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New R e l e v a n c e
sia is home to the largest proportion of the world’s unreached people groups. Some of the countries in the region have become more open to the gospel in the last decade and there is a growing hunger for the gospel and teaching of God’s word. Navigator-trained believers who are equipped to start a discipling ministry wherever they are, are discovering a new relevance when deployed to these countries as students on exchange programmes, working professionals, tentmakers and missionaries. Doug Erdmann, National Director of The Navigators Singapore, observes that “in the past, we have sent a lot of people as missionaries. We are now in a position to do a lot more. There is clarity of focus, with new staff and labourers.” How do we make it happen?
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“First, we have to TALK about World Vision in our gatherings together, whether it be with the people we are helping or among ourselves. Second, we can ASK people to go. In between, we need to PROVIDE opportunities for our people to be exposed to cross-cultural work.” “God has always called people to move cross-culturally for His purposes. The question is: Do we want to get on board and be a part of His Plan?”
The Journey of the Dand
Our work among college students and youn
Cheng is part of a team ministering to college students in of ministries mushrooming from random encounters, pre that God is mightily at work in this country.
Cheng mentors a group of ladies who are already begin believers. In the team’s work with college students, a fr the students graduate and disperse into the towns and ci them the gospel message, the passion and know-how t the faith. Like a dandelion blown in the wind, they beginnings of new work. As one ministry closes, God town through language lessons to pre-believers who ea team also has a ministry in a village that started through his family and village friends.
“Here, the people are hungry for God. When they are hel walk with the Lord,” says Cheng.
A missionary couple, based in the same country for the la realisation that “when we look at this field, we should se growing interest among believers in the vision of spiritua mature spiritual generations of local labourers doing the
Although our work here is unnamed and given no offi convict a local believer to quit his job in a major city and
Indeed, the harvest is plentiful in this country and others to open our eyes to see the opportunities. If ever the Lor either through work or an intentional call, will you pray “Lord, what are you doing? Let me join you.” v
Navigators are evangelising and making disciples on campuses across the Asia Pacific. In different socio-economic contexts, political and religious climates, the vision to fulfil Christ’s commission to us through spiritual multiplication remains the same. It is strategic to create a network among the leaders of this up and coming generation, and to bring them together to both learn from respected Christian leaders, and share of their experiences in discipling. u
delion:
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ng professionals in East Asia
Connect 2012 will bring together 300 lay leaders, key students and Navigator staff from schools and campuses across the Asia Pacific region for a 4-day discipleship conference.
n an East Asian city. Her experience ecipitated by focused prayers, shows
nning to disciple a next generation of ruitful five-year old ministry closes as ities of the nation, each carrying with to bring new converts to maturity in
y are the seeds of the gospel and
d opens another in a university across agerly bring their own contacts. The an office worker who evangelised to
lped, they really grow in the faith and
ast decade, say that it is time for a new ee an OPEN country where there is a al multiplication. Our desire is to see work in local ways.”
Generation
The conference aims to better equip student leaders to fulfil the Navigators’ Calling to be labourers among youths on campuses. Key speakers include Rev Edmund Chan, Rev Tan Soo-Inn and Mr Alan Ch’ng. Workshops will be conducted by established practitioners of disciple-making in youth culture, hailing from various Christian organisations. Participants will also be able to network with like-minded colleagues from different countries, thereby laying the foundations of lifelong partnerships in the Navigators’ ministry in the Asia-Pacific region. NavNews (NN) converses with Keto Sakhrie (KS), a post-graduate student at Delhi University who works with youths from Nagaland: NN:
Why would you like to attend Connect 2012?
KS:
I have often heard of the Navigators and their effective discipleship ministry through our pastor, Rev Ricky Medom and his wife Virginia Medom, who were both part of the Navigators while in The Philippines. Our ministries are discipleship-oriented and we use various bible study materials adapted from the Navigators for our bible study discussions. I am thrilled at the opportunity to attend Connect 2012, and what excites me most are the various topics and workshops targetting the major areas that have been my concerns and I wish to learn how to address such issues in our youth ministry.
icial status, it has grown enough to d do discipling full-time.
s in East Asia. We need to ask God rd brings you to one of these places, as one of our missionaries did,
What the conference has to offer will help me in discerning God’s will in my life and give me a clearer perspective on how to go about making disciples for Christ. NN:
What are some challenges you and your fellow youth workers face in coming to Connect 2012?
KS:
Most of us here are students and finding the funds for airfare and conference fee (which includes accommodation and food) is a major challenge. Moreover, being a fully student-oriented ministry, we have problems raising support and sponsoring the students. v
Will you help a brother/sister from the region to attend Connect 2012? 150 participants will be coming from India, The Philippines, Thailand and other regional countries. Some of our participants, like Keto and her friends, need financial support to attend Connect 2012. You can fully sponsor an overseas participant by giving $400 towards the Connect Fund. Any other amounts will also be welcomed and work towards helping many with a passion for disciple-making to be with us at the conference. You can make your cheque to “The Navigators, Singapore” and post to 117 Lorong K, Telok Kurau, Singapore 425758. Kindly indicate Connect 2012 at the back of the cheque. For planning purposes, please send in your cheque by 31st March. v Photo source: Keto Sakhrie
The Navigators, Singapore is launching a new ministry “The Navigators 20s-30s” for graduates from our campus ministries who are seeking to continue their discipling ministry in their workplaces, and also for those in the workforce who are desirous to be trained as disciple-makers.
est? v n I o t y Read
NavNews (NN) has a talk with Robert Yeun (RY), director of the 20s-30s, on the set-up of this new ministry and asks why it is a strategic and relevant move for Navigator work in Singapore. NN: What does the the 20s-30s hope to do? RY: We want to help groups of young working adults in Singapore continue a discipling lifestyle while meeting the demands of work and the transitions inherent in this phase of life. NN: Why would a working professional want to be a part of the 20s-30s? RY: If you want to be a growing Christian, strong in your biblical convictions, commitment and character as you interact with colleagues and associates right there in your office, then the 20s-30s is a ministry and support group that you’d want to consider. The 20s-30s will help every Christian who has a growing relationship with the Lord to intentionally look for opportunities to help another know and grow in Christ. NN: What is distinctive about The Navigators’ ministries, in this instance, the 20s-30s? RY: A believer trained through a Navigator ministry comes away equipped with two things. First, he has a set of “transferables”--a systematic resource of bible study materials covering the range of Christian growth and living, bible study methods, evangelism tools--that he can use to disciple another. The second, and more important, thing is that he knows how to invest his life in another person, much like what Jesus did with his disciples and what Paul did with Timothy. It is a biblical, “spiritual father and son” relationship. It is a life-to-life ministry, not merely a curriculum, bible study course or a programme. In short, he knows Christ intimately, makes Him known impact-fully and helps others to do the same intentionally. v For brochure information and details on The Navigators 20s-30s, email robyeun@navigators.org.sg
Doug Erdmann National Director
As students leave their tertiary schools and enter the workforce they face a lot of adjustments. First and foremost is the adjustment to a job. (It is true that our young men have experienced non-academic work during their stint in National Service. But life in NS is a bit different from the hustle and bustle of the marketplace.) A second adjustment is to serious relationships with the opposite sex, relationships that often lead to marriage. A third adjustment is to the receipt of regular and substantially increased income, and the need to decide how to use that income. If a young Christian graduate is not careful, all these adjustments can have a wearing effect on his or her spiritual life. These exciting new things can actually end up being “thorns” (“the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things”) that can choke the Word planted in their lives and make it unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19) That’s why we’ve started our “20s-30s” ministry (described at left). We want to continue to stoke the passion that young people have developed as students to “know Christ and make Him known.” We know that if they keep that passion, they and those they pass it on to will be well-served, as it “holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8) v
Ministry Reports The NavTeens (TNT) Annual Training Camp, 3-9 Dec 2011
Independence and freedom attract teenagers. Technology and affluence have greatly opened up opportunities for young people, but the battle to live a significant life is still fought and won in the choices we make daily. A life lived in freedom is a life that is oriented to God’s purpose. The annual TNT Camp saw at least 80% of the campers make a choice to “LOL-Love and Obey the Lord”. God captured the hearts of these young people who committed to live each day with Him as the Lord and centre of their schedules and activities. 8 pre-believers also joined us and one of them, Aloysius, came to Christ. Our utmost for His Highest “God has sacrificed so much for us. We should love and obey Him wholeheartedly and give Him the highest place in our lives. We should be God’s witnesses to pre-believers and we are not too young to do so.” ~Carolyn, Sec 3, RGS God is blessing the ministry with teens whose hearts are turned to Him. v
Student Vacation Programme, The NavTeens Four girls got a taste of what it means to serve the Lord full-time after their ‘O’ Level examinations last year. Valerie Tan, Lee Dai Yi, Cristal Tan, and Li Hui spent their long vacation shadowing Margaret Ng, our staff in NavTeens, in a Student Vacation Programme (SVP), doing outreach and From left: Margaret, Cristal, Daiyi, discipling Valerie and Lihui among younger teens and strengthening their own Christian walk. They experienced God meeting their needs financially and practically through 4 months of “field work”. It’s never too young to begin doing God’s work! v Photo sources: TNT, Margaret Ng, Chris Lian
Asia Pacific Campus Forum, 16-21 Jan 2012, Bandung Indonesia SGNav team Navigator staff from twelve from left: Pat (with son Isaac), countries in Asia Pacific, Viloane, Chris, Roger and Jere from Mongolia in the north to Australia in the south, met to present case studies of generational ministry in participating countries and gain biblical perspective of generational discipleship in a study of Paul, Timothy, Epaphras and Titus. One objective of the forum was to enhance partnership among regional staff to advance the gospel in this part of the world. v Campus staff from 12 countries, Nav House, Bandung
Alumni & Friends C O N N E C T I O N By Yap Kim Meng
A Conversation about Discipleship and Leadership with Rev Edmund Chan February 11, 2-6pm Navigator Headquarters More than 120 Nav alumni came on a Saturday afternoon to hear Rev Edmund Chan share about disciplemaking in a personal and candid interview. Rev Edmund Chan is one of the most sought-after expository preachers in Asia. He is the Leadership Mentor of Covenant Evangelical Free Church and disciples key Christian leaders and CEOs, both in Singapore and overseas. He was influenced by Navigators Jim Chew and Doug Sparks in his early years as a Christian. Interviewed by Doug Erdmann (National Director of The Navigators, Singapore) and San Wee (Executive Chairman of Turnaround Management & Learning Point), Rev Chan recalled how his own heart for, and style of, disciple-making was first sparked off: “Jim [Chew] met me, and I was concerned for the [amount of] time that he was spending with me, then a Bible college student. I asked him whether he needed to be back at the office soon, aware that I was taking up too much of his time. He told me, ‘I have set aside the whole day for you.’ I was overwhelmed. That taught me the value of investing in a man and since then, I have had the privilege of repaying that debt many times over and I can say the same to someone else, ‘I have set aside time just for you.’ ” Rev Edmund Chan, candid and relaxed
“Jim introduced me to Doug Sparks. My wife and I were invited for dinner. Then he [Doug] invited me for a walk with him. He then proceeded to introduce me to his neighbour whom we met as we walked. He then witnessed, ever so unobtrusively, to his neighbour and I was spellbound, even going back to his house to get a copy of material for this neighbour. That was my introduction to mentoring and [the incident] also took the [pressure] of witnessing from my life.” Edmund, Doug and San
“Doug gave me an assignment: Pick one student from each year that I was at Singapore Bible College. I did that. In fact, I picked two from each year and mentored them. I was ever so glad I did. Today, two of them are the Senior Pastors whom I handed over my responsibilities to at Covenant EFC.” Edmund kept us enthralled for 4 hours as he related stories, teachings and insights. It was an afternoon well spent with this man of God and mentor of men. v
Photos by Patricia Lian
Sharing God’s heartbeat in his discipling ministries
A gift DVD of the interview will be released in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary celebrations of The Navigators, Singapore.
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 • Design & Layout: Chong Ching Ching 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
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