A n e w s l e tter o f The N a viga to rs S in ga po re M C I (P ) 035/03/2021
MAY 2021
Viloane Ko, newly appointed National Director of the Navigators Singapore, with his wife, Patricia
REMEMBERING THE PAST, ENVISIONING THE FUTURE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------by Yap Kim Meng
12
April was a special day for Beow Kheng and myself. The Singapore Navigators held a celebration of thanksgiving for us as I completed my assignment as National Director for the last 4 years. We were honoured and yet deeply humbled by all the kind and generous words said of us by our staff present and also leaders from afar.
Appreciation Day for Kim Meng and his wife, Beow Kheng. Kim Meng served as National Director for the Singapore Navigators in the last four years, and has now passed the baton on to Viloane Ko.
Yet for us, this in reality was a time of thanksgiving to the Lord Himself for His faithfulness and goodness in using us to accomplish His plans and purposes for the Singapore Navigators. An unworthy servant and a reluctant leader by nature, I responded to His call trusting that it is the Lord who is going ‘..to act on our behalf’ (Isaiah 64:4).
We started the year 2017 with a promise from the Lord in 2 Chronicles 20:17—“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you...Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.” Indeed this was a faith journey and one that had taken us not just to places literally, but had oftentimes led us into the depths of our souls where we had to cry out to Him for help. Our faith was stretched as we navigated through the challenges of leading the work especially during this Covid season. Nevertheless, the Lord showed up time and again! Recounting all that the Lord had done for us, the words of our former National Director Thomas Chua, came to mind. In his thank you speech for my willingness and availability to lead the Navigator work, he said, “The Lord has enabled and used you to lead the Singapore Navigators to a better place today. Staff are more united, finances more stable, relationship with churches and other works have been better, student ministries on a stronger footing, a strong mission-mindedness, a strong admin team and a board of governance to help us to be more accountable and government-compliant.” Indeed it was God who had blessed the works of our hands and we give Him all the praises and glory. Beow Kheng and I thoroughly enjoyed this incredible privilege given to us to lead the work with the primary purpose of leadership succession, specifically to a younger generation of leaders. The Lord had answered this, and it is with great delight that we can now pass on the baton of National leadership to Dr. Viloane Ko and his wife, Patricia. As for us, we will remain as staff and continue to grant support to help build upon this rich legacy inherited from our predecessors: ‘To advance the Gospel of Jesus and His Kingdom into the Nations’. Thank you for standing with us with your faithful partnership in prayers and giving while under my watch. We trust you will continue to do so and even more now as we enter into another era of the Singapore Navigators history.
by Viloane Ko
Viloane Ko, The Navigators Singapore newly appointed National Director
What do you believe is the most important need and priority for the Singapore Navigators for the next 5-10 years? Why do you believe this to be the most important?
Navigators’ labourers and leaders, the backbone of our renewal, directly impact the long-term sustainability and health of the Singapore Navigators. When we invest in developing labourers and leaders, we will have ministries and missions. Committed labourers were what our Navigators’ founder Dawson Trotman saw to be the need of the hour in his generation in the 1950s, just before his death: “The need of the hour is an army of soldiers dedicated to Jesus Christ, who believe that He is God, that He can fulfil every promise He ever made, and that nothing is too hard for Him.This is the only way we can accomplish what is on God’s heart — getting the Gospel to every person.” The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few (Matthew 9:36-38)—few in all the ages, and still few today.
to assess the strengths and gaps of the current pool of labourers in the field ministries. With these insights, we will reshape our national plans, processes, policies on recruitment and development, care and welfare for staff and missionaries, and corporate fundraising and communications. With all the departments working in tandem, we will put our “money” (i.e. time and energy) where our mouth is, by deploying our financial and human resources into this strategic priority. We will support all staff to experience a convergence of their experiences, passions and giftings, and contribute to this strategic priority in every way possible. What is your plan to build up the next generation of leaders? Building up the next generation of leaders must be one of the pillars of our national strategy. This has to begin with shaping the mindsets at the national leadership level. The national leadership team must sit in the centre of this strategy of building up new leaders, not on the sidelines. Then, we need to define the kinds of leadership, components and resources required for the future of the Singapore Navigators, and form an overarching developmental plan that is in line with the Navigators’ Calling. The leadership will then need to be committed to the actual development of the potential leaders in the field ministries by engaging them on a periodic basis, and ensuring that leadership development is part of every critical conversation and major decision in our meetings.
The prime need for the next 5-10 years is to nurture What are some of the changes we can expect and develop a new generation of lifelong labourers, from your leadership? cross-cultural labourers and staff leaders for Singapore and beyond. In the case of Moses-Joshua leadership transition in Joshua 1:1-9, I saw a continuity in God’s presence and His What would be the immediate actions to promises, but also a discontinuity in Moses’ leadership address the top priority issues that you have personality and practices. In similar ways, I believe I will identified? bring in my unique energy, passion, experience and gift mix into this new chapter of the Singapore Navigators The immediate actions going forward would be to history, while continuing the vision of disciple-making. practise active listening, be eager to learn and then lead decisively. Please pray with me as I seek to answer this question: Why would the Lord appoint me to serve the Singapore We will first look at our capabilities and challenges Navigators in this time and season? I am filled with both internally and externally. This means to listen to anticipation as I journey with God in learning and our ministry leaders and disciple-making leaders, and growing in this new role.
Getting to Know Viloane! What motivates you to work hard?
God’s Grace (1 Cor 15:10) and God’s Calling (Matt 9:3638) over my life. Even more so when the day-to-day work adds special meaning to my life — connecting it to the broader sense of purpose in our Calling, and making a difference to individuals and the world.
Who or what inspires you?
Men and women after God’s heart, serving the world with humility and boldness.
‘The Lion King,’ ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Chariots of Fire’.
What was your favourite subject in school and your favourite sport? Quantum Physics, Badminton.
What are your hobbies?
Reading, playing the guitar and caring for my venus flytrap
What is your proudest accomplishment?
What are your favourite books?
My top 3 favourite books are ‘The Navigator’ by Robert D. Foster, ‘Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy’ by Eric Metaxas and the Bible.
Who are your favourite authors?
Some of my favourite authors are John Stott, Tim Keller and of course, the Holy Spirit (author of the Bible).
What is your background languages do you speak?
What are your favourite movies?
and
what
I was born in Malaysia, but I’m now a Singaporean. I speak English, Mandarin, Malay and Cantonese dialect.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The one that the disciples had with the resurrected Jesus in John 21.
Married a wife of noble character and raising up my 2 children.
Are you a morning or night person? Tea or coffee person? I am more of a morning and tea person. My habit now is to drink coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon.
What was your favourite family vacation?
5-days-4-night stay at Cameron Highlands in May 2017. I enjoyed the uninterrupted time and slow pace of life with my wife and children.
Do you have a passage of scripture that has meant a lot to your life?
Matthew 11:29 is my life verse. Jesus highlighted Matthew 11:29 to me when I first came to Christ. A few years later, the Lord gave me Genesis 17:1-8 which has become my life promise.
GOING BACK TO THE CORE
by Glen Morris
“T
he Navigators have grown from a small group of sailors in the 1930s to a gospel movement in over 100 countries. We have moved with the changing times and grown as we have contextualised to different cultures. And yet, through all of this, we have held to a direction and a few values that are core to who we are as the Navigators. However, we have not always found it easy to put these things in words. Even back in the 1960s, the Navigators’ President, Lorne Sanny, struggled to define the goals of the Navs. As he worked with many others to clarify our Calling, Sanny said, “The specific objective for the Navigators is variously defined, but it’s there, and we sense it and feel it.” The words kept changing, but the essence wasn’t really captured in the words. It was something that they could ‘sense and feel’.
Glen Morris, Asia-Pacific Leadership Team Member
This is just as true for us today. We have a globally shared calling statement: “To advance the Gospel of Jesus and His kingdom into the nations through spiritual generations of labourers living and discipling among the lost.” It articulates well the things that are important to us. And yet, what the Navigators is about is more than a calling statement. It’s something we ‘sense and feel’. One way or another, we keep coming back to a few big things:
• JESUS — The centre of the big story of history and the smaller stories of our lives. He changes everything and we are constantly challenged to re-orient our lives around Him. • LIFE-ON-LIFE INVOLVEMENT — The good news is passed on from life to life. More than any other way, the Lord is committed to working through us, as individuals and communities — our whole lives — to bring about transformation in the world. • THE BIBLE — This is a place to meet God, to be captured by His promises, and to be guided as to how to live godly lives in a complex world.
• AMONG THE LOST — We are compelled to bring good news where it is most needed. Like Jesus, we seek to live out our walk with God in the mainstream of everyday life — in our families, neighbourhoods, campuses, workplaces and everywhere in between. • GENERATIONS — Good news is never for us alone. Whatever we learn, it is always meant to be shared with others. We are absolutely committed to being labourers for God — passing our faith on to others so that they can also live and grow and pass their faith on to others.
In Singapore, we stand at a transition from one leader to another. Kim Meng led well through the last 4 years. Now, it is up to Viloane to lead into the future. The times are changing, and Viloane will need to find new ways to lead in this new context. But at the heart of it, the challenge remains the same: to live out something we ‘sense and feel’ to be true to the Navigators’ Calling. I am confident that Viloane, with the help of God and the SingNavs community, will do a great job at this.”
www.navigators.org.sg
FROM NATIONAL DIRECTOR
@SingaporeNavigators The Navigators Singapore, 117 Lor K, Telok Kurau, Singapore 425758 Tel: (65) 6344 4133 Email: admin@navigators.org.sg
Viloane Ko “Look to the rock from which you were cut…” (Isaiah 51:1) I looked back to the long and rich spiritual heritage of the Singapore Navigators, remembering the times of Roy Robertson when it all began, and even before that, to the biblical story of Abraham and Sarah... In 1962, Roy Robertson set out one Sunday to claim God’s promise to Abraham for the Navigators’ work in Singapore — “Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” (Genesis 13:17). As he walked (about 30 km) across the breadth of the island and observed the ships in the harbour (believed to be at the Esplanade today), he envisioned and prayed, “Lord, just as these ships carry cargoes out of Singapore, I pray that you will one day send dedicated men and women from here all over the world with the Gospel of Christ.”
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. All Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® Copyright © 1984, unless otherwise stated.
National Director: Viloane Ko Editor, Designer: Chelsia Chan Printer: Seng Lee Press © 2021 by The Navigators Singapore
Here we are, 59 years on since Roy Robertson’s prayer. 2022 will be the 60th year of the Navigators’ work in Singapore. I believe each generation of the Singapore Navigators committed to life-on-life investment unto individuals need to receive the baton of fulfilling Roy’s vision for Singapore and the world. I desire that our current generation will own the CORE with a desire to see workers for the Kingdom next door to everywhere. And we shall see a new wave of disciplemakers for Singapore and beyond! I hope to see renewal, regeneration and re-energization. I look forward to bringing a breath of fresh air to the Singapore Navigators and inspire hope that God will work out His promises (Isaiah 60:22, Isaiah 54:1-3, and Isaiah 49:6) in and through us for the world. The future of the Singapore Navigators is as great as the promises of God!
PRAYER PULSE National Director (ND) Pray for the Lord’s empowering, favour and blessings upon Viloane and Patricia as they take on the ND role. Pray for a good and smooth transition for Viloane, that the Lord will be exalted in our midst. Pray for former ND Kim Meng, as he takes on his new assignment—to stay on to help with the Community ministry and older staff, as well as to assist Viloane as he settles in.
New Staff and Leaders Pray for the recruitment of new staff and leaders, especially from the younger generation (Isaiah 54:1-3). Cross-Cultural Labourers Pray for new cross-cultural labourers to surface in the near future (Isaiah 49:6), as we build and equip disciple-makers to be sent into the mission field, both locally and overseas.