We thank the Lord that our recent church camp has provided ample opportunities for us to enjoy meaningful fellowship with one another. Following up from last year’s camp where the WARM programme was first introduced, each camper was issued on the first day with WARM name cards to exchange with one another. In order to motivate increased interaction during the camp, there was a mystery to solve – to break the colour code that was found on every camper’s name tag.

As this year’s emphasis was on cultivating koinonia, all who came for the church camp also received a ‘Koinonia Card’ to be reminded not only to interact with one another, but to talk more about spiritual things in order to edify one another. This card is included with today’s weekly so that you may know how you can turn an ordinary conversation in a more spiritual direction. More details on this are found below.

The following are some recent testimonies about the WARM programme. The first four came from those who attended our recent church camp. The last one comes from ‘down under,’ where our WARM programme has been successfully duplicated! —CS

PRAISE GOD and Kudos to the camp committee for making this year’s church camp a successful one! During the camp, we had to guess the reasons of having stickers of different colours on our name tags, which is one good way of breaking the ice in starting a conversation with one another. During meal times, some pro-active families, instead of sitting together, sat at different tables with other fellow members, having meals and exchanging WARM cards with one another.
I hope that this WARM programme will not only let fellow church members know each other at an acquaintance level, but at a level where we can support and edify one another. "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." (1 Th 5:11) —Jiazhen

THE LORD has certainly blessed the time during this fruitful camp for us, especially through the WARM Programme which certainly has encouraged all of us to fellowship with the Christian brethren.

When we heard about the WARM card challenge, we were excited about it and wanted to find out the answer to the different colored stickers on our nametags.

So the four of us got together and worked with each other to find out what it meant. Hence we started exchanging WARM cards with the church members during the breaks. On the first day, we managed to collect more than 10 WARM cards!

Slowly, we collated all our ideas with what we thought might be the possible answer whilst fellowshipping with the campers. After approaching quite a number of people, we therefore managed to decipher the meaning behind the colored stickers.

This WARM Programme has definitely taught us that fellowshipping with God’s people is also very important. We thank God that we can use the WARM Programme as an instrument to help us to learn to fellowship.

I THANK the Almighty God that I was able to attend the church camp at Harris Resort in Batam this year. He had blessed me with my first in year 2004, followed by my second in Awana in 2005 with my husband and son. He had been very merciful and gracious toward my family and me. He had given me victory over breast cancer. Due to my treatment I was not able to participate in last year’s camp at Port Dickson when the WARM programme was introduced.

A sister shared with much excitement and thrill when campers and subsequently members in church responded to her with the WARM cards. At Harris I too experienced the joy in getting to know so many more within the short time at camp and to give thanks in person to them who had upheld me with prayers, love and encouragements during my illness. Through the prayer lists, many had known about me and had prayed for me. I thank God who gave occasion and opportunities for me to reciprocate and multiply the many benefits and blessings I received. I Peter 4:10.

I Peter 1:16 – "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." In camp this year I learnt that Holiness is the premier attribute of God. The basis and practical aspects of taking time to be holy, one must already have a regenerated heart, having accepted the Lord Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour. I am personally reminded and encouraged that Holiness is not dependent on myself. I can pursue holy living purely because Christ Jesus had made the sacrifice for me and had made me holy before God. I must live a life of Christ in me and through me. I can by drawing much needed strength and great comfort from God’s Holy Word and with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter to help me do that.

Thank God for our speaker Rev Chris C Sidwell and all others who had made this camp 2007 a successful and beneficial one to all. —Jenny Kan

Ever since the ‘WARM’ Programme was launched at the church camp in June 2006, we have seen the Lord at work. Praise God, Lifers are warming up to the idea and no longer find it awkward to extend their right hand of fellowship towards one another.

Our hope for the WARM Programme is that it would be more than just a programme, that in the years to come, it would be an ongoing ministry of our church, where Lifers minister one to another readily.

In the early part of 2007, Dn Benny Goh contacted us and asked us to think of some ideas for the WARM Programme to be conducted during the church camp at Batam. We thought of several ideas including the running of some mystery games to help the campers make use of the WARM cards and get to know one another whilst at the same time have fun. In addition, we also felt that it would be a good opportunity to share ways of opening conversations with one another, and more importantly, learn together how to have interactions at a spiritual level, for mutual edification.

The Lord led us to Donald Whitney’s article, "Cultivate Koinonia" and we found the article, and particularly the questions he suggested, useful and instructive. We were keen to adapt these to be used as the next part of the WARM Programme. We saw that these questions could help us move on from simply the We Mindset and Actively Engage (W&A) portion (using of WARM cards) to the Reaching Out and Ministering (R&M) portion (including using spiritual questions during a conversation with a fellow believer).

The Lord did not stop at just providing us with the answers on how to go about ministering to one another. He also gave us the idea of making the KOINONIA card in a special way, for distribution to all Lifers.

The KOINONIA card was distributed at the camp and is now inserted in today’s Weekly. As you can see, the main article is on the long rectangle portion, whereas the ten questions to ask have been summarised at the top, in the form of an easily torn off wallet sized card. God gave us the idea to print the article on this rectangular portion, so that it can fit in our Bibles as a bookmark and a constant reminder. The questions are printed separately on a compact card, which can be placed in our wallets or with our WARM cards.

We thank God for this concept of the KOINONIA card, and we hope and pray that the Lord will use this card to help Lifers become even closer to one another. We truly believe that the WARM Programme, is a ministry for "me", involving each and every one of us. Do continue to pray for and participate fully in this ministry for the edification of the saints, and to the glory of God. Amen. —WARM Facilitators

This was the exhortation given by the apostle Paul to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 5:11). It is found at the end of a section where he had emphasized their need to be watchful in view of the imminent return of Jesus Christ (vv.2-6). Since Christ may return at any time, Christians must maintain watchfulness and not fall into a state of spiritual slumber. In order to keep on living as children of light (v.5) we ought to edify one another. The word ‘edify’ here means ‘to build up.’ It implies constructive work in contrast to destructive work (cf. John 2:20).

How can we build each other up? (1) By using the Word of God (Acts 20:32 – "I commend you to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up"). We can share with others what God has taught us from His Word. Even if they are things that they already know, the reminder will help to reinforce the knowledge. (2) By showing unconditional love (1 Corinthians 1:8 – "charity edifieth"). Without love, knowledge can sometimes be quite damaging (cf. 1 Corinthians 8:11). (3) By using words that will minister grace to the hearers (Ephesians 4:29). Let us be careful with our choice of words when we speak or write lest we end up causing unnecessary hurt.

(4) By making allowances for one another’s personal convictions on inconsequential matters (Romans 14:19-21). (5) By using our spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:12). If everyone does his or her part, the results will be most glorious (cf. Ephesians 4:11-16)! May the Lord stir up our hearts to edify one another. —CS