COMMUNITIES

COOL is a place where we can worship together and listen to the word of God in a smaller group compared to a service. COOL also has a fellowship session where we can get to know each other and God in a super fun way.

So far, for almost a year, I’ve joined Next Gen’s COOL and the COOL community has helped me to learn a lot. In COOL, by listening to other stories, we can bless each other and also be constantly reminded to maintain our relationship with God.

I joined COOL Berea at the beginning of 2019 after arriving in Melbourne to continue my study in culinary management. At first, joining COOL was a struggle due to my study and work commitments. However, my COOL members have always been very supportive and along the way, by God’s grace, I am able to join every week.

Being part of Berea has helped me in my spiritual journey with God. I found encouragement through sharing from other member’s lives, how God has shaped them to become who they are now. It inspired me pursuing God more, asking God for wisdom and participating daily forgiveness. Because of this time constraint, reading scripture was very challenging, however, Berea emphasizes reading the scriptures in detail, discusses them in-depth and propels every member to apply it in our daily lives.

Their acceptance enables me to share my burden or life struggles without fear of being judged. Their advice based on Christian values has lightened the stressful adjustment to the new environment in Melbourne. Lastly, their diverse personalities and perspectives have enriched and broaden my way of thinking, have helped me to improve my communication skills, and to appreciate other people’ differences. I can say that this community is not perfect, but worth it.

Zion feels like a second family to me; I can share happy news with them, but also discuss difficult issues and be open about my vulnerabilities. I used to be a passive Christian whose purpose of going to church was to take my share of the sermon and go home. Through Zion, I was reminded that being a part of the body of Christ means being an ever-growing disciple with a serving heart. They nudged me in that direction by introducing me to KOM, compelled me to serve in church, and guided me in learning deeper about salvation and holiness. I’m grateful that our friendship is beyond skin-deep, and that they can help hold me accountable for my spiritual commitments. Moreover, having fellowship with them always encourages me to pursue God’s heart no matter the season of my spiritual life. Needless to say, I’m very blessed to have met Zion.