Kuek LEE Obituary

Brother Johnathan Lee served me with a group of highschoolers when I came to the church life in 1998. I was a hard case refusing to believe in the Lord for one and a half years but he persevered on me.

Johnathan is a man of joy, with a child-like smile all day long. Us highschoolers loved hanging out in his lounge in the training centre, learning guitar and singing hymns.

Thank you for all your shepherding.

We were very blessed to be brought up under the shepherding of Bro Lee and many faithful ones. Their fervent love for the Lord touched us as young people , and their cherishing and nourishing during those crucial years has kept us to this day.

Bro Lee always left a deep impression on me on how to follow the Lord. He was strict yet gentle - severe and serious when it came to exercising our spirit, memorizing bible verses, even entire books in the New Testament, yet tender in admonishing us and guffawing loudly when we were having a light moment. Those were really precious times, spent with our companions and all the serving ones, who encouraged and prodded us to run this race before us.

His whole being was spent for the Lord. He offered what he was and what he had to the Lord.
His consecration was such a sweet smelling savor to God, fully satisfying God and so well-pleasing to Him.

His living reminded me of this hymn:
Lord we pray, preserve us faithful in the way
All our days, never to fall away.
By Your grace, keep us pursuing You,
Taking up the cross to follow You.
Consecrate we unreservedly,
Absolute for You entirely.
In our hearts, Lord, let the highways be
Unto Zion single-heartedly.

May all the family members be comforted by the Father of compassions and God of all comfort. Grace be with you all.

Brother Jonathan Lee cared for me when I first came into the church life as a high school student in 1987, the year he dropped his teaching job and began to serve full-time. He taught us how to pray, pray read and through singing to enjoy and touch the Lord. He poured out his being to serve the young people not only in the meetings, but also visited them on one-to-one basis. I was not an easy case but he never gave up on me, sometime a firm word of his impressed me deeply that he said it out of love and care and not of judgment. Brother Jonathan cared for me not only spiritually but humanly. During the stress of my exams he prayed with me, and gave me his encouraging experience of how he trusted the Lord during his study in university year by observing a disciplined living of budgeting his time and energy for church life and study. He was a faithful and diligent servant of the Lord to the saints. In my vivid memory back in Kuching he was unreservedly involved in leading many meetings (of different languages), practical services such as translation, guitar lessons, recording rooms, organizing camps, conferences and trainings. When my wife and I first visited NZ after we got married, he took us for a road trip from Palmerston North (1999) where he spoke in a mini conference, to Hamilton where he served as a tutor. He continued to care for me even though I was no longer a teenager. He always made himself available to catch up with me when I was in Auckland or over phone. I missed his smile, his pleasant personality and willingness to listen often encouraged me and lifted me up. He has become a pattern for me as how to care for others. I am extremely grateful to the Lord that He has provided such a shepherding brother to care and perfect so many saints around him, and I am one of them.

sad that I never been able to graduate from his guitar lessons as I m music blind. But from his guitar lessons I´ve learnt to play alone and sing to the Lord in a more intimate way, though I still cannot play in the meeting.

There are many more memories that we had with bro Jonathan Lee including "Kingdom Camp" blending and visiting to the churches in Sri Aman / Sarikei/ Sibu.

Thank you bro Lee!
Romans 12:1-2 I exhort you therefore, brothers, through the compassions of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be fashioned according to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and well pleasing and perfect.

I always consider bro Jonathan Lee as my spiritual father, because I was put under his "training" at the age of 12-13 in the early 1990s, until he went to NZ. I remembered going to the meeting hall every Saturday afternoon to pursue and have guitar lessons with few young ppl with him. He would check on my report book (I don´t remember what it called) which have many items to tick on everyday. One of the item was bible reading. That was when I learnt to read bible consistently every day till I finished the whole Old and New Testament. Every week he would check on my report book seriously (you know how he look when his face is serious right) and exhorted me on the points I need to improve. I really treasure those years. He was firm yet kind to me. There was one time he gave us a challenge to memorise the whole chapter of Roman 12. It had to be 100% accurate and I got my first Recovery Version New Testament bible as the reward. It was so precious to me.

May our dear brother be remembered as on who brought joy to others. He did not use his music talent for his own glory but for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. He also taught others to do the same.

During my early childhood days, I was deeply encouraged and recovered to love the Lord and experienced Him gradually. Thank you so much bro Jonathan Lee's for his guide and patience towards the young people in the English group in Kuching. I still remember we (the young people) by hearted 100 selected precious verses, short and enjoyable hymns and song. These are still fresh in my heart until today. It allows the Lord to speak to me from time to time through His precious words.

I am also thankful to be one of the guitar student of him even though i was rather slow learner that time.
Able to play the first hymn really enlightened my heart and spirit.

Bro Lee has fought the good fight and finished the course. There is reward for him in the coming God's Kingdom.

May the Lord also strengthen Sis Zoe and the beloved 2 sons during this time. Grace be with you all.

Dear Brother Guo Shi. How saddened we were by your sudden passing. we all missed you so much. Your faith for our Lord touched so many around you. Your love to The God Your humility and godliness is excellent pattern for all of us. May you rest in the Lord's arms until the day we meet in heaven.

,,,,
,Sister Zoe

I had known bro Jonathan in the Church in Kuching. We taught in the same school as colleague (Lodge School) and you were also my boss in your tuition center at Tabuan Jaya when I started working back then in Kuching. We coordinated in many church meetings together. I was encouraged by your ferventness and love towards the Lord Jesus. Thanks again . RIP . May the Lord also comfort Jonathan's family.

Rest in the Lord Bro Jonathan, your serving and your companion will always be remembered.

Thank you brother Jonathan. Thank you for serving me in YP. Thank you for your faithful serving and shepherding. May the Lord continue to take care of your family. Our beloved brother, you will be greatly missed!

Thank you to Bro Jonathan Lee for serving and shepherding us. We really enjoy the care and perfecting by him too. We will definitely miss him. May the Lord continues to shepherd his family too. Amen.

Thanks Bro Jonathan Lee for your wonderful shepherding during those years in Kuching. Yes I will remember what she said, Keep on calling the name of our Lord. The more we call on the name of our Lord, the more we exercise our spirit." It is just so simple. It works! Thanks bro Jonathan. RIP

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Brother Jonathan and sister Zoe is the family who brought me to the church life and preached the gospel to me.
I met brother Jonathan at Auckland Airport. He then invited me to join a Christian gathering. I accepted his invitation, that´s how I started my Christian life.
Growing up in China, I didn´t know anything about God, Bible or Christianity. When I arrived at New Zealand as a young person, I was very open to new things. Because of Jonathan´s family, my first contacts in NZ are the saints in the church life. I felt like home with the saints. 6 months later, Jonathan and Zoe invited me for dinner and preached the gospel. I believed and was baptised not long after that.
I can remember that brother Jonathan always wears a smile on his face. I often wonder what makes him happy? I thought he got a perfect life: a family, a good job, a big house... as I got to know the family more, I found out life is not perfect for our brother, he has troubles to deal with. After I believe in the Lord, I realised that our brother is joyful as he maintained his joy in the Lord!
My heart grieve as I heard the news about brother Jonathan. However, I´d like still to remember him as the Joyful brother. He is our pattern who shepherded so many young people with a cheerful spirit.

Zoe, Theodore and Jasper - I am shocked and sad to hear of Jonathan's sudden departure. I will always remember his smiling, happy face and his enjoyment of the Lord. I was in the training with Jonathan in 1994 and 1995. He was a student in my 1st year and then trainer in my 2nd year! Quite a jump! Theodore was a wee baby and Zoe was pregnant with Jasper ( I think I have that right). Jonathan was one proud father of young Theodore who wore the cutest set of glasses and was a very bright wee child. Jasper was equally cute - a little more chubby! Zoe was a doting mother who was fully supported by Jonathan. We didn't meet again until Rob and I visited them in Kuching - our turn to have a young toddler this time. Jonathan and Zoe were encouraging young working saints to go on in the Lord. The boys were now teenagers. Both very loved. Then a few years ago I briefly saw Jonathan and Zoe at a conference in Auckland. How quickly the years have flown. My heart aches for you Zoe - may the Lord uphold you and comfort you at this time. He really is a man of sorrows, tears and agony acquainted with grief. He knows, He cares. Much love to you and the boys.