Great grandfather at 22 Daniel Chow is a Year 2 undergraduate in the NIE Scholars Programme, a passionate runner, a Boys’ Brigade officer in the 44th Company, and a very hungry man.
Oliver Kelly, who has been discipling Daniel since he was a thirteen year-old, says of him, “Daniel is always hungry for the Word, hungry to know God more, hungry to know how to do ministry. He keeps a journal and every time we meet, he has, on the average, 20 to 30 questions for me. These are questions about what he has read in the Bible and about issues his BB boys are facing.” Daniel spends time with the boys doing Bible-studies, playing X-Box and Nerf War in The NavTeens Youth Centre, training with them for a run, and in the midst of all
that, having conversations that count. These conversations often continue throughout the week on social media. In his eight years with the 11th and then 44th company, he has seen 40-50 boys come to Christ through his and his coworkers’ efforts. The birth of a disciple-maker “In Sec 2, Uncle Ollie (Oliver) invited me to a Bible-study. He taught the Bible very well. My friends and I were also drawn to him living out the Great Commission. The rest of us caught on and realised that even as boys,
Daniel (left) and Oliver: continuing the vision of evangelism and generational discipleship.
we can help fulfil the Great Commission as disciple-makers. That was what we wanted to become. The Great Commission was Jesus’ last words and should be our first concern.” A thoughtful and sober young man, it is clear that Daniel has spent a lot of time examining and understanding his convictions gleaned from the Bible and a strong prayer life. From just being a church kid, to becoming a Christian who struggled with vulgarities, Daniel experienced God’s grace and victory in his life. As a Secondary School student, he
discovered that God was purposeful. “As I began to follow God, my academic results improved until I topped the class. I realised that God had done this so that I could bring glory to Him, to bring others to Him, to be the salt and light of the world.” Daniel is in The Boys’ Brigade because “the best way to be trained as a disciple-maker is to be ‘at sea’ among the lost.” He observes that a lot of evangelism tends to be based on outreach events, but so much of pre-evangelism actually come from doing the small things together, thus his weekends spent with his BB boys. Difficulties mean growth “When I left the 11th Company to helm the 44th Company, I was on fire. After 6 months, I realised I did not know how to kickstart a disciplemaking ministry. I knew how to be a good disciple of Christ, but I did not know how to teach that to another. Uncle Ollie said I could not give what I did not have and he went on to equip me in the art of disciplemaking. For 5 years, I helped a group of Sec 1 boys. Today, they are 18 year-olds spending their weekends with their own boys. They have modelled their lifestyle after mine, just as I have modelled mine after Uncle Ollie’s. It goes all the way back to Jesus and his disciples. I am only 22 years-old but I am already seeing my 4th spiritual generation. True disciple-makers do not only help others become good disciples of Christ. They help them become good disciple-makers. The spiritual generations have to go on.”
Baby Steps in Discipling Another Felicia Tio is with the 20s-30s ministry, helped by the ministry director Robert Yeun and his wife Yik Kwong. An undergraduate who also works part-time, Felicia nonetheless sets aside time and effort to serve God by learning and helping another grow in Christ.
“I am a ‘baby’ mentor.
by building up disciples like Jesus did and enabling them to I am currently helping Li Xin, do the same with others, thus a trainee nurse from China, in repeating the process. They Bible-study and walking focus on relationships. It was alongside her as she grows in not just about what material was knowing Jesus. being used for Bible-study or what course or program was To be honest, I have never good, but it was all about the thought much about teaching person being helped. It had not other people about the Bible, let occurred to me that meeting alone about discipling them to someone one-on-one could also disciple others. be a form of discipling. Discipling One-on-One When I was first asked by my The Navigators has a mission to mentor to help Li Xin grow as bring the Gospel to all nations a Christian, I felt quite terrified.
Doug Erdmann National Director
Felicia finds that God is the One who teaches and enables her as she helps another to grow as a Christian.
But I also felt that I needed to take a step of faith to help myself and someone else to grow. The day before I met Li Xin, I took almost the whole day preparing material which I thought would be relevant because I felt very unprepared and lacking. When Lixin and I met, we discussed what it meant to know Jesus and what we could do to continue to grow in our relationship with Him. I remember clearly that I felt very, very happy after the meeting. I felt that I had made a positive effect on someone else’s life. This made me realise that God will give us the words, knowledge and skills we need as long as we take the step to trust Him as we do His work. Anything done with a heart to further God’s kingdom and plans will not go to waste. Lixin grew in spiritual maturity. Many times, she would share with me her experiences on applying what we learned from the Bible, such as sharing about God’s healing and love to her sister (who is not a believer) and also how she would read the Bible to her grandmother in dialect on her visits back home. Other times she shared with me her struggles with impatience and anger, and how her quiet times with God, and worship, and even her struggles with fellow Christians, had helped her change these attitudes. I know that I still have a long way to go, and constantly learn from this experience, but I thank God that He has given me this chance to disciple someone else. When we give our lives to serve others, our own spiritual lives become rich.”
I trust you have enjoyed the preceding stories about two young disciplemakers, Daniel and Felicia. But don’t think that disciple-making is just for the young! Recently one of our staff, Yap Kim Meng, told the rest of the staff about one of his neighbors, James Kang. Fifteen years ago James’ wife, an airline Chief Stewardess, died unexpectedly in her sleep. He was left to raise three young children, the youngest being only 10 months old. James was a Christian, but for the next five years he struggled, changing jobs many times. Finally he settled on being a taxi driver as it gave him more time to spend with his children. Kim Meng happened to be leading a Bible study for taxi drivers at the time, and he invited James to join. Kim Meng also taught James how to memorize verses. That was when James first began to really understand the Bible and his faith. As James says, “Everyone gave advice. But nobody took time to teach me the Bible slowly and clearly apply it to my life.” James decided to teach the verses he was memorizing to his children. He encouraged them to read the Bible every night before they went to bed. Now, all three of his children are active in church, leading and helping others. James says life still has its challenges as he juggles two jobs now … full-time storeman and parttime taxi driver. But he still meets with Kim Meng and another man for Bible study and prayer. “I am grateful to the Lord that I have a neighbor who explained to me, slowly and clearly, the Bible.” (To hear James tell his story, check out James Kang, Navigators Singapore on Youtube)
2,500.00
Income/ Expenditure for the Financial Year Sep 2014 to Aug 2015
$2,458.55 $2,403.80
2,400.00 2,300.00 2,200.00 2,100.00 2,000.00 (In Thousands)
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Fellowship IN ACTION
“What We Liked about the ITE Retreat!” “…It allowed us to focus on building better relationships.” — Dorcas “…We were able to go deep about our experiences and I was surprisingly able to open up about recent bad events in life. Having them pray for me was touching.” — Symon Navigators ITE Retreat
Blind men hunting for treasure at East Coast Park. “It can be done. Just follow the instructions.“
“We are like puzzle pieces, each made and shaped differently. But if we are able to set aside our differences to complement each other, we will fit perfectly.” — Rachel
Brave Hearts speak! “I am amazed at how God can change a person into someone who’s willing to serve others in many ways, no matter big or small...” — Kris (new believer), Ngee Ann Polytechnic “...truly I have understood that having a brave heart is to live by faith, and… to be set apart, holy for God and different from this world...” — Rebecca, Temasek Polytechnic “What really impressed and touched my heart was the way everyone got along with each other... I was wondering why they were always so cheerful and joyful...I think I found a hint in John 15:12, that Jesus has commanded his disciples to love each other as He has loved them.” — Yi Ning (prebeliever), Singapore Institute of Management
TP-NP-SIM Brave Hearts Camp
Celebrating Nicholas’ (centre) decision to receive Christ in the camp
End-of-Semester BBQ For the NTU Navs BBQ on 9 Nov, students were challenged to invite their non-Christian friends and they did. Our hearts were indeed glad to see our students maturing in their faith and personally taking the initiative to be Christ’s witnesses. 45 came, of whom 8 were non-believers. We had some good conversations going with those who were keen to either know more about Christianity in relation to other beliefs, or to study the Bible to examine the claims of Christ. Jeremy Wong, a first-year student, prayed and asked Christ to be his Lord and Saviour.
NTU Navigators BBQ
NTU students bonding over taking selfies after a sumptuous meal
Photo Credits: Jensen Chiang, Loo Jia Yu, and Pun Wee Leong.
Santa’s Confession When all the gifts have been opened and Christmas Day is over, what else is there to do? You can bring your friends down with you to Santa’s Confession at t-Junction to discover the real meaning of Christmas. Now that is meaningful! Santa’s Confession is chockful of fun and games as you explore Santa’s workshop, put together gift packages as elves and hear the confession of Santa, that greatest giver of gifts (or is he?). At the end of it all your friends will discover the greatest gift of Christmas that Jesus came to give. 26 Dec 2015 | 3-6pm
Dinner provided
t-Junction, 392 Racecourse Road, Singapore 218648 Poster Design by Rachel Low
tnt@navigators.org.sg
Other Christmas Treats 20s-30s Christmas & Thanksgiving
NUS Christmas Party
NTU Christmas Party
4 Dec 2015|7-9.30pm
24 Dec 2015| 5-9.30pm
18 Dec 2015| 6-10pm
Dinner for $15
Dinner at Own Cost
Dinner Provided
t-Junction, 392 Racecourse Road
nus@navigators.org.sg
t-Junction, 392 Racecourse Road ntu@navigators.org.sg
Thanksgiving 20s30s@navigators.org.sg
NP-SIM-TP Christmas Party
RP-NYP-SP Christmas Party
NAV ITE Carolling
23 Dec 2015| 6.30-9.30pm
24 Dec 2015| 5-9pm
19 Dec 2015| 3.30-10pm
Dinner Provided
Dinner for $10
3 Venues
Hometeam (NS Balestier), Function Room
Navigators Headquarters
Best Gift Ever (Romans 6:23)
Luke 19:10
rp@navigators.org.sg nyp@navigators.org.sg sp@navigators.org.sg
ite@navigators.org.sg
np@navigators.org.sg sim@navigators.org.sg tp@navigators.org.sg
www.navigators.org.sg The calling of The Navigators is to advance the gospel of Jesus and his kingdom into the nations through spiritual generations of labourers living and discipling among the lost. Views expressed in published articles are those of the individual writers and may not necessarily be the views of The Navigators Singapore. THE NAVIGATORS SINGAPORE • National Director: K. Douglas Erdmann • Editor/writer: Patricia Lian • Design & Layout: Loo Jia Yu 117 Lorong K, Telok Kurau, Singapore 425758 • Tel: (65) 6344 4133 • Fax: (65) 6344 0975 • E-mail: admin@navigators.org.sg • www.facebook.com/singaporenavigators Printed by Seng Lee Press Pte Ltd