Road Less Traveled Interview with Jessica Tjahjady Devotional by Karen Guinadi NEW Column: Dear Genesis
IFGF Pinole Monthly Newsletter June 2015 JUNE 2015 • 1
The book of Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” From Pastor’s Desk
There are basically two destinations one can set his eyes to in life: way of life and way of destruction. The word life here is definitely not only breathing, but life as in eternal life, and successful earthly living. We will take life any day when the other choice is destruction.
The word ‘destruction’ here describes hell as the destination of those who choose to refuse the offer of salvific grace of Jesus. But it may also covers small scale destructions that may be experienced by God’s children when they make wrong choices. We live in an imperfect world where God allows the law of consequence take its due course in our life: when we make wrong choice, and we do not repent nor learn from it, we will experience the consequence of ‘destruction’. All sane human being want to avoid ‘destruction’ in whatever way it is defined. Yet the Bible strangely points to the fact that many will take the wrong way: the broad way. Why is that? Because we either lack strength or discipline to bear the toll of the narrow way. We also are mostly shortsighted beings, as we are prone to fall for anything comfortable in our immediate environment. Is there any hope for us to experience life as our creator intended it be? Sure! The word of God gives guidance and answers so all can experience abundance life in addition to the sure eternal salvation by grace through faith in Jesus. Those are exactly what we want to find out this month – how to live in the Road Less Traveled. Let’s journey together, Ps. Sugi Shown on Front Cover: Stefanie Jessica
02 • GENESIS NEWSLETTER
Our Future in His Hands
Jessica Tjahjady Revelation Video Editor / Vocal & Acoustic Guitarist / Legends Care Group Leader
Hi Jess. How are you? Are you currently busy with final week?
I would say that I really cherish the Seattle Trip last year.
I’m done with my finals last Friday! WOOOOO!!! I’m good
Amin to Seattle and we decided to drive with him for 13
and starting to look for a job now.
hours there. The seven of us spent only three to four days
We (Shirley, Jusuf, James, Malvin, Alus) were sending
together but I feel like it is one of those memories that
How do you like SFSU? Has it been challenging? Can you describe one challenge that you have overcome during college life?
I can hold on to until I’m old. I will not forget how James
I can’t believe that I have been living in the Bay Area for
On the very last night, we worshipped and prayed for one
four years and have graduated! I am definitely nervous of
another and it really completed the whole trip for me. It
what is going to come now that I am no longer a student.
was from this trip that I got to know some of them better
There are no more excuses because I am officially
and found my travel buddies.
accepted a dare to shout, “WO AI AMIN” (I love Amin) as he ran from one block to another at Chinatown, hahaha!
an adult and I have to plan out my future even more carefully. Being a student, deadlines and good academic-
What is the one thing you will miss about college life?
standing were the two main motivators for me to excel
I will miss my Care Group! I think my schoolmates are the
in school but now that I am not a student anymore, my
brothers and sisters that I have in Heroes and Legends.
future and my family have kept me motivated to look for
I have spent so much time with them and now that we
a job even harder.
have graduated, some of us will start moving to other region because of work or go back to Indo for good
What is one memorable thing you have experienced living in the Bay Area for 4 years?
(BOO!). It makes me sad.
JUNE 2015 • 03
Jessica with her beloved grandmother (left) and mother (right) What is your favorite song, and why?
but I wouldn’t have been able to present Revelation
My current favorite song would be “You Speak” by Audrey
announcements, coordinate the Easter Production
Assad. The first line of the chorus says,“In the silence of
2015, and still serve as a music minister at the same
the heart You speak,” and listening to this line over and
time without the support and help from my friends
over again reminds me of the many times that God spoke
and other church members. I thought I was good at
and showed me that He will always be there for me, not
time-management until I started to miss deadlines and
forsaking me in the silence of my heart. Another favorite
forgot to keep in contact with my fellow ministers. I was
line from this song would be: “You liberate me from my own
stressed out but many people were there to offer help
noise and my own chaos.” Some people might get bored
and I think this is a good time to give credit to some of
listening to this song because it keeps on repeating and
them! When I was struggling with the ministry scheduling
repeating, but to me, the repetition is the good part of this
for Revelation, Melanie was there to help me; Felix was
song. The more I repeat them in my head or sing it when
helping me with Easter, as many of you know; and Julie
I am in the shower, the more I am reminded that God is
covered for me in one service before. There are other
there; He is present in my life to know me, to speak to me,
supporters that I didn’t mention but I hope they know
to satisfy me, and to liberate me.
who they are, people who listened to my complaints and worries and gave me advice. Truly, I wouldn’t be able to
He is present in my life to know me, to speak to me, to satisfy me, and to liberate me.
juggle between school, ministries, and friends without these supporters who always got my back.
Any advice for those who are still pursuing a degree and are still at school? Enjoy yourself! Have enough rest because sleep is
How is ministry life? You have been involved and led many creative things from Easter to Revelation to Music ministry. How do you juggle time between school, ministries, friends and God?
important. If you have done your best at something, don’t
Honestly, ministry life can be stressful (at least for me),
hands, not our teacher, not our grades!
04 • GENESIS NEWSLETTER
beat yourself up when you get bad results. Most of all, rest in God! Sometimes we receive bad grades and we feel that our lives are over, but no! Our future is in God’s
Crater Lake
Seattle Road Trip
Graduation Day | May 22, 2015
Jessica just completed her Bachelor’s Degree at SF State University. A Communications major, Jessica understands what it means to connect herself as an integral member of the church. Her proactive and can-do attitude lends itself to her taking on multiple ministry roles, from a Video Editor to Acoustic Guitarist for the worship team. Jessica is currently looking for work opportunities in PR/ Marketing in the Bay Area.
JUNE 2015 • 05
LET’S PRAY FOR JUNE with Joan Wirolinggo
Our pastor and leaders that they abide in Him. Our church that it will be filled with passion for His name and evangelism heart. Our care group gatherings. Let’s pray that Jesus will be the center of each care group and relationship as brother and sister in Christ
Devotional
Humility by Karen Guinadi | Care Group: Hoper
will be built. I have always looked up to my dad
of grace and humility. He lowered
Our new friends who are
not only because he has a successful
himself to be humiliated so that we
new to the States or just
career and family but also for the
sinners can be free from our sins.
transferred that they may
values he has, being humble. Though
found a new family in Christ
my dad has a team of people in his
I was walking home from the mall
through this church.
division, he never thinks of himself
one day with a bag of pretzels that
as higher than the others and he
I planned to eat for breakfast. Along
Our friends who are looking
values all of their potentials. When
the way, I passed a homeless man
for jobs.
his team succeeds, he lets the whole
sitting on the ground in front of
team take the credit. However, when
Safeway and I felt it in my heart
Healing and comfort for
his team’s idea was rejected, he
that I had to approach him. It took
nation of Nepal, especially
was willing to take the blame for
me several minutes to muster up the
for the earthquakes victims
the team. That is what makes him
courage to talk to him, nonetheless
and their families.
a great and respectable leader as
I persevered. I found out that he
well as a father of his children.
hadn’t eaten anything all day and offered him my pretzels. I went home
On a larger scale, we learn from
hungry but I was filled with joy when
the Bible how God also teaches us
I saw that man smiling, enjoying
humility. Although He was God, Jesus
his meal. From that day onwards, I
came down to the world as a baby.
have promised myself that I would
He did not live like a king. Instead, He
always try my best to help others
served in public ministry alongside
in need genuinely. Humility is not
His disciples. He owned nothing and
thinking less about ourselves, but we
had no house to live in. What Jesus
simply think about ourselves less.
did for us on that cross was out
06 • GENESIS NEWSLETTER
Hey Church! We are starting a new column where you could ask questions about God, life, family, relationships, and other issues.If you feel like it is a good point to talk about,
Dear Genesis,
please send it to us at tinyurl.com/DearGenesis! You can address the question to our columnists (Jeffri, Chris and Nita) or to ANYONE (pastors, leaders, or even friends). We will publish it here with our answer and
Got a burning question?
we will try our best to provide godly guidance for you, so ask away!
go to tinyurl.com/DearGenesis
Dear Genesis, can you explain the idea of God being 3-in-1? Also, if God is God and that He would know that Jesus would rise again, doesn’t this make it not a sacrifice when Jesus died for us? And if Jesus is God, shouldn’t He also know that He would rise again? Trinity is God the father, the son and the Holy Spirit.
that can satisfy God’s requirement for SIN atonement.
They are equal in divinity and equal in power. There are 3
He paid our sins with His Life, His Blood and His
distinct persons, but are one substance or nature. They
death. God does not require ETERNAL DEATH (eternal
are distinguishable but yet inseparable.
separation from God) for the sacrifice – but He requires death as the atonement for our sins.
The concept of Trinity is NOT the same as the concept of a man who is a father, a husband and a brother. It is also
And if Jesus is God, shouldn’t He also know that He would
not the same concept as H2O which can be liquid, vapor
rise again?
and solid, NOR like an actor who plays in a low-budget movie that acts as the superhero, villain and the hero’s
Jesus did know that He would rise again on the third
late grandfather at the same time.
day, in fact he told the disciples about this several times before it actually happened (Matthew 16:21, Matthew
To answer the sacrifice question, let us refer to these
17:23). However, knowing that the ending will eventually
verses:
be a happy one does not mean that the process does not require sacrifice. Although Jesus is fully God, he is also
1. Leviticus 23:12: ‘And you shall offer on that day, when
fully human. While He was on earth, He experienced the
you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year,
“weaknesses” that we human experiences. Just like us
WITHOUT BLEMISH, as a burnt offering to the LORD.
humans, He experienced hunger (Matthew 4), and when the situation was tough, he cried too (John 11:35).
2. Leviticus 17:11 ‘For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make
Although He knew that in the end He would rise again
atonement for your souls; for it is the BLOOD that makes
and be seated at the Father’s right hand, He experienced
atonement for the soul.’
excruciating physical pain when He died on the cross. He experienced betrayals which leads to His death. Even
3. Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is DEATH,
after experiencing all of these pain, right before His death on the cross, He did not condemn the people who
To summarize the 3 verses: In order to pay for sin, blood of
have caused all of these but instead, praise the Father
a perfect sacrifice needs to be shed – and the sacrifice
and pray to Him to include all of these people in His
has to experience death. Jesus lived a perfect life, shed
forgiveness (Luke 23:34).
his blood and experienced death – He is the only one
JUNE 2015 • 07
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PRAYER GROUPS
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UPCOMING EVENTS
FAITH (Every Thursday)
Documentation - Eric Timotius
June 5 & 19
Caregroup Gathering
Melanie 925.586.7770
Genesis Newsletter - Irene Chandra
June 13
Corporate Prayer
June 21
Special Sunday Service -
Men’s Ministry - Christian Liong
KING (Every Monday)
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PASTORAL TEAM
JUNE BIRTHDAYS
SUGI HENDRIC Senior Pastor
01 Cheryl Ng
12
David Sutopo
23 Olivia Chandrawinata
04 Jhameson Ko
14
Josephine Aldora
24 Philmon Tanuri
JEFFRI HALIM Associate Pastor,
07 Ivan Halim
22
Vincent Tjiang
28 Felix Saputra
Biblical Teaching
07 Kevin Gracio Anton
22
Ivander Tee
29 Antony Setiawan
11 Amabel Soewondo
22
Amos Hedranada
30 Tara Calista
08 • GENESIS NEWSLETTER