Power of the Gospel and Teamwork
Art G Madlaing / 2022-08-14
The GOLDEN GATE CHURCH OF CHRIST building (which consist of Auditorium, Fellowship Hall, rooms, kitchen and the global My Angel Radio studio) in San Francisco, California USA is strategically located between the famous Golden Gate Bridge and the Golden Gate Park.
Due to the strategic location, many brethren and tourists from all over the United States and countries from around the world visit us for Sunday Bible classes and worship services. The Golden Gate congregation has had guests from Mexico, Canada, Japan, China, Russia, Singapore, Guatemala, Philippines Taiwan, Africa, Middle East nd other countries
In the early 80s, we had three Russian doctors who visited us. With the hospitality, friendship and camaraderie of the members and presentation of the gospel, the Russian doctors were converted and baptized for the remission of sins and were added to the Lord’s church (Acts 2:37,38, 41, 47). The Russian doctors were active members of the Golden Gate congregation for more than two years until they relocated to Searcy, Arkansas USA.
Recently, we had visitors from Scotland and South Korea namely Gesena Gordon and Haeun Lee. (see attached picture with caption).
Haeun Lee is a member of the CHEONGNYANGNI CHURCH OF CHRIST in South Korea. She attended the Bible Classes and Worship Services at the GOLDEN GATE CHURCH OF CHRIST Auditorium and Special Lunch Fellowship at the GGCC Fellowship Hall last Sunday, July 31, 2022. She was impressed and touched by the warm welcome and hospitality of members that she promised to come and visit us again at the Golden Gate congregation. Excerpts from the letter from Haeun Lee are as follows:
“I arrived safely in South Korea just yesterday and I’m having some rest. I wish to visit Golden Gate congregation again. It was a great pleasure to join the worship service and be welcomed by the church members there.
I will send you some pictures after the Sunday service this week. I am attending CHEONGNYANGNI CHURCH OF CHRIST.”
Gesena Gordon was active member of the Church of England (Anglican) before she immigrated to America from Scotland. She erroneously thought that she was “already saved” when she was “christened” or sprinkled as a baby(like many believers from the various religious denominations). As our new neighbor, she was positively influenced by the warm welcome, friendship and camaraderie of the members. She kept coming back, attending Sunday morning Bible Classes, Worship Services and monthly Lunch Fellowship, She even visited the live broadcast studio of My Angel Radio San Francisco.
My beloved wife Virginia Jimenez Madlaing and I were blessed and fortunate to have WE CARE Gospel presentation with Gesena Gordon before my wife’s vacation in Hawaii together with our grandson John Micheal Madlaing Gamble last August 8, 2022.
When sister Rose de la Cruz patiently made a one-on-one follow up with Gesena, she realized and fully understood that she needs to obey the gospel in baptism for the remission of her sins, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and be added to the Lord’s church (Acts 2:37, 38,41,47, NJKV) Last Sunday afternoon about 2:30 pm, August 14, 2022, brother James Quitoriano baptized Gesena Gordon in the GGCC baptistery for the forgiveness and washing away of her sins (Acts 22:16, NKJV). The angels in heaven were rejoicing with us! Yes, the angels in heaven were rejoicing with us!
Many brethren from the bible-belt states like Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama consider San Francisco, California as a difficult city to convert a precious soul because of the very liberal and progressive lifestyle of the residents of the City by the Bay.
However, the power of the gospel (Romans 1:6, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and TEAM (Together Everybody Achieves More) WORK among the members at the GOLDEN GATE CHURCH OF CHRIST was proven again with the conversion and baptism of our new sister in Christ Gesena Gordon.