Institution, Initiative, and I

The biennial FES National Conference (NC) was held on 17 and 18 October at Singapore Bible College. Under the theme of “Institution, Initiative, and I”, the conference comprised a keynote address and a panel on the relationship between the institutional church and parachurches. This was followed by stories from different missional agencies and “Thought-a-thon” sessions on how to engage with these social issues in our student life. NC closed by joining in prayer with other IFES movements to intercede for each other on World Student Day.

Panel discussion on the CF and the church

Keynote Address and Panel
The keynote speaker, Dr Chiang Ming Shun, talked about the role of parachurches in supporting the church in places that may be difficult for the church to reach, such as university students through the CF. Instead of seeing it as something that takes our time from serving in the church, the parachurch is a place where we can learn and bring whatever we have learnt to the church.

One area that caught my attention during the panel discussion was how serving in the CF impacts our lives, especially when we are already busy with school and serving in the church. But Dr Chiang reminded me that if we truly believe something, we should live busily for it. Our context may not call for us to die for God as a martyr, but we should aim to be actively engaged in living for God and serving Him, and not live for ourselves. Being in the CF helps us live the Christian life outside of Sundays. Having a community, especially one with similar circumstances and age, helps to keep us accountable.

Looking back at the past one and a half years in NTU ISCF, I realised how much my faith has grown through the CF. I have met friends who would read the Bible together, share their stories, and do mission work together. NC reminded me of the importance of parachurches in supporting the church, so I look forward to serving God more, both in the CF and in the church.

— Catherine Wijaya, NTU ISCF, Art Design and Media, Year 2

Thought-provoking sharing by KIN

Stories and Thought-A-Thon
The sharing by The Helping Hand left an impact on me as I saw how God uses an organisation to give hope and change a person’s life around. In the situation where people around the individual or even the person himself do not see hope, God gave hope to him. Their stories reminded me of what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9, ‘But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ It encourages me that even in the worst situations that I may find myself in, like the people in Helping Hand, I can faithfully put my trust in Him who is sovereign over all things.

Listening to the Koinonia Inclusion Network (KIN), I saw how God desires us to include ALL members of His family. Jesus cared for the marginalised and welcomed everyone with love and acceptance; even if it is difficult or uncomfortable, as followers of Christ, aren’t we supposed to do the same? As I look at the cross, I am deeply humbled and compelled to care for all people, especially those who may be different or challenging to interact with.

Discussing what we have learnt from the agency

I co-led the Thought-a-thon session on Comeback, an organisation that focuses on healthy gaming. As I heard everyone share their thoughts, I realised that there is so much we can do to be available to serve in this area. I can reach out to the youths who are not rooted in church through Comeback, bring them to events held by them and build relationships with them through the event.

— Enoch Cheah, SIM ECF, Sports and Marketing, Year 2

IFES World Student Day
As part of the organising committee, one key takeaway I had was how God always has a way, no matter how impossible things may seem. During the preparation, choosing which movement to pray for was like trying to order dishes at the economic rice stall. Each movement had its unique story to tell, making it difficult to choose. But I am grateful that God guided us in considering some factors, such as familiarity with the movement and the struggles that they faced. Through this, we aimed to broaden the perspective and worldview of the students present.

Praying for fellow student movements

Another way God was very present was how he watched over the preparation process. As WSD came closer, some movements had yet to update us, as well as last-minute changes. The uncertainty amidst the busy midterms season was nerve-wracking. It was a situation very much out of our control, and there were moments I felt lost. I asked myself, “What else can I do?” There was one thing, which was to pray. As much as WSD is about praying for other student movements, one area I had forgotten was to pray over the WSD preparations.

WSD’s anchor verse from Ephesians 3:20 will be a reminder as I continue studying in SMU, that God “is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us”. I must commit daily all things to God through prayer, with full submission and faith.

— Timothy Leung, Fellowship@SMU, Social Science, Year 1