Raising Christlike Leaders

A core tenet of the ministry at Fellowship of Evangelical Students (FES) is to develop student leaders who will shape the church and the world with creativity, boldness, and Christlikeness. For these students, this starts right now. There is no need to wait till graduation, or “adulting”. One of the clearest expressions of this commitment is our distinctive student-led and student-initiated approach, which challenges student leaders to take ownership and be responsible for all aspects of their ministry.

On a more programmatic level, the Leaders’ Party (LP) has been central to gathering student leaders across our diverse ministries to come, share, learn, and embark on their leadership adventure together.

Leaders’ Party 2025

At LP 2025, we hope to holistically equip our student leaders with the skills necessary to lead not just their student ministry but to be signposts of love and peace wherever they are placed.

The team identified three aspects that are crucial for student leaders:

1. 1. Sense of Community
      A framework of the markers of a community, to nurture the eyes of leaders to see the people that they serve in more meaningful and dimensional ways.
   2. Engaging the Campus
      The ethos of campus ministry, to challenge leaders to listen to the conversations happening on campus and seek to enter these conversations with a response rooted in evangelical hope.
   3. Spirituality
      A posture of pause and rest, to remind leaders to taste the goodness of God in their daily lives, from the most important moments to the most mundane.

Learning about the CF through station games during LP

This year, the first part of LP (the second part will be held in August) saw 76 participants gathering on 12 May. We focused on the importance of exegeting the state of their ministries in recognition of the complexity of building a community. The day ended with a big commissioning party for a time of celebration and dedication. Planning for part two has since commenced, and will focus on Spirituality and Campus Engagement.

Context and Impact

LP started as a response to the fatigue and isolation resulting from the pandemic. We saw value in bringing our CF leaders across the ministry sections together to not only commiserate but encourage one another and be commissioned for their leadership journey. However, we recognise the unique differences between the three ministry sections in FES, and the importance of giving a voice to each section. This is also why the LP organising committee is made up of a staff representative from each ministry section. Below, we have written about the impact of leadership development on our respective sections.

Chinese Work
Traditionally, the Chinese Christian Fellowships (CCFs) tended to look inward, focusing on cultivating a sense of belonging for their members. This is understandable, given that members come from diverse backgrounds and countries like Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore.

Recently, student leaders have begun to recognise the purpose of the Christian Fellowship (CF) as extending beyond itself and existing for the wider campus community. This awareness marks a key distinction between a church youth group and a campus-based CF. Student leaders see the importance of instilling a sense of mission and conviction among their members – uniting the fellowship towards a shared vision to build a purpose-driven community.

Despite this growing awareness, many leaders still struggle with imagining and implementing ways to engage the campus meaningfully. They face challenges in integrating kingdom values into campus life as part of the CF’s identity, and in contributing positively and tangibly to the wider campus environment.

This limitation has, however, become a catalyst – prompting CFs to gather together with the English and Indonesian ministries of the same campus, and reflect on how they might engage their campus collectively, as one CF body to their shared campus context. While this is an encouraging development, there is still significant room for growth and learning in this area.

Student leaders from different ministry sections coming together at LP

English Section
Students coming into the English CFs are typically Christians who have grown up in a local church. As such, they do not have much exposure to the world outside of their immediate circles. They tend to have a more pietistic view of their faith and find it difficult to think Christianly about “secular” topics. It is not uncommon to hear students differentiate between “sacred” and “secular” media, with the latter typically being viewed as less spiritual.

Despite this, student leaders are generally open to new perspectives and ways of thinking. The leadership development efforts that bridge faith and life have helped them to find relevance in what they used to see as the “secular” realm. Be it in their academics, social interactions, or the media they consume, there have been good questions and thoughts being shared that reflect a more profound engagement with the world.

We should note that a significant obstacle still stands in the student leaders’ efforts to engage their campus. While they are eager to engage, the issues observed remain largely cerebral discussions that rarely extend to action. There is a lack of boldness in the engagement initiatives, perhaps due to risk-aversion or the fear of failure. While conversations within the CF are vibrant and vivacious, only the simplest conclusions get distilled into an engagement initiative. Student leaders need to learn to push boundaries and engage the campus beyond what is comfortable and familiar to them.

Indonesian Ministry
The Indonesian Students’ Christian Fellowships (ISCFs) were established to support Indonesian students studying in Singapore, who often feel lonely and overwhelmed being away from home. Many join ISCF seeking community and friendship, hoping to find a home away from home. Because of this desire, students are motivated to immerse themselves in ISCF, finding comfort in the shared language, culture, and experiences. A key aspect of leadership development is the Kelompok Tumbuh Bersama or KTB (small group) system, where a final-year student or alumnus leads a group of three to four newcomers, fostering trust and spiritual growth over several years. This nurturing environment encourages many students to become KTB leaders themselves, continuing the cycle of discipleship.

Learning the science behind community building

However, challenges persist. Many Indonesian students struggle to engage with the wider campus due to language barriers and cultural differences. Some view their time in Singapore as temporary, feeling pressure to return home after graduation, which can lead to a reluctance to invest deeply in the local context. This creates tension for leaders who aim to sustain fellowship life while promoting a broader vision of CF as a community of Christlike leaders.Nonetheless, it is encouraging to see more leaders open to learning from and collaborating with ECF and CCF. This growing posture of partnership signals hope. By embracing collaboration, ISCF can hopefully be a place where students not only grow in their faith but also are equipped with the conviction and skills to engage and bless the wider community.

Challenges as We Move Forward

The world is moving at a faster pace with each year that passes. Student leadership has also changed in many ways, and will continue to change. As Christians who work closely with youths, it is imperative to study and anticipate the new contexts in which our student leaders will exist.

The complete takeover of social media should also be kept in view. In the age where leadership, or rather the power to influence, is so easily accessible, everyone has a voice. The question now is not about utilising that voice, but discerning what to say, and how to say it. How should young leaders steward this space well and be a light in the plethora of other voices shouting for attention? What does silence mean amid noise?

As the world keeps moving, things seem to change ever more quickly. We encourage leaders to repeatedly consider what it looks like to live radically as Christians in every context that comes. As leaders, how are we to shape the church in the new context, and the next?

Beyond the CF

FES orientation towards the church also means that it is our desire that our leadership development can benefit the wider church body. We hope our student leaders can develop a posture of playfulness and creativity, even as they graduate and enter service to the church or the workforce. Our desire is for them to never limit themselves, but to always seek to listen to the spaces they occupy and respond not only accurately and appropriately, but also joyfully and excitedly.

When leaders leave the FES ministry, we hope they will understand that faith and life are integrated. May they also see their role as leaders who effect positive
change, even if not formally stated, wherever they are. We pray that they can experience the grace and love of God throughout their life and be this love to those around them.

Lim Ying
Kwok Siew Hwee
Nancy Elisabeth
(Lim Ying, Siew Hwee and Nancy are FES staff workers representing the English Section, Chinese Work and Indonesian Ministry, respectively)