Ethan’s Dedication & Kingdom Conference with Bill Johnson

Last Sunday was a busy day!  I had to speak at Island City Church in the morning and then race over for the beginning of the Kingdom Culture conference at Queen Elizabeth Stadium…all that while thinking about the 5000 word assignment I had due the day before for which I was granted a small extension. I played the “I had a new baby” card (which is very true) and was granted an additional 72 hours from the course lecturer.

The Sunday preach went well (it’s always a blessing for me to go back and speak at ICC) and for me the best part was to have everyone gather around as we dedicated little Ethan George to the Lord.  There is something powerful that happens when you pray prophetically over a child believing that God is going to impart anointing even on a newborn.  For me, to hold Ethan out and declare before the congregation that we will raise our child in the precepts of the Lord is like the vow made before witnesses at a wedding.  Gabriel, Tammy, and I did it as a family and it was a special moment.

We then raced over to the conference and were totally blessed. The conference was sponsored by a pan-church organization called City Renewal and was supported by a number of English and Chinese language churches. There are few things Tammy and I get excited about more than church unity and how it can affect a city.

It was also a special treat for Tammy and I as we got to connect with some old friends and acquaintances that we knew when we lived in Hong Kong in the 1990’s.

And Bill Johnson’s teaching?  Put it this way.  I’m not a big note taker during talks.  (Actually if truth be told, I rarely ever take notes) However,  I jotted down a page of notes from Johnson’s talk and realized in many ways it reflected the vision we had for Hong Kong when we were here 10 years ago.  To identify with the city, to be part of it not outside of it.  To create a culture that honors people… and then watch what the Holy Spirit can do…

Of course one funny anecdote, the stadium officials wouldn’t let Ethan in without a ticket.  Even though he was newborn, he needed to have a ticket (and the ticket was not particularly cheap)  Finally the event organizers were notified what was going on and arranged for Ethan to have a complimentary ticket to satisfy the stadium ticket takers.  I enclose a picture with Ethan proudly ready to present his ticket at the gate.