Ministry Team 2024-03
This piece of land which God brought us into was originally zoned for industrial use in the City’s Land Use Plan, which meant it had not been intended for church use. We went through a lengthy use permit application process and fought many spiritual battles with the Lord’s help, eventually obtaining a City issued conditional use permit (CUP). This permit contains a list of restrictions to ensure our use does not adversely impact the industrial use of the surrounding area. It also requires us to notify and obtain clearance from the City before we make significant use changes.
Our Bethel Hall coworker team and our contracted design and construction (D&C) team worked together and drafted four options, including both remodeling and rebuilding possibilities. Our D&C team submitted these to the City Planner with a request for instructions to obtain CUP clearance. On September 5th at church prayer meeting we prayed for a productive communication meeting between the church team and the City planner. The meeting took place on September 18, and it went well. But the conclusion was that most if not all of the options were plausible, but would need to coordinate with the City Attorney’s office for the final answer.
Since then we had been waiting for the City’s answer. Then on December 12 we received news that the City Planner approved our option to rebuild on the same footprint, which was our desired outcome. Just as everyone was glad and giving thanks another news came that the City Attorney held a different opinion. Under such circumstances we could only pray and continue to wait for the final answer.
Then in January 2024 the City’s final answer came: our rebuilding option may be approved if we preserve at least 50% of the existing exterior walls. This means we must refurbish the existing structure, which will significantly extend construction time and increase the cost.
What then? Church leaders led everyone to pray and examine ourselves before God, and recognized that our prayer for this spiritual battle was wanting, and that we need to rouse up brothers and sisters to join the battle through prayer. The Bethel project committee (BPC) moved to dedicate at least one prayer meeting for Bethel Hall every month throughout the duration of the project, starting on February 13.
On February 28, our coworker team and our D&C team met to formulate a response to the City’s requirement. It occurred to our coworkers that the City’s method of counting the exterior wall should not have been just the portion for Bethel Hall, but should be that of the entire building. We decided that our D&C team would go back to the City with our reinterpretation, and seek revised approval.
On March 3, the church held its 31st anniversary celebration. In addition to giving thanks to God, the church leadership team once again shared the burden of building Bethel Hall with one heart, encouraging brothers and sisters to participate in the construction, and there was a special offering for the building. Pastor Yu and the leaders repeatedly reminded everyone that we are not just building a visible structure, but that God wants to build His people in this process, to become His spiritual temple.
On March 5, the second special prayer meeting for the building was held, which had the highest number of attendees in recent months. Leaders shared testimonies and words of encouragement. Pastor Yu encouraged everyone: “Prayer is not only an important matter, it is absolutely essential, and it is truly the key factor in victory or defeat.” During the meeting, everyone prayed together many times and with one accord for all aspects of the building project, particularly for the City’s response to the CUP approval and for the commitment of brothers and sisters in their offerings. The power of corporate prayer was growing.
On March 7, the building committee reported good news to everyone! The building team received a correction from the city government planning department regarding their previous requirement. They agreed that the 50% exterior wall principle applies to the entire building, which means they approved the “complete demolition and rebuild” design plan at the current Bethel Hall site. This is what the church had been praying and seeking for.
We in prayer offered a little more, and God’s will was swiftly accomplished. He has truly shown mercy and grace to His church! We pray that God will continue to do real life-building work among us through the construction of Bethel Hall, and that in all things, prayer rooted in faith will always go before us! God is a God who hears our prayers! Dear brothers and sisters, join the ranks of prayer and experience God’s abundant blessings together!