There are three ministries within CBS that help us accomplish our mission and purpose. There are teams for each ministry that gather to pray, plan, and serve the fellowship in these capacities. If you would like to get involved with any of them, please contact the respective leaders of that ministry.
Reach
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24-25
As more in-person activities return, we want to foster a place where everyone can feel a sense of community and belonging while building each other up in the faith. As a ministry, we seek to help CBS:
- Experience and spread God’s love, glorifying God
- Sharpen each other in faith and equip one another to spread the gospel
Feel free to email me – Dawn – at dz349@cornell.edu!
Discipleship
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1-3
Ephesians 4:1-3 is a call to all of us who have proclaimed faith in Christ, to live a life worthy of the calling that we have received. When we accept Jesus Christ as our savior, the Holy Spirit begins to dwell in us. And through the transformational power of the Holy Spirit, may we increasingly be humble, gentle, and loving, individually and with one another in this Christian fellowship. Let us not just proclaim God’s glory, but also accept the Lord’s sovereignty and place Jesus Christ at the center of our lives.
Moreover, this verse also captures that the path of a follower of Christ is often not easy, and though I fervently hope none of us will ever confront the cost of being a prisoner for the Lord, we will certainly face many challenges in our walk with the Lord. Ephesians 4:1-3 reminds us not to be disheartened! Through God’s grace, and the unity and love of the Christian community like this fellowship, we can continue to deepen our faith in Christ, for the Christian walk is not possible alone, only with the companionship of fellow believers.
In conclusion, when we read these powerful verses, let us be reminded of Christ’s love for us, so that we may reflect it in our daily actions. In this new academic year, let us be united as a fellowship through the power of the Holy Spirit, and grow a culture of discipleship, fellowship, and faith in the Lord.
In Christ,
Felix (fmh42@cornell.edu)
Praise
Sing to the LORD a new song;
Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, praise His name;
proclaim His salvation day after day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His marvelous deeds among all peoples.
Psalm 96:1-3
First and foremost, these verses remind us of who we worship. Three times these verses tell us to sing to the LORD – all of our worship must be directed to none other than our LORD. Our worship to Him should be “new,” which admits three different interpretations:
- We are a new creation, born again through the blood of Jesus Christ. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” Let us throw off our focus on the treasures of this world and instead focus our worship on the treasures of heaven.
- Our worship for God should be ever new, always filled with freshness and joy, that we may never forget our first love. Let not our praise to God become like a religious rite where we mindlessly mouth the words to worship songs. Instead, let every praise to God flow deeply from our hearts in reverence and love towards our God, who is worthy of praise.
- The mercies of our God are new every morning. Our God is not only a God of Biblical times. He is living and active, always working through us, in us, and around us. As Hebrews 13:8 writes, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” May we continue to come into a fuller knowledge of who He is and how He is working and praise Him day by day for all that He is doing in our lives.
Although Praise Team is most visibly responsible for leading the fellowship in worship in Friday Large Groups, our praise to God should be more than just a few minutes of singing on Fridays and Sundays. The remainder of the vision verse reminds us of the scope of our worship. All the earth may sing His praise: our worship is not restricted geographically, culturally, or ethnically. Even creation may manifest the glory of our Lord. In the natural beauty of Ithaca, may we praise God as we glimpse His majesty and power through His creation. May our praise to God be continual as we proclaim His salvation day after day. May our praise to God overflow into all nations and all peoples, that they may accept the gospel of Jesus Christ in their hearts and worship God for who He is. May we declare His marvelous deeds by sharing testimonies of how God has been working, in order that others may come to faith in our Lord Jesus. May we boldly proclaim His salvation and praise His Name, because He is worthy to be praised!
In Christ,
Ambrose (ayy33@cornell.edu)
Chinese Bible Study 