Wednesday, December 2, 2009

MORE TESTIMONIALS

Hello!

Here are three more testimonials of past Alpha Camp experiences. Hope they encourage you and its still not too late to invite your friends!!

Only 2 weeks to Alpha camp!!

Jian En

It was in Alpha camp 2003 that I first asked a friend to participate in the Camp. I did not hope much hope because rejection was something common when you approach a non-christian friend to attend a church camp. She agreed to come but left half way through the camp due to some other commitments.

In 2007, I decided to head the Alpha Camp committee. There was nothing more difficult in the whole preparation than to ask a friend to attend the camp. In the 4 years between the 2 camps, I kept in touch with that friend of mine. However, talks on God and faith were rather limited and we spend most of the time talking about worldly issues. It was in 2007, the thought of asking her to attend the camp again came across my mind again. I waited for the opportunity to arise for me to ask but it never really came.

I prayed. Half-heartedly. Knowing that that most of the time, rejection would be the reply.

By God’s plan, my friend approached me. She asked me about faith. She talked to me about God. She questioned the purpose of living and existence.

I was baffled. I took the opportunity to invite her for the camp again and she agreed. This was however, not without any hurdles. There were a lot of obstacles such as clashes with her schedules and work that was obstructing her from attending the camp. I was helpless in trying to find a way around it and could only pray about it.

Once again, God was amazing in His work to pave the way for her to come. She attended the full camp, had her questions answered, and accepted Christ as her saviour, 4 years later.

Her name is Shiqi.


I supposed all of us have a lot of worries and concern inside us as we try to ask our friends to come. We fear rejection at times or being caught in awkward positions with our peers. However, we need to remember that God has gone before us to work the way. All we have to do is ask.

Alpha Camp is the opportunity for us to tell our friends how God has work in our lives.

Alpha Camp is the opportunity for us to show our friends how God can change their lives.

Alpha Camp is the opportunity for us to let God show us how He works through us.

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, But God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything but God. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour. For we are God’s fellow worker; you are God’s field, God’s building.’ 1 Corinthians 3: 6 – 9

Are you willing to plant the seed or water the plant for God today?

Shi Qi

My first Alpha camp was in 2003. Jian En invited me to the camp and told me that it will be a fun-filled camp. Having just completed my 'A' level, I didn’t have much to do and accepted the invitation without much hesitation. I didn’t know about the main purpose of the camp and so I went with an open mind. However, I left the camp pondering over the subject of religion and also the presence of God. Unfortunately, I was subsequently influenced by my mother and ended up practising Buddhism. However, God is amazing. He crept inside my heart one day and told me to seek Him. It was then when I started to talk to Jian En regarding God and Christianity. I was sceptical at first. I struggled with some of the beliefs that contradict with my Buddhism/Taoism upbringing. I was also afraid to accept God for fear of having to walk the narrow path and also the possible objection from my family. However, Jian En told me to try speaking to God. I tried and ended up knowing God in a more personal level. In 2007, Jian En invited me to the Alpha camp for the second time. I hesitated a little as I was still unsure. However, I wanted to know more about God so I accepted the invitation (although I know I was super overage for the camp, hahha). I am glad that I have attended the camp. What happened at the Alpha night was still very vivid to me. It was then when I accepted Christ.

Just some encouragement. Don not be afraid to ask. When you ask, you are actually creating an open door for your friends to think about God. And you might have already planted a small seed in their heart simply by asking them to come to the Alpha camp. Even if they reject you, continue to water the seed. Its need water to germinate

Yu Juin

Evangelism by spreading the gospel always felt like an extremely difficult and awkward thing to do. But I very much wanted my friends to know Christ. And, hence, what better way to do that than Alpha- you didn’t have to do it yourself, and your friends would be playing games in the midst of it.

Because Alpha made it easier to evangelize, it was a method I particularly preferred. But it wasn’t easy. I’ve tried quite a few times asking friends to go for the camp, but often I’ve been rejected and even shot down, which makes it even more scary to ask others the next time. Other than the fears of rejection, there was also the fact that even if my friends accepted there is still the task of making them happy and entertained though the camp. What if the games aren’t fun enough, or how should I attend to them in all 4 days?

In the end, though, all that doesn’t matter. It’s rather strange that we’d tell our friends about a great movie we just watched, or share a juicy piece of gossip we just heard, but it’s so hard for us to invite them for a simple camp.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Past Year testimonials

Hello everyone! Below are three testimonials from Yuan Tying, Yvette and Xue Qian from past alpha camps when they brought their friends. If you have something to share feel free to email any Alpha Camp Comm member :) Your experience might inspire another to bring their friends!

Yuan Tying

Heys!

Here's my testimony..doesnt have to be v long right? hope it comes in handyand hope it's not too late..haha

Hello! I'm Yuan Tying:) If you don't know me, i am a 22 year old, attending church at BPMC.I've been going to alphacamp for many years and also served as part of the planning committee too.Alpha camp has always been one of the highlights as the year approaches the end and I've always enjoyed myself there, be it the games, the outings, fellowshiping with the other youths and also experiencing His bountiful provision for us. However, alpha camp is not just camp for us to enjoy, but a camp for us to bring our friends along, so that they too can know God and have fun at the camp.

Many years I've always thought inviting a friend seems quite daunting.There are many things that goes through my mind: what if my friends reject me? what if they don't like the camp? or maybe they wouldn't be free at all? And the thought of being rejected would seem quite disappointing. But in 2007, i managed to invite 2 of my friends for the camp. I told them about the camp, and prayed that they will be open minded to come join us, and God answered my prayers. Both my friends came and enjoyed the camp a lot. I'm glad I invited them to come:) God used me to invite my friends and it became a chance for them to know more about Christianity too. Even though my friends did not accept Christ that year but I believe, the seed of the gospel is planted and they know that there is this God who loves them, who waits for them to come back to Him. If i had been hesitant to invite my friends, they would not have had the chance to know God more at the camp and enjoy it just like how I always do. And I would have also restricted the ways how He uses me to bring my friends to know Him.

So, if you're thinking of inviting your friends, fear not, just go ahead and ask. Don't limit God's work with your limited thinking/worries.And if you're thinking of coming for the camp, please do! cause you'll be enjoying yourself loads, like how all of us always do, and also get to know more friends.On top of that, you'll be able to know more about this amazing God and experience Him through the camp. Curious about who He is, how He is like and why this big hoo haa about Him? come and see for yourself.:) Hope to see you there!

Yvette

It wasn’t hard inviting my friends because if one of my friends came, the others would follow suit.

But what I felt was shocking was that they were very easy-going. Whenever I tell them about the money they have to pay when they attend this camp, my immediate thought was that they would reject. But they just replied, “Ok ah.” I guess maybe God is at work? But what was the tough part is that when one of my friends is not going, the others would follow suit too, and usually during the December holidays, most of my friends are going overseas. Some of their parents also oppose them attending alpha camp as it is a Christian organization. I wanted to invite my friends because I hope they can get to know Christ and know that there is always someone for them whenever they are down. Most of them became more receptive to stuffs about Christians and they are all attending City Harvest Church now. :D I feel very happy when they told me that they enjoy the camp.

No matter what circumstances, I think our job is just to ask them whether they could come for alpha camp, and leave the rest to God. Because we should sow the seeds and God will grow them in his own way!

Xue Qian

I apologise that 4 year old memories appear vague in my mind. This is just some of my experience and what I learnt from bringing my friends to Alpha Camp.

Not being exposed to religion before, being a Christian might seem like another role that newcomers have to don, other than being a son, a student, a leader. Some of them may already half-believe the faith, yet they might think if it is necessary. Can they handle the additional burden? Perhaps Christianity can wait. I tried really hard to explain to my friend that being a Christian was different from a commitment or another task to be completed, and why the solution of ‘waiting’ is an indefinite excuse. Coming to church every Sunday is not compared to having to go school every day.

I learnt that it takes time. It really does. I found myself repeating things I mentioned before, trying to explain things from different angles. But it means that we should never give up! I saw Christ in other ways too. Because I seemed to gain so much more in all the conversations with my friend and the advice I gave. It seemed that the more I was trying to affirm him and clarify his doubts, I was also answering my own doubts. I was surprised how these answers came to me. The greatest takeaway for me is that evangelism is not a one way thing, that through reaching out to our friends, we unknowingly grow to be better Christians ourselves.

Perhaps many of our non-Christian friends fear the label of a Christian. What does it entail? I tried to explain to my friend that like him, I too was learning. I say I’m a Christian not because I already know the answers to everything. I genuinely do not, but I hope and believe that this is where I will find them. Being a Christian does not mean you have to first be perfect, it is the precise understanding that we are not. You do not need to score straight ‘A’s or help a thousand needy people before you can be eligible to be a Christian. I think it helps to not preach from a higher pedestal and let our non-Christian friends see how we are just ordinary people who have our failings and weaknesses. The difference is that we have someone from whom can we draw strength and find direction.

Reaching out does not stop from the moment our friends accept Christ. There is another long journey after that. But for now, I would like to encourage all of us to actively approach our friends and invite them for Alpha Camp. I think the best method is to find out what is the main obstacle your friend is facing, and then seek to address it. You never know what God might be doing through you. As the cliché goes, it just takes the planting of a seed. I believe that God will work in his own ways and own time. All we have to do is let Him.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

OFFICIAL LAUNCH

ALPHA CAMP 2009 IS OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR REGISTRATION!!!

Hurry get your registration forms from the booth every Sunday and sign up!!



Join our facebook event by clicking this!!

Come on board with us now :)

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Teaser Three

looking at the past, anticipating the future. enjoy the past year photos!




TWO MORE WEEKS TO ALPHA CAMP 2009 LAUNCH!!

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Teaser Two



Can you guess the theme of this year's Alpha Camp yet?

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Teaser One

Ahoy maties!



Hmm.. i wonder what will be the Best Movie Of The Year 2009?

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

"不 要 为 自 己 积 攒 财 宝 在 地 上 ... 因 为 你 的 财 宝 在 哪 里 , 你 的 心 也 在 哪 里"

Matthew 6: 19, 21

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