ONE Hong Kong
March 2019, our brothers and sisters in Hong Kong caught a vision for a city-wide movement called ONE. During the 40-day season of Lent, more than 300 churches throughout the city unified to listen through the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. The result? The living, breathing Word of God impacted thousands!
Now, in its third year, the movement is gaining traction across continents and oceans, and specifically here, in Kansas City. Kansas City is one of XX cities around the globe with plans to bring the ONE campaign into the churches and homes of thousands of people during Lent 2021.
We asked five Hong Kong pastors and leaders to share their experience with ONE, and how they hope to see the movement continue.
Participating in this week’s conversation:
Aaron Tan, Chairman of Faith Comes By Hearing Asia
Rev. Dr. Edmund Teo, Senior Pastor International Christian Assembly, ICA
Rev. Dr. John Snelgrove, Lead Pastor of E.F.C.C. -Kong For Church, English Congregation, Founding Pastor of The Vine Church
Rev. Dr. Michele Bland, Senior Pastor, Union Church Hong Kong
Rev. Dr. Peter Lam, Senior Pastor, E.F.C.C.- Kong Fok Church
How did ONE create unity between the churches in HK?
Aaron Tan: The enemy really wanted to separate us. Last year [there] were hundreds and thousands of people on the street splitting the society in Hong Kong. Then, early this year, COVID-19 separated us from Church. And now, the pandemic and the politics are separating us from you, separating Asia from America. If on one side there is separation, on the other side there’s got to be unity. And unity can only be achieved through our Lord Jesus Christ and His words. The ONE campaign is all about unity and bringing everyone together to listen to the Word of the Lord.
Pastor Edmund Teo: The ONE campaign brought unity to the churches in our city at every level. It is a joy to see the members of different churches volunteering and coming around the vision by contributing their talents and different resources. It is a powerful testimony. . . because it is a Spirit movement. It is a vision from heaven. The ONE campaign has joined our hearts together like never before and it could happen in your city as well.
Pastor John Snelgrove: I think there are certain things that bring churches together. One of them is the Word of God. The second thing is prayer. I think what the ONE campaign did was enable us to combine those two things together so that we could unite behind firstly the Word of God and in prayer for one another. And I think what it did was just really drive the churches toward a common goal of unity and purpose as we did something together in unity.
Pastor Michele Bland: The whole ONE movement, and I do say that it is a movement, did create unity in terms of all the different churches joining together that were multilingual, as well as different denominations joining together for ONE purpose, ONE listening, for ONE hearing the Word campaign. And It was so exciting just to know that brothers and sisters all around the city, whether they spoke Mandarin or Cantonese or Korean or English were all learning and hearing the Word of God all at the same time. I’m actually getting goosebumps just talking about it. It was an exciting, unifying event in our city.
What does it mean to you to see the work you began in Hong Kong spreading to the United States? And, what do you hope to see happen?
Pastor Edmund Teo: The ONE campaign that started here in Hong Kong two years ago is now coming and moving into your city and your churches. I believe it is a Spirit move that is so contagious because we are so interconnected and interlinked in every way. What happens in your place and your city happens here and what happens here impacts where you are. The same is true when the Spirit of God moves. What has happened in Hong Kong, God is birthing that and moving that and giving that to other cities around the world. So, don’t miss out, join hands with us, God is joining our hearts together and believers everywhere for the glory of God and it is a beautiful thing, but also it is a powerful thing when the Word of God is being lived out in our hearts, in our churches and post importantly in our city and in our country. God is healing our nations. He is healing our churches. He is bringing and drawing men and women alike. People from all countries, classes, cultures and colors together because Jesus unites. He is the answer to the need that we have in our world today. God bless you.
Pastor Michele Bland: It’s really, really exciting to think that other churches and cities around the world and Kansas City would consider joining us and joining together to hear God’s Word together [and] pray God’s Word together. My hope for Kansas City would be the same thing. . . that churches from all languages, from all denominations, from all ages join together in hearing the Word. [And that this would be] not just adults, but children, youth, young adults, seniors – all hearing God’s Word together at the same time. [It is] such a unifying experience. So, that would be my hope for Kansas City – that they too would be unified and excited about God’s Word and hearing God’s Word together at the same time.
Pastor Peter Lam: I’m so thrilled and excited to see that the ONE campaign has spread to the United States. I do believe this is a work of the Holy Spirit because it’s just like an old hymn saying, “it only takes a spark to get the fire going.” I think the Holy Spirit will revive our hearts as we seek the Lord through the daily meditation of His Word.
What is a challenge you encountered with ONE and how did you overcome it, celebrate it or learn from it?
Pastor Edmund Teo: The first time when [our church], ICA, joined the ONE campaign here in Hong Kong, I must tell you, it was not easy. Because, like most churches, we already have our calendars mapped out and planned out for a whole year. So, although it was a great movement, it was a great thing, it was a great initiative, it was a great vision, with the flow of what the church was already planning, it was challenging. But the Lord is never lacking in wisdom. When there is a will there is a way, and I say that when it is God’s will, definitely it will be God’s way. And God had given us wisdom together with the leadership where the ONE campaign initiative is being flowed together with the church. It’s becoming a glue that blesses not only our church but that blesses all our congregations.
We have many congregations here at ICA and all the congregations [have] come together and, wow! The church became stronger and united because [this] is something that is God-birthed, and we receive it and we conceive it inside the vision of the local church. There is nothing better than the Word of God bringing us together. [This is] not man’s vision, not a program, not an initiative or a production from the local church, but it’s really the Word of God. His Word drawing all our congregations together in different languages but [under the] same vision. He has enriched the church, He has strengthened the church, He has united the Church like never before. So today I want to share with you – there will be challenges in including and absolving in this Bible reading campaign, but I want you to know that it will bless your church.
What would you tell a pastor who is considering joining the ONE movement, but has not yet made a commitment?
Pastor John Snelgrove: Hope is a word that the world needs to hear so badly at the moment. Our hope is looking towards completing the great commission and seeing Jesus come again. We’re all doing our little part towards this and my hope for this campaign is that we just take one step further down the road to the evangelization of the whole world...that every tribe, every tongue [and] every nation would declare that Jesus Christ is Lord.
God has graciously allowed us to be part of this team that He has assembled for this time, for these end times as we look to Him coming in glory. So, my hope is expressed in the words of the great commission going to the whole world and share the Gospel of Christ.
Pastor Michele Bland: There is no better time for us to be able to easily access God’s Word. People are cooped up in their flats, people are hungry, people are desperate and hopeless and there is no better time for us to be hearing God’s Word. God’s Word refreshes, it gives inspiration, it gives hope, it brings healing, it gives joy, it gives comfort, and there is no better time for us to receive the gifts from God’s Word in such an easy way than [by] using this tool.
So, my hope is that those that really do need to hear a source of refreshment and a source of comfort would actually find it. My hope is that people will hear God’s Word and be encouraged, and their lives would be changed because of it.
Pastor Peter Lam: I would love to encourage you if you haven’t made such a commitment that you do it right now. Don’t miss this opportunity in your life. Sharing the Gospel and reading the Word of God is our daily walk with the Lord. You know the verse to love God with our whole hearts, with our whole strength and with our mind? We need to have His Word and the illumination from the Holy Spirit to guide us to empower us so that we can become the witness for our time And I do believe and I do encourage you- you and your church will be blessed by this ONE campaign. Let’s do it together! May God bless you all.
