Overnight Success

“Overnight success takes time,” as Bro. Francis Kong, well-known Christian motivational speaker and prolific author, put it. (Our Tuesday Circle of Care attended his talk, “Surviving the Economic Crisis: Developing a Personal Culture of Excellence,” that he gave recently in the New Millennium Evangelical Church.) He also pointed out, “There is no such thing as a shortcut to success. But there’s an expressway to disaster.” I agree 100%. If we shortcut the process, we will end up short-circuiting it. Some people may think that church is a picnic. But, it’s more about sleepless nights, mental torture and emotional anguish. (I know. I’m a bit exaggerating. But you get the picture, right?) Yet, as Brother Francis added, “In tough times, leaders work together as a team.”


I praise God He gave me the privilege to work with a great team. The relief work we got involved with these past weeks is another crystal clear expression of our battle cry, “One God. One Mission. One MGC.” Volunteers poured in not only to donate but also to help pack thousands of bags of relief goods. Yet, like any overnight success, this took time and effort. Tiring but fulfilling. One volunteer remarked, “Ang sarap talaga maglingkod!” (“It’s so satisfying to serve!”) There was simply no shortcut here. It’s another “Only God” experience for our church. I believe we made God smile again.

Keep in mind though that we will not rest on our laurels. There’s more work to be done for the Lord. In his talk, Brother Francis also asked, “What do you have? Do you have dreams or memories?” Memories are great to have. But dreams are greater to have. If we have more memories than dreams, it shows we live in the past. If we have more dreams than memories, it shows we live in the present with our eyes on the future. And we need not come up with our own dreams. God already envisioned it for us. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20, NIV) We are to dream His dream. It may take time. All of us need to be on the team. There will be no shortcuts. But, since it is His dream, we are bound to fulfill it. I am excited with what God is doing and will be doing in and through our church.

Brethren, together let us seek to become an overnight success!

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