UPDATE
January 28^th, 2008

SPARED FOR ANOTHER YEAR

Dear Saints:

We wish you a year of prosperity in life and fruitfulness in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ. This update comes from Edwin Marsden, our recently appointed Executive Vice-President and Hin Hiong Khoo, our Founder-President.

We need to ask ourselves if what we did in 2007 counted for the kingdom’s sake. In Luke 13:6-9 Jesus told a parable of a fig tree. The owner of the field in which it was planted looked for fruit on it but found none. He highlighted how he had come to this tree for fruit over a period of three years but found none. It had to be cut down! The farm worker pleaded that it be granted reprieve for just one more year. If it still had not borne any fruit at the end of another year, then it would be cut down.

As a Christian, have you neglected the work of the Lord this past year? We cannot redeem the time that is gone, not a second of it, not an opportunity. We cannot do anything to change the past. David Jeremiah, author of ‘Slaying the Giants in Your Life’ has noted that one of the most dangerous words in the Bible is ‘tomorrow’, because it is a thief that robs dreamers of their dreams and the gifted of their accomplishments. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the prince of preachers concurred when he wrote, “tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow! Alas, tomorrow never comes! It is no calendar except the almanac of fools”.

To live victoriously and fruitfully in 2008, it will be important to recognize that there are some things that we must choose to forget and resolutions to make, especially if we are committed to keep them.

I. THINGS TO FORGET:

1. Forget our failures. Thomas Edison chose to forget the thousands of failed experiments that he tried before successfully inventing the light bulb.

2. Forget our grievances. Grievances hurt and imprison us. They build sour dispositions in us towards others and things around. They hurt the work of God yet in the end they amount to nothing.

3. Forget ourselves. We do this by being willing to let loved ones go and be with the Lord when He calls them. Otherwise we can destroy our effectiveness for God by being selfish and unwilling to let them go. With the Lord they are much better off than we are. Knowing they are watching us makes heaven more precious.

II. RESOLUTIONS:

1. To pray more. As the end draws nigh for Satan, his activity and influence will grow. To overcome we need to be plugged into God’s power through prayer.

2. To have greater concern for the lost. Have you shed a tear for a lost soul recently? Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet. Jesus saw the multitudes as sheep without a shepherd and so should we.

3. To give more. In 2 Corinthians we read, “They willingly gave themselves first…”. In Galatians 6:10 Paul says, “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers”. Spare that tree. Give another chance! If it has no fruit on it next year, cut it down.

O beloved, let us resolve to bear much fruit towards God this year, as we win souls and give generously towards the reaching of the nations in our end time generation! Year 2007 was eventful for us at ICM.


Strategic Consultation 22 - 23rd October 2007

This sense of urgency, obligation and indebtedness towards reaching the nations for Christ in our generation was the dominant mood at our last strategic consultation held in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. In attendance were members of the International Board, country directors and staff from ICM offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia and India. Highlights of this consultation included the attendance of the Chairman of the International Board David Vardy who introduced ICM’s new Executive Vice President, Mr. Edwin Marsden.


ICM Malaysia Celebrates 15 Years of Ministry

October 22nd 2007 witnessed a joyous occasion as ICM Malaysia celebrated 15 years of fruitful ministry by hosting a celebration and fundraising dinner. The importance of this occasion was underscored by the presence of Dr. Maximus J. Ongkili the minister in the Prime Minister’s department, who was the guest of honor and Mr. David Vardy, ICM Group Chairman. During his speech, the guest of honor recounted how he had personally benefited from ICM training at a stage in his faith-journey.

The 600+/- guests, predominantly made up of ICM partners, supporters and pastors of local churches, were taken on a picturesque journey of ICM ministry throughout the year 2007. The ICM national director for Malaysia, Mr. Edwin Marsden, used a mass media presentation effectively to bring to life the ICM activities implemented in the outgoing year. These included trainers’ training, production and distribution of training manuals, graduations and short-term missions.

The presentation made it very clear that the strategy of building synergies between ICM, its partners and local churches, is best suited to the ICM vision and mission.

Year 2008 finds us with a heightened sense of urgency, obligation and indebtedness to reach the unreached peoples with the gospel.


Founder President and Executive Vice President Mission to Thailand

January 16th to 19th 2008 saw President Khoo Hin Hiong and E.V.P. Edwin Marsden on a mission to Thailand. In Mae Sareing, they held training for 44 trainees composed of pastors and church leaders who came from seven different churches. A reliable source has revealed that the E.V.P. watched in wonderment as the President who is now in his ‘mature years’ conducted multiple training sessions back to back, as would a much younger man.

On the Myanmar border, they distributed the first batch of 1000 sarongs (skirts) to refugee women which were received on their behalf by Missionary Rose Bell. These thousands of refugees are largely made up of people from Myanmar, whose homes were destroyed by the army. These displaced, unreached people are in dire need of clothing, food, medical health services and shelter. Their gratefulness at having some of their basic needs met and their openness towards the good news and love of Jesus Christ, despite their religious backgrounds, makes this an opportunity not to be missed.

On the 18th of January a graduation was held at Ma Le Noi for 11 graduates. It was yet another moment of joy and achievement for the President and E.V.P. as they issued certificates to graduates. Yo Warong, ICM coordinator for Thailand was in attendance.

Graduations and Training

ICM conducted at least one graduation and launched one training seminar each month in 2007 somewhere in Asia. In October 2007, a strong batch of graduates came out of Nias which suffered its worst earthquake in 2006. Some of these graduates have already established congregations in this devastated island in North Sumatra and some of you are supporting these pastors who otherwise live on meager subsistence. Thank you for planting your seed in good soil for the Kingdom’s sake. We were well represented by our Group Chairman, our Founder/President and our new Exec Vice President at the graduation. The Mayor of the City was also present and was seated to the right of David Vardy in the photo.

Year 2008 has started well and we have already seen two graduations in January. The first was at the Messiah Revival Assembly in Senai, Johor, West Malaysia, the venue for the graduation of 20 ICM trained trainers. The EVP motivated graduates to actively press into the Kingdom business of reaching the unreached and multiplying leaders. What a moment of joy and achievement to us at ICM as these graduates were presented with their certificates!

There is so much to report on the achievements in 2007 but we are holding back for now due to limited space. Keep watching this space! In 2008 we are determined to be more fruitful than we have ever been! We are committed to pray more! With your continued partnership, we know we will achieve more to the glory of our Lord.

In the next two months, we will be launching and distributing three new books with the assistance of Hillcrest Church in Dallas, Texas:

Principles of Effective Bible Study
Fundamental Truths of The Family
Fundamental Truths of The Kingdom

We are privileged to be working with Dr Robert Coleman and Dr Jerry Horner, members of our ICM Board of Advisers on new materials for our students. We are also breaking new grounds in other parts of India and Vietnam in the first half of 2008. We are praying about responding to requests to go into Monrovia and Cuba (yes, Cuba).

There is so much to do but we do not want to be limited with human and financial resources. Please pray and allow the Holy Spirit to lead and direct you to help us with a strong financial gift for our 2008 program. Please send your gift to us at Suite 2040, 17300 North Dallas Parkway, Dallas, Texas 75248, USA or 126A Rangoon Road, Singapore 218404.

Please visit us at http://www.icmission.net. We love to hear from you.

God Bless you.

Khoo Hin Hiong
President/Founder
International Christian Mission
E-Mail: icm@pacific.net.sg
E-Mail: icmglobal@gmail.com
Web-site: www.icmission.net
Tel: (65) 6291-2477
Cell: (65) 81818-757
Fax: (65) 6292-0996

Edwin Marsden
Executive Vice President
International Christian Mission
E-Mail: icmklmsia@yahoo.com
E-Mail: edmarsden@gmail.com
Tel: (603) 2070-7790
Cell: (6012) 221-1662