Thank you for visiting the CBET page. Here you will find updates and information on our Church Building Expansion efforts. Please direct any inquiries or feedback to cbet@cbcgb.org - we would be happy to hear from you!
February 2014 Newsletters
Now available in Chinese and English versions!
December 2013 Update
Please continue to pray over this important ministry! Specifically, please pray for:
1.Church-wide Support – that the entire church would be united and support the project wholeheartedly
2.Builder Cost Negociation – specifically for Phase I Part 1
3.Fundraising to reach our $1M goal – especially in the coming year
4.Permit Application – Phase I Part 2
5.Construction – Phase I Parts 1 and 2
6.CBET Members – for enduring strength
7.Phase II and Phase III re-design
A Message from our Senior Pastor Caleb (KD) Chang
Urgent Need
We had a unique Passion weekend. It was unique because our Chinese congregation had their spring Mandarin Gospel Meeting (MGM) in the sanctuary and at the same time, the Good Friday communion in English was directed in the Chapel; more than 200 were there. There were over 900 people going to MGM, first overflowing the front lobby, and then some were directed to basement. We had record-breaking attendance that was over the capacity of our church building. In the MGM, a total of 3,200 attended four sessions among which 50 answered to the altar call. There was a funny saying that we had a fiery passion weekend that even drew four fire engines to our church; it indeed happened that Saturday evening due to a false alarm. Yet, it may be a pretty good description of the reality of the fervency.
That may be just a special case, yet a similar situation almost happens every Friday evening and Sunday morning. Everywhere in our church buildings, we can see numerous adults, youth and children in every room and every corner. The English ministry brings their eight small groups of five fellowship groups into the Chapel area. There are fellowship groups of the Chinese ministry with people standing in the hallway from the opening singspiration, and Bible study groups are divided into rooms throughout different floors and there are four groups in the sanctuary. At any of the group leaders’ meetings, a general plea is that their groups need more rooms or larger rooms. AWANA children have been divided from three to seven groups in order to maintain order. Our greeters have received newcomers who flood into our church every Sunday.
This is the blessed situation that has happened for more than a year. If anyone is still wondering about the vision and reason for Church Building Expansion CBE, the simplest answer is that please just open your eyes wide; the “vision” is right in front of your eyes.
Are we happy? Indeed!
Are we excited? Indeed!
Are we anxious? Yes, indeed!
Why are we so anxious?
We still have so many friends, classmates, relatives, colleagues from work, who have not heard the good tidings. There are so many un-touched by the gospel. How can we slow down our evangelistic effort for the reason that we have run out of space in the church building? How is that possibly God’s will? As more and more come to our church, we fill the chapel, and overflow the sanctuary. However, when all large and small classrooms all full, where is the overflow to go?
Hey, don’t be anxious, we still have a few empty seats in front! Let the choir sit on the stage and yield their seats to others.
Do we have to wait until there is no more seating to start the five-year long building expansion project?
Why do the leaders have ideas about diversion?
Yes, we do. Pastors and elders sincerely plea to some fellowship groups to move their weekly meeting to a time other than Friday evening, or into the homes of neighboring families. Only so far, we have not seen any movement, and self-sacrifice for the benefit of the entire church family. Besides, we have tried an additional Sunday service for half a year, from which we have not seen much diversion from the morning service. It is not habitual, not traditional, not that convenient. There were people moved in heart, but not moved in action. Please do no more surveys; the actions of the congregation leave us no other option but to expand the building.
Besides this “vision” of current reality, we may reflect from history. Twenty-four years ago, when we got this piece of property, the congregation had built our family in faith, and built our people in this family. We disciplined ourselves in faithfulness and submission to make it God’s Beulah Land. Back then, around 400 in the congregation raised four million dollars, equivalent to more than ten million in current value, to build the current building, to meet the needs of a one-thousand-person congregation. When the home base, HQ, is firmed up, God blesses us with resources to support church planting, global missions, and social concerns for which we are endeavoring continuously without a moment of rest. As the Asian population continues to grow in greater Boston, you and I inherit this precious land and enjoy ourselves in the midst-- just a little crowded recently. May we consider if our earlier congregation had no such faith and courage, where would we be today? How may we witness the revival of this day? As we have more than double the size compared to the past, facing this challenge of only one million dollars, can we still say that we have not seen a clear vision? It is all depends on whether we are submissive enough or not.
The purpose of a church is to win people to God’s kingdom and to make them disciple of Jesus Christ. A church building is for the same purpose and the process of building it carries the same purpose, to build people as we build a building. We have always witnessed as we are in the birth pains of a building project, the growth of our faith, our love and the capacity of our offering to come into being. That has eternal value and is worth our investment. May I invite you to join me as church builders, uniting our hearts in prayer, trusting God’s grace and richness, to run a race toward the goal of building God’s people? Let the history of our church once again witness the glory of God!