June 26, 2015
When the Holy Spirit came upon the followers of Jesus on the day of Pentecost, “they began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native languages? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and the residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power” (Acts 2).
In 1970, forty-five years ago, Nagano, Shinto, Morikawa, Nakagawa, Tsuchiya, Hirano, Shigaki were able to hear Chuck, Kwok, Szeto, Tow, Tong, Fong, Choy, and Ng.
Soon, Atienza, Familiaran, Belo, Diesto, Palada, (Marie), Kim were able to hear Kho, Lahpai, Latt, Too, Kam…
Today, we are able to hear Imchen, Imsong, Tali, Keikung…
And there are and will be many others for God is constantly adding new people to the Kingdom of God. God is adding Ikoma, Baggao, Mang, Bau…
The Asian Alliance is a foretaste of what the Kingdom of God is in heaven. When we are left solely in our countries of ancestry, the historical, cultural, lingual and natural boundaries prevent us from catching a glimpse of the potential of God’s people. But when we are here in the United States under the Lordship of Jesus Christ with the identity of being American Baptist, we become like those early disciples gathered in Jerusalem who were still afraid of what may happen next, receives the power of the Holy Spirit and the world as they once knew has changed forever. The world continues to become new again because we now have the peace of Christ.
Today, we are no longer afraid to welcome new people to the Alliance of Asian American Baptist Churches to do ministry together. We are no longer afraid of sharing the responsibility with other American Baptists to proclaim the Good News of Christ around the world. And we are no longer afraid or timid or uncertain of the truth that the Holy Spirit has given us the ability and privilege to speak about God’s deeds of power.
May God continue to bless and empower the Alliance of Asian American Baptist Churches to bear witness of Jesus Christ as Lord.