Province of Southeast Asia
Welcome to the Province of Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand of the Emmanuel Communion, Anglican Rite. We are a Christ centered, people loving Church, that wants all people everywhere to experience the joy that can only come through loving Jesus Christ. “We are saved to worship God. All that Christ has done in the past and all that He is doing now leads to this one end” (AW Tozer). This is the reason we were all created--to love God and worship him forever. There is no greater joy and no greater honor than this. We hope, as you explore further, that you will catch the vision that we have and come and join us.
Mission Statement
The Province of Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand exists to bring about transformed lives through proclaiming the pure received Gospel of Jesus Christ in unreached and marginally reached areas of the Region, leading people to worship the One True God in holiness and truth.
The Goal
The goal of the Province of Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand is to establish small parishes that will grow to a stable size. These parishes will raise up new leaders and men to be ordained as priests and deacons. It is desired that many of the parishes will tithe off some members to start another parish pastored by one of the new clergy trained in our seminary. The goal is to plant new and thriving parishes in every city, town, and village, in every neighborhood, shopping mall, shop lot, warehouse, or any other place where people may be found so that they can worship the One True God in Jesus Christ.
For example, parish A is planted, grows to a proper size and sends at least 25 tithing members to another site as a parish plant. This plant grows and it, too, plants another parish. Soon, with intentional parish planting, there will be parishes in many places.
Each person in the parish plays a vital role in the successful planting of that parish and the mission plant that will come later. Each person is gifted by God to build His kingdom and should be utilizing his or her gifts to that end.
To achieve this goal critical time, effort, and resources are being spent by the Bishop to locate, train, and equip priests for the job of mission planting and long term pastoring of these churches.
The Need
Malaysia has less than 5% of actual Christians. Vietnam has less than 2% of its population exposed to the Gospel enough to believe on Christ. Christmas Island has no Christians at all, Cambodia, and Laos have less than 1% Christians, and Thailand has less than 2% Christians. Most people have never even heard the name of Jesus, much less the Gospel, in Southeast Asia. Where are the people who can feel the heartbeat of Jesus for these people? Women who want to be missionaries and evangelize are welcome, but we need men to train and ordain as pastors of the people who are evangelized.
The need is great.
“Not called!' did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face — whose mercy you have professed to obey — and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world.” (William Booth)
Worship
‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored’ Lv 10.3. The Province of Southeast Asia of the Emmanuel Communion promotes the worship of a holy God and seeks to promote the spreading of the unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is only one Gospel. We are Christians who teach the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude v.3).
Modern worship is man centered, not God centered. Keith Getty, who wrote the marvelous song “In Christ Alone” recently said that modern worship is dangerous and de-Christianizing. The Province has stable worship and uses a modern English version of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer based upon the English Standard Version Bible that is God focused and does not vary with changing fads. This is the worship that spread the Gospel around the world. “...true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4.23). This is the way the Church has always worshipped. The way we worship and pray affects what we believe and deeper prayer is very much a part of our worship and everything is Scripture and scriptural.
Parish Life
The average tenure for a pastor in a Protestant parish is very short. The Province of Southeast Asia believes that parishes with long term pastors tend to flourish. The Province provides a top quality education for its ministers. It also provides training for parish Sunday School and Bible Study teachers and future parish leaders so any parish that belongs to the Province of Southeast Asia of the Emmanuel Communion will have a stable existence and a future. The Province also provides additional training to the laity by offering such training as sharing the Gospel, guarding the parish from problem people, and other things.
The Province is not caught up in the Church Growth movement’s emphasis on megachurches that are impersonal and cannot provide good personal pastoral care. Rather, the emphasis is on planting and multiplying smaller stable parishes where the people can be in a real relationship with their pastor.
Unlike some denominations, parish property does not belong to the Emmanuel Communion. Instead, it belongs to the parish.
We would like to extend an invitation to any person or parish that is seeking affiliation to discuss this with us and find out more about us.
“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”” (PS 122.1)
Social Involvement and Outreach
The Province of Southeast Asia has been involved in helping out society. Our members have done social work in organizations that teach poor women how to start and run successful businesses, helping foreign workers with legal matters, feeding the poor and hungry, and even supporting an orphanage that takes in children cast into the streets.
The Province of Southeast Asia has had Gospel outreach into Vietnam, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Singapore, and other locales. The Province also has educational outreach to pastors in many African nations.
The Emmanuel Anglican Communion, Inc.
Holy Trinity Asia
Holy Trinity Asia is a mission initiative spearheaded by Canon Ambrose Looi to make disciples and plant solid Churches in Southeast Asia. His current active work is in Malaysia.
Contact Information:
Rev. Canon Ambrose Looi
E-mail: ambroselooi@holytrinityasia.org
Website: www.holytrinityasia.org