LIF
TRANSFO “Don’t change the basics,” said Dr. Jerry White,
President Emeritus of the International Navigators, in a recent gathering with the Singapore Navigators staff. He was referring to the formation of spiritual disciplines like sharing the gospel, bible-study, scripture memory and one-on-one discipling. Dr. White went on to qualify that while the Christian calling remains the same, it needs to be re-interpreted for each new generation that is being reached out to.
“Everything has to be contextualized; it has to fit into the ministry that we a
This is the challenge for our staff and labourers in the student ministries as they seek to engage, evangelize and disc generation. As we evolve in ministry methods via social networking, youth trends and creative outreach in ou are still finding that very often, the basics count for a lot when it comes to transforming lives for Christ. Here are the harvest fields of how our students are growing as disciples of Christ as they are transformed through Evangelis and Equipping.
Evangelism 108 teenagers planned their own funeral at Fort Canning Cemetery on Good Friday, replete with tombstones, eulogies and mourners. The NavTeens’ evangelistic Funeral Party attracted 28 pre-believing friends, out of whom four came to know the Lord and another five expressed their interest in knowing more about this Jesus who died and rose again. “Choked on his lollipop. We warned him!!”
Background and photos: Patricia Lian Caption photos source: sxc.hu
Our youngest team with personalized tombstones
The 7-hour event started with the teens designing their personal tombstones at Fort Canning Cemetery and ended 7 hours later with them confronting the question, “Is there life after death?” Through a quest that included carrying thorny durians with bare hands, getting slapped on the face and marked with stripes, the teens relived the stations of Christ’s journey to the cross. The adventure ended with Robert Yuen sharing the miracle and victory of Christ’s resurrection as a makeshift tomb burst open with a thunderous roar that elicited quite a bit of reaction!
Samuel Yeun e-mailed after the ev has just accepted Christ into his li worth of praying and sharing the g with me as he makes this life chan God, that he will not be stumbled christian and a light for others to f
Chloe Cai learnt that evangelism i time effort. She reflected, “I thank one of my BS girls, actually agreed to discuss questions that she has a what is stopping her from acceptin believes that Christ came, died an to herself. Let’s pray that she will
Establish
Bible-readi
Sherman Soo Thoo, an undergradu about how God met with him throu
“My journey with God has always have towards God. Sometime in O really experience God based on his applying His Word to my life.
FE
ORMERS Dr. Jerry White on Staff Day
are doing.”
ciple the present ur ministries, we e snapshots from sm, Establishing
vent, “My long-time friend Fan Zhi ife today! It’s been four long years’ gospel and my life with him. Pray nging commitment to follow our d in his faith, that he will be firm as a follow too.”
is often a process, rather than a onek God that a pre-believer invited by d to meet me on another occasion about Christianity and talk about ng Christ. She expressed that she nd rose again but saw little relevance see that God loves her too!” v
hing:
ing
uate in NUS, shares here ugh the Word this semester.
been based on the feelings that I October 2010 I was challenged to s Word through reading the bible and
I made a commitment and invited God to enter my life through the Word. It was tough for me in the beginning...because I did not have the habit of reading long passages and meditating on them for long periods of time. I used my travelling time to read the bible and pray. I remember once when I had finished reading the whole book of Luke, I asked myself, “What did you feel?”. I felt peace! A kind of peace that I know is the Holy Spirit responding to my heart’s desire to seek intimacy with God. Throughout the semester, I continued to read the bible, book by book and constantly reflecting them upon my life and asking myself what Jesus is trying to say to me. I came to realize that one of the things I struggle with Jesus is the guilt I always inflict upon myself when I sin. I always feel so sinful and ashamed in front of God, but the spiritual discipline of biblereading and prayer really helps me forge my relationship with God. For instance, 1 John 1:9 helps me understand what it means to come before Jesus with confidence.” v
Equipping: Man2Man
Andy Chong, a History undergraduate in NUS, reflects on his personal growth through man-to-man meetings: “In his book Mentoring Paradigms, Edmund Chan said that mentoring is an impartation of life and convictions. We read in the gospels about how Jesus selected twelve disciples and shared his life with them. The apostle Paul also urged his protege Timothy to imitate not only his teaching but also his life and faith. (2 Tim 3:5) In the NUS Navigators ministry, I am privileged to be able to find someone older like James (Nav staff) who is willing to share his life and convictions with me. Every Wednesday afternoon, we would meet up for our “man to man” time. We would go to different parts of the NUS campus for lunch and to talk over coffee. We did this for almost the course of a 13 week semester. During my time with James, we shared on many issues in life such as church ministry and relationships. I appreciate having a godly brother who points me to Christ and encourages me to lead a godly life. Everyone needs a mentor and everyone can be mentored. This is the passion of the Navigators ministry--to work closely with individuals. I pray that you will find a mentor in church or in campus ministry too.” v
Alumni & Friends C O N N E C T I O N S by Royston Koh
Walking with Bill Mowry on the ways of the Alongsider Notwithstanding the May 7th Polling Day of the Singapore General Elections, more than one hundred participants attended the Ways of the Alongsider Seminar held at the Navigators Headquarters. Bill Mowry in his affable manner presented a practical disciple-making model where an ordinary believer can play a part as an alongsider to any person who needs to know or walk with God. Alongsiders are ministry amateurs. Quite unlike our conventional understanding, the term “amateur” comes from Latin, meaning “lover.” Amateurs work not for monetary motivation but out of passion like the amateur photographer most of us are acquainted with. What is really exciting is to realise that in the first century, the gospel was spread by amateurs. Church historian Michael Green wrote, “The great mission of Christiaity was in reality accomplished by means of informal missionaries ... they did it naturally, enthusiastically, and with the conviction of those who are not paid to say that sort of thing.” Could not the same happen with ordinary folks like us in the 21st century? Bill, Doug & Royston
In a fast paced and interactive environment, Bill equipped us with the ten ways of an alongsider. In the Way of Mission, he reminded us, “Making disciples is not an end in itself. God’s heart beats for the world. When we understand His heart, we’re compelled to live on mission for Him and to multiply the number of insiders. If every insider is next to someone, then with enough insiders, we can be next to everyone. The gospel will advance through this ever-expanding network of relationship.” In his parting words, Bill reminded us that unless we put into practice what we learnt, we would forget the things we are convicted of. It would be a shame to lose this vital practice of always being involved in someone’s life as an intentional alongsider. “It’s a blast!” exclaimed Thomas Clay after the seminar, “We had a great time at the meeting. I benefited a lot from doing it, thank you so much.”
Alumni & friends gather to learn
Royston, Thomas & Jimmy
Polishing each others’ skills
Sharing experiences
Photos: Patricia Lian Background photo source: sxc.hu
NEW PLACES, NEW FACES
Peter Yim, our campus director at NUS, is moving to Thailand. Doug Erdmann National Director
Opening a student work in Bangkok is a high priority for the Asia-Pacific Navigators. Some unique circumstances have made it clear that Peter should take this on. He, his wife Kristine, and their two young children moved from the U.S. to Singapore three years ago. We will miss them, but are excited that they are getting the chance to “advance the Kingdom” in a new country. Please pray for their quick adjustment. The Yims’ departure means we need a new director at NUS. We are excited that we have another missionary available to take on this role. Jae Kwan Ryoo, and his wife Chan Hye, moved from Korea to Singapore 10 years ago. Initially Jae Kwan
NP-SIM-SP Vacation Training Camp
assisted at NUS, but after three years he was asked to take over a flagging ministry at Ngee Ann Poly. Starting with literally one student, he and some NP and NUS grads worked hard and the Lord blessed. The ministry spread to next door SIM, and soon he was asked to take on Singapore Poly as well. Now, between the two Polys and SIM, Jae Kwan and Chan Hye are ministering to over 100 students and grads. Along with this large ministry, Jae Kwan has always given special attention to a few key people. Two of these he met during his years at NUS … Viloane Ko, whom he led to Christ, and Xue Yang Kui, whom he followed up. They were a couple of the NUS grads who joined him at NP, where he continued to disciple them. Because of his faithful investment in these men, Viloane is now ready to take over the ministry at NP, and Yang Kui to take over at SP. This means that Jae Kwan and Chan Hye can move back to NUS and direct the ministry there.
r s
The Yims to Thailand The Kos to NP-SIM
r Yang Kui to SP s The Ryoos to NUS
What’s exciting about this? The Yims are freed up to be missionaries in Thailand because another man, over the years, went deep with a few key guys. Jae Kwan’s investment has produced leaders, leaders who can replace him so that he can move to a another campus. A good reminder to all of us that if we want to broaden our ministry, we often need to narrow it….giving careful attention (as the Master did) to a few.v
asia and beyond
by Sita Shanmugam and Kuek Chung Lee
On 2–6 May 2011, the Asia Pacific Church Discipleship Consultation, organized by the Singapore CDM, saw 90 delegates from 15 countries gather together to learn about and interact over the theme of “Creating Environments to Disciple Others and Reach the Lost”. It was a mixture of old friends – pastors, church leaders and Church Discipleship Ministry CDM) staff who have attended our previous consultations, as well as many first timers. This year also saw the largest number of local leaders in attendance. We thank the Lord for blessing our time together. Many saw the importance of one-on-one discipling and creating the environments for disciple-making to take place, and expressed the need to be intentional in their discipleship with individuals. Others were convicted that as leaders, they need to work on their inner lives and set the pace.
“The talk on Leadership Environment provided me with the practical helps to be a better mentor.” - R Lee, pastoral staff, Singapore
Our Time Together
“I learnt that the hardest thing in leadership is when my heart is hard. Discipling others, having ministry strategies become effective when my heart is right with God.” - Pastor P Bartolome, The Philippines “I want to create an environment of grace among our staff through loving relationships.” - O M , CDM staff, S.E.Asia “I like the spirit of the consultation--loving and compassionate; the size-manageable and comfortable; the speakers--practitioners who walk the talk.” - Pastor J Lim, Singapore “Inspired to invest in lives and not ministries.” - R Toh, pastoral staff, Singapore MINISTRY HAPPENINGS NUS-NTU Navs Vacation Training Programme, Los Banos, Philippines, 30 May-17 June
5 & 19 Aug, 2 & 30 Sept; 2.30pm – 5pm; Friday Movie, 2nd and 4th Fridays, 2.30pm – 4.30pm; Youth Fellowship, 4th Fridays, 7.30-9pm ite@navigators.org.sg
ITE Nav Youth Hub@t-Junction Baking Course, 24 June, 8 & 22 July,
NUS/NTU Navs Freshmen Orientation Camps, Welcome
Tea and bible-study groups. nus@ navigators.org.sg/ ntu@navigators. org.sg NP-SIM Navs Discipleship Training Camp, 2-4 Sep. np@navigators.org.sg The NavTeens, Captain’s Ball Meet, 23 Jul & 27 Aug. tnt@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/ Design & Layout: Patricia Lian 117 Lorong K, Telok Kurau, Singapore 425758 • Tel: (65) 6344 4133 • Fax: (65) 6344 0975 • E-mail: admin@navigators.org.sg Printed by Seng Lee Press Pte Ltd