One MCS ¢ Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message. / Photos courtesy of the Rev Stanley Chua
Meet the Annual Conference Presidents: The Rev Stanley Chua (TRAC)
A shepherd of shepherds
The Rev Chua receiving his company’s Best Commando Trainee Award in 1981
The Rev Chua’s wife, Khim, and his sons, Samuel and Silas, with the Rev Chua at Asbury Theological Seminary
S
hepherding a single church is already a major undertaking—how does one shepherd 21 of them? This is the challenge for the Rev Stanley Chua, who was elected the President of the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) at its 45th session last November. TRAC is the connection of Singapore’s Methodist churches where English is the main language; it has more than 28,600 members registered as of Nov 2020.
It was seven years later when his then-boss invited him to attend a “Life in the Spirit” course at Wesley Methodist Church (MC). He recalled: “I remember that it was during the fourth week [of the seven-week course] that I was asked if I wished to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. At that time, I hadn’t a clue what it meant—I obliged because I was just trying to be polite!” He knelt on the floor, with his boss beside him and another brother laying hands on his head and praying for him, but initially felt nothing.
The Rev Chua is, in some ways, a reluctant President. When asked how he felt about being elected to head TRAC for the 2021–24 quadrennium, his response was: “I can only say, ‘Not my will, but Yours be done [O Lord].’” A career soldier-turned-businessmanturned pastor, the path God led him on to becoming a pastor and where he is today has been one with unexpected twist and turns.
“Suddenly, I experienced a warm sensation come over me and a tremendous peace that flooded my entire being. The next thing I knew, I was speaking in another language. In that instant, whatever doubts I had about God were removed. And since then, I have never looked back. I re-dedicated my life to God and not long after, I got baptised and began to serve the Lord actively.”
The call to serve Strangely warmed When the Rev Chua was 14 years old, a classmate invited him to a Youth for Christ meeting, and later to his church. No-one at the church took it upon themself to get to know him better, and he stopped attending after three months.
At Wesley MC, he served actively with the Methodist Adult Fellowship as vice president and president, and as a worship leader for many years. He was then a full-time soldier, having signed on as a regular with the Military Security Department after serving as a commando during his National Service.
METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
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