The Church of Acts 1:8
by Dr. Randall McElwain
Ten years ago, I was serving as music minister at a church in Stuart. Once a month, I would lead the music for service, slip out during the closing prayer, eat a snack on the way to Lake Worth, and teach an afternoon Bible class at PBCCC.
One day, my pastor asked, “Why are you so excited on the Sundays you teach in Lake Worth?”
I told him, “Because at Palm Beach Chinese Christian Chapel, I have the opportunity to be a small part of Acts 1:8. Jesus called his disciples to preach the gospel in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
At PBCCC, they are reaching Jerusalem (Chinese people in Palm Beach County).
They are reaching Judea and Samaria (outreach ministries at FAU and Jupiter).
They are reaching the ends of the earth (by supporting missionaries to Chinese people around the world).
It is a highlight of my week to have a very small part in that call.”
Ten years later, this is still true. It is my great joy to have a small part of the ministry of PBCCC.
This 40th anniversary gives me the chance to look back at my involvement over the past 25 years. I do not know if I have been much help to PBCCC, but you have been an incredible blessing to my family and me! Just a few of the many blessings….
▲Dr. McElwain's daughter Stacey and son Austin playing cello and violin during the Christmas program in PBCCC
Serving as a Family
Our family first served in the Chinese church at the building in Delray Beach. Although it was not a beautiful building, we immediately felt the joy and love of the people. My daughter Stacey and son Austin remember playing cello and violin during the Christmas program there. Even though they were young children, you let them have a part in the music program. Thank you for letting my children know the joy of ministering through music.
In high school, Stacey chose Chinese as her foreign language with Mrs. Hsu as her teacher. Stacey met her Christian service requirement by helping with children’s Sunday School at PBCCC. Usually Stacey taught in English, but to meet her requirements she had to teach one class session in Chinese. Oh the hours she spent, practicing every word of the lesson. Thank you for letting my daughter practice Chinese with your children!
We first attended a PBCCC picnic with our children. My wife Sue and I were already too old to learn Chinese. I have tried to learn and you have tried to teach me – but I am a dinosaur who cannot learn language. At the picnic, you were very friendly but Sue and I could not visit very well. But on the way home, Stacey and Austin told us the conversations that we missed. They loved to listen to Mandarin and try to understand.
Growing as an Individual
I love to teach and teaching at PBCCC has been one of my greatest joys. Whether it is a Bible class, Sunday School teacher training sessions, or Sunday preaching, you are a receptive audience. Thank you for allowing me the joy of ministry at PBCCC.
You have challenged me to grow. Your questions have pushed me to study deeply. Earlier this year, I published a book on the life of holiness. This book started from class notes for PBCCC. Without teaching at PBCCC, I would never have written the book.
But more importantly, you have helped me to grow spiritually. The preaching of the Hsu’s and Pastor Schwartz have challenged me to seek a deeper life. The Sunday morning prayer meetings have challenged me to a deeper prayer life. Thank you for helping me to grow spiritually through my involvement at PBCCC.
Being Blessed as a Couple
Finally, in the difficult months of 2020 you have shown such care and love for Sue. You cannot know how much your prayers have meant to us on tough days. I can never thank you enough for helping us in these days of uncertainty.
I am hesitant to even begin listing the kind things you have done – because there are too many to list and I will have to omit some things. But you have blessed us in so many ways. Just a few…
Sue loves to read cards. When she went to the hospital, she took cards you sent. They gave her encouragement when she was lone in the hospital.
During treatments, there are many unexpected expenses. So many times, your gifts have come “at just the right time” to help us.
Then let me mention something that might be surprising. For 15 years, Sue ate a vegetarian diet for her health. Due to chemotherapy, she has lost weight and the oncologist pushes her to eat meat and dairy products. Sometimes, she did not have much appetite. BUT her favorite food is Chinese food and several of you have sent Chinese food to us. If she has no appetite for other food, Sue loves to eat Chinese food. That has been a wonderful blessing. (And of course, I love to enjoy the food too!)
On dark days, those things have reminded Sue and me that God loves us and that He is showing His love through you. PBCCC has been the hand of God to bless us this year. Thank you!
▲Now the children are grown, the family still serve together.
Reaching the Ends of the Earth as a Church
Let me finish by saying a bit about the future. For forty years, PBCCC has been an Acts 1:8 church. You have reached Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and around the world. That is the past. What is the future for PBCCC? I believe PBCCC will continue to be an Acts 1:8 church.
PBCCC will minister in Jerusalem. In our homes, we will train our children and give them a love for God. In our church, we will seek to be a congregation that is modeled on Acts 2:42-47.
- A church that is committed to Bible teaching (“devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching”)
- A loving church (“and the fellowship”)
- A worshiping church (“to the breaking of bread and the prayers”)
- A church that demonstrates spiritual power (“and awe came upon every soul”)
- A generous church (“distributing the proceeds to all as any had need”)
- A joyful church (“praising God”)
- A church that influences our community (“having favor with all the people”)
- An evangelistic church (“the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved”)
PBCCC will minister in Judea and Samaria. We will share the gospel with exchange students, restaurant workers, researchers from Scripps and other institutions, and others who need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. I look forward to the day when PBCCC will be known as the “mother church” to other daughter churches throughout south Florida.
PBCCC will minister to the ends of the earth. Yes, we will support missionaries. But more than that, I look forward to seeing even more missionaries go from PBCCC to evangelize overseas and reach the ends of the earth.
