Welcome to the March 2025 Prayer Vigil!

Pastor Charles Price (see https://charlespriceministry.org) in his sermon series “The Dynamics of an Effective Church”, pointed out that after Jesus Christ ascended back to his father in heaven (Acts 1: 9 – 11) he received a new earthly body on the day of Pentecost. His disciples received the Holy Spirit, which gave them the life of Christ, while at the same time they were gathered or incorporated into Christ’s new body on earth which is the church. Christ’s body on earth, the church, is to carry out Christ’s mission and ministry which is the  Father’s plan of redemption for the world.

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” (1 Cor. 12: 12 – 20).

 ^“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your   faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
(Romans 12: 3 – 8).

Pray – Holy Father, thank you for revealing through your word the marvellous plan which you created even before the beginning of the world - A plan in which we are participants as part of the Body of Christ which is the church on earth to which we belong through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Let us not forget that we are under the Lordship of Jesus Christ who is the head of the church (Eph. 1: 22, 23) and to whose sovereignty we should submit and that we are each enabled to do our part not by our own strength but by the power of your Spirit. Help me not to think of myself more highly than others but give me a sober mind to know myself and the gifts that you have generously bestowed on me for the benefit of the whole Body and its work. Help each of us to understand that we are not called to be spectators but to be active participants in the life and work of Christ’s Body. Father, thank you for giving us different gifts but help us to see that we need one another, and just as a human body cannot function and stay in good health without its different parts, we need to each do our part even if it seems insignificant or small, and to depend on one another to accomplish the mission of your church and bring people into your kingdom.

^“ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Eph. 4: 11 – 16).

Pray – Father, please raise up or bring to IBC the pastors, teachers and other faithful servants of yours who will be able to equip your people here for acts of service and for the building up of your Body so that none of us will be led astray by unsound teaching or the ways of the world. Help us to always speak the truth to one another and with love, respecting those you have called to serve, so that the Body of IBC being built up through sound relationships will be strengthened for your work. Father, may this be true for our organization of worship; our leadership team and ministry team meetings; our Life Groups and Small community Group gatherings; as we carry out the administration work for the church; as we care for our children, youths, young adults and new believers; in our work of reaching out; and in all other aspects of the life of IBC.

Thanksgiving to our Father –

-        That Pastor Will can come and shepherd IBC for the coming months;

-        For Kaushic and Carlos who filled the pulpit after Pastor Rob’s departure;

-        For the Lord’s guidance through this period of transition for the church and for the unity of the body at IBC;

-        For the Mandarin Ministry’s drama on Sunday February 23; That God will use the drama and sermon to touch many hearts;

-        For the commitment and diligence of the church staff and those who are serving in different ministries;

-        For our children, youths and young adults and those caring for and guiding them to follow Jesus.

Intercession and Supplication –

-        For Pastor Will and his family – Valerie and sons, Josh and Zac, while Pastor Will is by himself in Hong Kong;

-        The Lord’s guidance for the Pastor Search Team and the Personnel Team as they work to seek the person to shepherd IBC in the future;

-        For the church leadership and the Finance Team as they prepare for the Annual General Meeting on March 23;

-        For God’s guidance for outreach ministries in the coming year and the people who will hear about Jesus – the prisoners in different Hong Kong prisons, the street sleepers in Shamshuipo and Happy Valley, the inmates at the Ling Oi Drug Rehab Centre, the residents of Wah Fu Estate, the elderly in the home in Silver Mine Bay;

-        Our Life Group leaders who teach on Sundays and those who host Small Community Groups during the week;

-        Wisdom, energy and joy for those who minister to our children, youths and young adults;

-        The young people who are studying or working abroad; for protection and strengthening of their faith;

-        For those we know who need physical, emotional or spiritual healing and care:  Pastor Rob (knee surgery); Kaushic’s mother (need knee surgery); Michelle Niem (treatment for cancer); Tony Mo (recovery in Old Age Home after a stroke); Alice Tsui (prolonged bad eczema);  Alice's brother in law, Edward (receiving stem cell treatment for rare illness); Thomas Lam (eyesight); Iris’ two sisters, Winnie and Teresa, and Alice, Jackson’s sister-in-law (God’s grace in their fight with cancer); Stephanie’s father (eyesight and hearing); Anna Chen’s niece, MeiMei (terminal illness); Scott Sapp’s mother and loved ones (depression); Frank’s  brother Jan (glaucoma); for God’s grace, care and strength for Beatrice, Y.M. Chen, Herald Lau and Alex’s father; 

-        The Lord’s strength, wisdom and peace for caregivers for the elderly or those with health or special needs;

-        God’s salvation for non-believing friends and loved ones – Frank’s brother Jan; Kenneth’s mother and siblings; Terry’s son Joseph; Michelle Niem’s family members; Angela’s sister and brother-in-law; Pansy’s husband; Stephanie’s parents and sister; Frederick’s mother; Mona’s colleague and neighbour Lily; Ivy’s son and family; Maria Tanielu’s mother and family in Samoa; Charles’ brother William in Canada.

“Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. ¹³ Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. ¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you
in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5: 12 – 18). Amen!

[This prayer guide was prepared by Charles Ip]

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