CHURCH PLANTING IN SILICON VALLEY, NORTH AMERICA
Silicon Valley Care group: A budding group of believers
The Silicon Valley care group is a pioneering one. Started by a faithful Singaporean brother in August 2008, the group has seen several turnovers, both in members and leaders. But God is faithful, and we are still going. The group currently consists mainly of five members from various backgrounds, both in upbringing and spiritual age. We meet once a week for Bible study, enjoying our time worshiping God and learning His Word.
However, due to our living situations in that we are located quite far apart from one another, we currently attend Sunday services separately at five different churches. Truly, it is the Word of God and His fellowship that keeps us together.
Currently, the care group is settling down from the new change of leadership, and we are slowly figuring out what God wants us to do with this group. We are a very young group, still trying to balance work and school life with service to God, but our hearts are ready to serve Him. Thankfully, through this care group and support from leaders of Hope LA church, one person has come to Christ, and another baptized in the Holy Spirit. We are currently meeting up in San Jose area in two of our brother's apartment, they are housemates and through this wonderful experience, one of our brothers grew deeply-rooted in Christ.
Hope LA church, plays an important role for our care group. They have always been our support and the leaders are ever ready to lend us a helping hand whenever needed with their frequent quarterly visits. We believe that God is in charge, that we are all here in the Silicon Valley for a reason, and we're excited to see what He has installed for us.
Being a follower of Christ for most of my life, it was a blessing that I finally got an opportunity to be able to travel half way across the world to study in the US without family and kin. I just went along, following by faith where God lead me to find the Silicon Valley care group. Although I have resided in Singapore all my life until 2009, I was not aware that there was a Hope Church in Singapore. Nevertheless, worshipping weekly with the Silicon Valley caregroup, I knew God has plans for me in this foreign land.
I grew from just an onlooker, wondering if this was the right care group for me, to a member who got baptised in the Spirit. And now I am hungry for more of God's word and the heart to save the lost sheep amongst our midst. I would never want to trade this time with anything else in the world, for it was a major turning point in my spiritual walk with my heavenly Father. God's security for me has displaced all fear I have for this country, the people and even my future, for Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
Written by Tom Lam and Daiyan Zheng
