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Plans for 2015: A Sharing by the Leadership

The Elders & Pastors would like to share with you the English congregation goals for 2015 in this time of remembrance and hope.

Let’s start by focusing on Colossians 1:24-29. These verses describe Apostle Paul’s ministry to the church. These are also verses that we can identify with as we set the purpose, processes and plans for our church.

Reading from Colossians 1:24-29 - “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”

Let us look at the purpose of Paul’s ministry as stated in verse 28. In this verse, Paul says that we may present everyone mature in Christ. The purpose of Paul’s ministry is presenting everyone mature in Christ which is disciple making, seeing believers brought from infancy to spiritual maturity, and increasingly growing in true righteousness and holiness. 

This purpose of disciple making is the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 which is Christ’s last words to his disciples. Notice the emphasis on “everyone” in verse 28, the word is mentioned 3 times. In God’s kingdom, there isn’t 2 groups of believers, immature and mature but everyone is be a disciple of Jesus Christ, presented as mature in Christ. Our church’s overarching purpose is the same. It is to continue pursuing the vision of a disciple making church that transforms lives with the love and gospel of Jesus Christ. This vision was prayerfully and jointly conceived by both the English and Chinese congregations. Please continue to pray for our church to live out this disciple-making vision.

On processes or what it takes to achieve our purpose, let us see what Paul has to say in verse 29. In this verse, Paul talks about his toil and struggles; we know Paul worked very hard and has to contend with many difficulties and challenges in his ministry. Yet rather than focusing on the struggles, Paul encourages us by focusing on the extraordinary grace and presence of Christ in him. In verse 29, while he talks about toil and struggles, he also speak of God working powerfully within him. So on processes or what it takes to achieve our purpose, the picture has not really change. It will take effort, patience and perseverance. At the same time, the more we together as a church seek to labor in the disciple making work of the Lord, the greater measure of divine help we may expect from Him.

With this short sharing on purpose and processes, I would like to now share briefly on 5 key plans or areas of focus that the English congregational leadership team have for 2015. These focus are in the areas of (1) pulpit ministry (2) disciple-making (3) leadership (4) member care and (5) outreach.

Firstly on pulpit ministry, Ps Arnold & the pastoral staff have carefully and prayerfully prepared a series of sermons aligned with the vision of the church. In January, we will look into spiritual disciplines of a disciple. In Colossians 1:25 Paul talks about making the word of God fully known for there is so much riches and hope in His word that we cannot do without. Each Sunday before we start our time of worship service, let us humbly & reverently prepare ourselves to receive the word and pray that the word of God will be preached. For God saves and sanctifies through his Word.

Secondly, to make the vision of disciple making an increasing reality in more aspects of our church life, Pastor Ollie is leading a cross sectional team to develop and implement a disciple making ministry framework and a strategy beginning with the care group ministry. We are still working through what it takes to be a disciple making church. Through the sharing and interactions with other churches and the Navigators, we are learning that disciple making is a deliberate process of evangelizing to non-believers, of establishing believers in the faith and of equipping matured believers to replicate and multiply on the process. Disciple making is word centered, gospel centered and built on community life relationships in the context of the local church. It is about a relational and relevant context of walking alongside each other through times of joy or trial. It is about celebrating victories together and same time, to also be able to lovingly speak the truth and point out wrong choices and sin habits in our lives. This is actually the Jesus’ model. Back to basics as some would say.

The third area of focus is on widening and strengthening the church leadership. God willing, next year, one of our members will join us as intern pastor for 6 months to help in the career/young married ministry. Another member will join as a full time ministry staff worker to assist the pastoral team in the areas of Youth, Worship and Communications. We continue to pray for and hope to add 2 new elders as others rotate off having reached the 6 years term. In addition, the office of deaconship will be introduced next year. As many of you are aware, the offices of elders and deacons are in keeping with New Testament pattern for church governance. Both offices are required to meet the needs of a church our size and as we look to the Lord to grow our numbers. Deacons will have qualifications based on 1Tim3:8-13 and their duties will include supporting, leading specific ministries, projects or events. Nominated candidates will first be put before the church before being commissioned as deacons. Let us continue to pray that God will raise up committed servant leaders from amongst us as we look into this important area of leadership succession and continuity.

Another area of focus is on member care. We are very thankful for the behind the scene ministry by our pastors, visitation committee and many from care groups and various church ministries as you visit, pray and minister with those who are unwell or are in need. In the new year before we relocate to a different premise, we need to encourage more members to join or to be linked up with care groups so that we can remain in touch and look out for each other throughout the relocation and rebuilding phase. Please also use the prayer network like Watchman Prayer Ministry actively. The elders/pastors meet on Wednesday mornings to pray and will be delighted to have your prayer requests. We are also very thankful for many who are serving in various ministries spanning the ages of nursery to senior members. These age group ministries are actively supported by those in various other church ministries as well. This is actually the working out of Ephesians 4:16 where it says..from whom the whole body,  joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the whole body grow so that it builds itself up in love..let’s continue to give and to receive care from one another as one body in Christ.

The fifth area of focus is on outreach, evangelism and mission. Pastor Bobby and his team has faithfully completed the first year of targeted outreach activities beyond Macpherson area. They have been blessed with the free use of Baptist Theological seminary facilities in Upper Serangoon and are continuing to seek more participation from the church to reach out to the Kovan community. There are also regular mission trips to Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia and others as avenues for increasing member awareness and participation in Missions to share the gospel. One key reason and hope for physically rebuilding the church is that we trust God will add to our numbers as we become a disciple making church that reaches out actively on local and worldwide missions.

May God be glorified through the working out of our church plans. Thank you.

Presented by Elder Cheow Loon, 
on behalf of the EC Congregational Leadership team