We set up two new ministries this year, the “Visitation Ministry” and “Evangelism and Mission Ministry.”  They are not new to us as we have been working on these needs since the church started.  They are formalised as ministries so that we can be effective.  For this year, these two important ministries will be led by our two elders, Elder Teo Chin Tian (assisted by Deacon Koo Sin Kok) and Elder Liu Kerh Li (assisted by Deaconess Fu Sio Siong).  We thank God also for others who will be serving in these two areas.  Once the Ministry Church Committee has finalised on some guiding principles pertaining to the operation, the elders of the respective ministries will update the church on the details.

Visitation Ministry

When Jesus returns to judge the children of God, on what criteria will He pass judgement?  He once said:

Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or in prison and go to visit you?’  The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

The emphasis of Visitation Ministry is to care for people who are in need.  We will focus on visiting new friends, the sick, and families who are in need of support.  Life is a tough journey.  Let us love one another, and love in practical ways.  Then on judgement day when Jesus comes to reward His servants, we will receive praise from our Lord and Saviour.  The visitation ministry team will meet to set objectives, divide those involved into teams and schedule visits.

Evangelism and Mission Ministry

This world is a broken world as a result of the destructive effects of sin.  We thank and praise God: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Rom 1:16).  As children of light, Christians owe the world a debt—to preach the gospel.  The Evangelism and Mission Ministry team will meet to discuss a two pronged approach to bring in the lost.

First, we shall bring the gospel to people we know.  They include our family members, relatives, friends and colleagues.  You should attempt to bring at least one person whom you know personally to the Lord this year.  Second, we shall, hopefully in the latter half of this year, start to bring the gospel to people whom we do not know.  These include people living in the neighbourhood of Bukit Batok.  We need to strategise to allow the neighbourhood to receive us as friends if we hope to invite them to our church and then into salvation’s door.  We will be setting aside a budget to organize activities so that relatives, friends and the residents of Bukit Batok can get to know our church.  May the Lord through His Spirit pave the way for us and strengthen the work of our hands.  Serve God fervently.