This coming Sunday ( 15 March 2009) on 'Hour of Power', Dr. Schuller has invited Pastor Francis Chan to the Crystal Cathedral to share with us a message on "Living in Light of Eternity". Through the global broadcast of 'Hour of Power', 20 million people all over the world will be watching Pastor Chan's message.

Pastor Francis Chan spent his early childhood in Hong Kong for a few years and then returned to the US. He is the founding pastor of the Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California USA. In 1995, he started the church at the sitting room of his house teaching people how to love God, others and themselves. He encouraged his church members to participate in many community activities such as family ministry, Spanish ministry and jail & prison ministry. He also mobilized youth ministries including student fellowship and cross-country bicycle racing ministry. His never-ending drive unfolded an exponential growth of his church into a mega church. He started church planting in different counties in five different states. Pastor Francis Chan is also the chancellor and founder of Eternity Bible College and he serves on the board of directors for many Christian and charitable organizations including Children’s Hunger Fund and World Impact which are committed to serving the poorest people in Africa. He travels around the world speaking to high school and college students and has a passion to see the next generation of Christians display a much deeper love for Jesus.

In his message "Living in Light of Eternity", he used Psalm 63:1-3 to encourage believers to love Jesus more than anything else. He shared about the loss and sufferings he had experienced and how his direction for serving the Lord has been influenced by his mother-in-law who had zealous love for God. He particularly mentioned his visit to Africa where he saw how the children and orphans screamed and clapped with their big smiles on their faces. The joy it brought was much better than driving a nice car, having a big house or a big bank account.

The family background of Pastor Chan and his life experience is eventful : His father was Pastor Chan Pak-sum, mother Ms Miu Wan-bing was also a church minister, both served at the Baptist churches in Hong Kong. They married in 1963 and had one daughter and one son. Then they migrated to USA. Pastor Francis Chan was born in 1967 in San Francisco. However his mother died of blood loss when giving birth to him. His elder sister was three and his elder brother was only two. This was such a deep sorrow for the father with three little kids. Pastor Francis Chan was then brought back to Hong Kong under the care of his grandma and spent his early childhood in Hong Kong. And the two elder children were taken care of by Sister Law (a nurse) at church in US and later became their step mother. Later she gave birth to a daughter adding one more member to this family. However, Sister Law was drowned in a car accident and the four little children lost their mother again. Then another church sister – Sister Leung promised to take care of the little ones and became their step mother. Five years later, his father Chan Pak-sum died of lung and liver cancer and Sister Leung took care of the whole family from that time until the kids were fully grown.

Actually his mother Madam Miu was also brought up in a broken family. She came to Hong Kong from Mainland China by herself and made her living by working in a factory. Through the fellowship at church, she was encouraged to study at the Guangzhou Bible School (former Evangel Seminary) and served at the Baptist Church.

Life is a long adventure and everything is in the hand of God. Tragedy may sometimes be blessings in disguise. Every goodness is from Him. At present, his elder brother is also pasturing a church in San Francisco. How could their parents ever dreamt of the achievements their sons are doing for the glory of God. But these are the wonderful testimonies of God for His beloved children.

So dear friend, please don't miss 'Hour of Power' this coming Sunday. Be inspired and enjoy watching it.

God Bless,
'Hour of Power' Hong Kong Team

* Source : Mr. Lau Kwok Tak