between vision and implementation. This will put our church in a better place going forward.
This has also given me a greater appreciation of the amazing staff team that God has blessed me with. The pastoral and operations staff members in our growing team have both heart and skills to do what they are called to do. Many of them personify the values that we seek to uphold in our congregation namely Authentic in Faith, Humble in Posture, Focus on People and Excellence in Everything.
The changes and adjustments that the pandemic called for propelled many in the team to go above and beyond where we have been. This has resulted in a huge leap to take our church from a local church to a more global church.
Our apostolic network of churches called D-Net Inc. which is a network of disciple-making churches has grown to 17 churches. We are now having monthly Zoom gatherings to encourage and spur one another on to greater works for the Lord.
Not needing to travel has also increased the mentoring time that I need to have with the staff team, and this has been priceless. Not needing to travel allows me to preach more in our local church and this has afforded me the platform to lead the church through the pulpit and take the flock into a new season in 2021.
The next season of our church will be very exciting because God is doing a new work in our midst as we seek to reintroduce the Person and the Power of the Holy Spirit to our congregation. Since the closing service of 2020, we are already sensing a shift in our spiritual atmosphere.
The Holy Spirit is moving amongst us even as our people are hungering a thirsting for more of His tangible presence and working in our midst. For all this, I am grateful and expectant.
THE MINISTRY FRONT
Arrows Resources has gone through some major changes in 2020. Due to traffic restrictions, Arrows must adapt to our usual model of face-to-face teaching seminars and church team consultations.
Since October 2020, we decided to make all our audio and video resources available online free of charge. These resources are now available on our ministry website www.arrowsrecources.com and our Arrows Resources YouTube Channel. We will be shifting to a donation-based model to maintain our sustainability.
Our Bible Colleges in Cambodia, China, Philippines and Perth continue to train indigenous leaders for the different nations. With the pandemic, we are preparing to take the training online so that we are future-ready and crisis-ready.
With regards to church consultation, we will be having a more formalized arrangement with the churches we are consulting with to make it more intentional and process-oriented. In 2020, we have moved much of our teaching seminars and team consultation online with different churches via Zoom or live streaming.
This has increased our reach in terms of numbers and locations so that our impact can go wider and further. All glory to God!
GOING FORWARD…
As we move into this next season, our intention is to continue to faithfully teach the Word of God to the Body of Christ through our bi-monthly Wednesday Webinars and to start a new podcast series on pertinent subjects.
We will continue to journey with local churches who are wanting to focus on disciple-making. Finally, to help us sustain this teaching and resource ministry, if you would like to make a financial contribution, you can do so using the details given below.
PayNow: UEN 201000914K
CONCLUSION
Here is a verse that I will leave with you as you walk into 2021:
Galatians 6: 9 – “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Thank you so much for being part of our journey in 2020. We look forward to serving you in 2021 and beyond.
May the Lord’s blessings and favour be with you as we enter the New Year!
Blessings,
Benny Ho