Impetus (December 2024)

Is FES Ready for 2030?

In this December issue of Impetus besides the usual ministry updates that you will read in the following pages, we are also doing a review of 2024 that covers more than the year that has passed. This review looks back at my first term of four years as the General Secretary of FES. I started in 2021 creating a plan that was meant to last the next ten years, called Fellowship 2030. The plan included several priority ministries and drivers to focus on in the coming decade and it offered a sense of anticipation and hope for the future of FES. However, the COVID-19 pandemic inserted its parallel narrative to this plan. I had to pay more attention to the internal workings of the organisation by strengthening organisational resilience, reconnecting with our communities after social distancing, and rebuilding our ministry capabilities and capacities, all to be ready for the uncertainties of the coming decade. As my first term as GS ends and a second one begins, the key question I have is whether FES is truly ready for 2030. There have been ministry milestones that will be shared by the respective heads of ministry later. But for me, there have been two milestones that signal the readiness of FES to tackle the challenges ahead.

The first sign of readiness is the change in governance and structure. FES updated its Constitution in April 2024 and it has cascading implications on its policies and practices. Changing the constitution on paper is one thing but for people to commit to the change and adjust their behaviors and expectations is another. This commitment by the FES Board and Committees signals the willingness and eagerness to lead FES as an organisation that desires to be accountable stewards to the communities that have contributed to FES all these years. To me, good governance will go a long way to facilitate future transformations needed by FES to minister effectively in the new society that is to come. I wish to thank all the volunteers and alumni who have contributed their energy and efforts to keep the Fellowship relevant with the times and remain a key contributor to the changing worlds of the campus, church, and society.

The second sign of readiness is the cultivation of a learning culture throughout the organisation and its communities. FES has always believed that we are ministering to students at the most formative period in their education journey. But this cannot be misconstrued to mean that the formation stops after graduation. Instead, everyone who has been through FES and its ministries will have been inculcated with the spirit of continued formation and learning, so that theology and spirituality do not stand alone and apart but are deeply engaged with the trends and issues of the day. This is a core mission and identity that FES aims to build in the coming years as we embark on designing and curating a shared curriculum to train students and graduates for Christian engagement. The Legacy Fund has been crucial in supporting this aim, especially for the staff workers, and more plans are in place to foster these practices among our students and young graduates.

In this complex society with much polarization and differences of views, I believe God has done great work in aligning the diversity of FES together to continue His work and will in the institutes of higher education (IHL) in Singapore. To me, this is the greatest signal of readiness from God, that His Spirit continues to redeem and reconcile us for the sake of a common vision and ministry. We always say that FES is a fellowship and that is true. A fellowship of Christlike leaders who desire to be salt and light wherever we find ourselves to be, for the glory of God.

Jeremiah Goh
FES General Secretary

Ministry Review

Chinese Work

For the Chinese Work (CW) staff team, this post-COVID period has been a season of asking. What are our priorities? What is our identity? What is God doing in the contemporary context?

Three Worlds diagram: It illustrates how knowledge of the biblical context contributes towards the dialogue between the text and the modern reader, which produces meaning.

As we journey with students through numerous meetings discussing the uniqueness of the Chinese campus ministry, I cannot say that CW has arrived at THE answer. Nonetheless, we can and are working towards bearing fruit in three distinct areas.

First, the Chinese Christian Fellowship (CCF) is a place that equips youth leaders for the Chinese churches and our society. As most CCFs are relatively smaller in size, many students have the opportunity to serve as student leaders. These leaders of the next generation are uniquely bilingual and more of them are finding this gift of bilingualism helpful in bridging English-speaking and Chinese-speaking communities.

Second, CCF is a place to explore and reflect on their faith. This year, we introduced the Three Worlds concept into the usual OIA Bible study method. The main reason for this new initiative is that we believe the value of Bible study is enhanced when it involves a two-way reading: the reader reading the biblical text and allowing the biblical text to read the reader. The aim is for students to encounter the text from their life experiences and be challenged by Scripture, instead of chasing model answers. We are discovering that the Three Worlds concept complements the OIA, facilitating the application of what is studied.

Finally, CCF is a place for students to better understand their context. Through studying society, students “come and see” what Jesus sees: the needy and marginalised in our society. Students further deepen their theological reflections through discussions about the tensions between social values and the Christian faith in CCF.

Steve Lam
Head of Ministry

English Section

The past four years of ministry within FES’ English Section (ES) have been marked by significant growth. One of the clearest indicators of this is the shift in our staff culture – moving beyond working in silos to thriving as a team. This shift is exemplified in the team’s willingness to share ideas openly, craft resources collaboratively, and strategise together for ministry. A prevailing sense of healthy support has emerged, and this environment of psychological safety – crucial in a ministry context prone to burnout – has encouraged staff to pursue opportunities for learning, growth, and ministry innovation.

This growth is also evident in the team’s active involvement in key organisational efforts, such as the FES Leaders’ Party as well as the FES Engagement Pillars undertakings across 2023 to 2024. We have further improved our record-keeping to preserve organisational memory and facilitate staff access to resources.

Faith and Academics Conference poster

Another promising sign of growth is our pioneering efforts. Since 2022, we have established a presence at SIT, initiated a platform for conversations on faith, academics, culture and society within SMU (in collaboration with our SIT ministry), as well as renewed our ministry purpose at UAS (NAFA and LASALLE, in collaboration with FES Indonesian Ministry). These efforts cohere with our re-energised ministry focus for integrating faith into academics, culture, and societal conversations. A highlight of this focus was the 2024 Faith and Academics Conference which brought together theologians, Christian faculty from the public universities, graduate students, and undergraduates for talks and discipline-specific group discussions.

Within the Christian Fellowships (CFs), our staff have worked intentionally to energise efforts for CFs to live out their missional presence by engaging their campuses and broader contexts, while still investing in community-building efforts of Scripture Engagement, Prayer, and Fellowship. Overall, attendance across ministries has remained relatively stable, with notable growth for some CFs (in terms of membership, types of ministries, initiatives and engagement efforts), while discernible decline in others (in terms of attendance).

Finally, we are placing greater emphasis on developing our graduate ministry and strengthening alumni relations – efforts that are especially critical given the noted decline in financial support over recent years. Overall, our team has grown more aware and literate in graduate ministry and alumni engagement, and we have further identified staff to address graduate concerns and plans (across polytechnics, private institutions, and public universities) as well as launch a new ‘graduate skills’ seminar to develop resources and support systems for our graduates.

Prarthini Selveindran
Head of Ministry

Indonesian Ministry

The period of 2021 to 2024 has been marked by efforts to respond to the pandemic, as well as transit towards a post-pandemic ministry. The first half of this period was significantly focused on two areas. One, on increasing awareness of CF in campuses, as campus activities and student presence on various campuses were very limited. And second, on improving student leadership and ownership towards the ministry. Besides these areas, evaluation was also done regarding several key platforms and the impact of the pandemic on students and the ministry. In the second half of the period, initiatives and experiments were then conducted in response to the situation. One such experiment, started by NUS Indonesian Students’ Christian Fellowship (ISCF), was to visit various Indonesian churches in Singapore. The aim of exposing students to various local churches was to build rootedness and encourage regular attendance at a local church, an area affected significantly by the pandemic. Another initiative worked on was strengthening the small group platform in various ISCFs, particularly through the introduction of mentors for the small group leaders. We are thankful that several of these initiatives showed positive impacts in the ministry field.

Consultation session for the small group leaders and their mentors

Looking forward, there are two areas of focus that the ministry deems important yet struggled with in the past four years. The post-pandemic period has stirred and pushed vibrancy back into campus programmes, compounding the already challenging task of improving awareness of ISCFs in the campuses. And with a significant increase in student intake in several campuses (NUS and SMU) recently, this is certainly an area we need to pay attention to. The second area of focus is to develop effective models and strategies to minister to new graduates and smaller campus fellowships (e.g. SUTD, SMU and NAFA).

Continue to pray with and for us as we strive to remain faithful and fruitful in the field that God has placed before us.

Darryl Andriyan Putra
Head of Ministry

Ministry Updates

Why Pray?

World Student Day (WSD) 2024 was celebrated at James Cook University on 19 October, bringing together nearly 100 students and staff for a meaningful exploration of prayer. This year’s theme, “Why Pray”, encouraged participants to reflect on the foundations and expectations surrounding prayer in their spiritual lives.

The event featured six workshops, each designed to delve into different aspects of prayer, allowing attendees to engage actively with the topic. Additionally, a prayer booklet was distributed, containing inspiring stories from the IFES movements in East Asia. This resource aims to foster the practice of prayer beyond the event itself, encouraging ongoing reflection and engagement with spiritual practices.

Interceding for various issues in Singapore

Having been a Christian for many years, I had never paused to ask myself, “Why do I pray?”  Is it simply because my parents do it, so I follow along? Or is it because there is a God who listens to me, just as a father listens to his child?

I am genuinely grateful to have attended this year’s WSD. The opening message was a powerful reminder of why we pray – we pray because of who we are: fragile human beings who need God’s help and salvation. And this God is not just any god, but a loving Father who desires a relationship with His children. All we need to do is ask. I was truly inspired and refreshed by it. It was also encouraging to see people from different campuses come together to pray for local issues. Prayer is a pathway to both the heart of God and the heart of the world. It transforms us, encouraging us to pray for His people across the globe.

Lim Si Ya
NP CCF, Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) Year 3

Learning about the Prayer of Lament

I’ve learned that prayer is a must for Christians. Prayer is a way of communicating with God; through prayer we thank Him, praise Him, confess our sins and seek guidance. At one workshop, I learned about the prayer of lament. Pain, grief, and struggles are a part of this world. Instead of being angry with God, lament teaches me to always turn to God, trust Him, and express our emotions to Him. This workshop showed me that it is okay to feel negative emotions. For these past few years, I struggled with a lot of unwanted emotions. Life seemed to have too many hardships. Instead of getting consumed by negative emotions, God reminded me that pain and struggles can push us closer to Him. We can express our emotions to God and He will provide us with the strength and wisdom to overcome it. The prayer of lament also helps me to have peace; it made me realise that we have Jesus, who is always there for us and is willing to hear and help us through it. I will always believe, hope, and put my life and faith in Him. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Amen.

Jason Khong
SIM UOW Psychology Year 2

A story from FES Malaysia:

Seeing students pay the cost of heeding the call to serve on campus has been exciting. Two students have made the conscious decision to see their campus as God’s calling for them to serve Him, even though their respective CFs are not in the best shape. When I see this, I know that God is at work and that the ministry is His to shape and mould. I take heart because students like these will be the future leaders of their churches, and it gives me hope for my nation.

Read more stories like this by downloading the curated prayer booklet here!

Passing on the Mission

The FES Chinese Work (CW) Big Family Gathering is an annual event for all CW students and alumni across campuses and generations to gather as a big family and share in fellowship. This year’s Big Family Gathering was held on Friday, 25 October, at the Church of the Good Shepherd. The theme was “Salt & Light: A Mission Passed On” and close to 100 students and alumni joined us on this homecoming day. We invited one graduate to share her experience.

I anticipated with a joyful heart the annual Chinese Work Big Family Night held on 25 October 2024. The event began with a worship session led by students and alumni.

This year’s event was different as it was a panel discussion. The panel speakers were graduates from different cohorts and included a current student. The discussion brought to mind why I wanted to join and continued to join the CF, the memories and times of serving in CF, the lessons learnt, and the bonding among the brothers and sisters in Christ.

Looking back, what I had learnt in CF such as praying aloud, song leading, communication skills, and not being afraid to voice my opinions during meetings, has helped me to serve in the church. Today, I continue to support the CW ministry as someone who has benefitted from it since my school days. The campus CF has truly given me sweet memories, personal spiritual growth, and development as a whole person.

Aau Mei Yee graduated from NYP CCF in 2006.

SKETCH! Engaging our Art and Faith

Thanks be to God for sustaining SKETCH CF through the ups and downs of our ministry. It has been yet another tough year of figuring it out! We have been trying to work out our identity as a CF located in Singapore’s art landscape as well as understand our “target audience”. We decided to be an oasis in the desert for art students, practitioners, and anyone who is seeking a community of Christian artists.

The first session welcomed four students and three graduates from various backgrounds; it was an amazing turnout! Even though not all came for the second session, some did, and we praise God for that! Sadly, the last session wasn’t able to happen due to the busy exam period, but we hope that this semester will be a good head-start for the next!

In the first session, we discussed the connection between our spirituality and art. That was the whole point of SKETCH! It isn’t an easy topic, nor is it something that is often discussed in church. However, it seems to be the greatest area of concern for students, and one I also felt as a student. It is easy to be swayed by the secular worldviews of people in school and forget that what I create is related to my identity and who I am before God Himself.

As such, we are very convicted about how important this CF is for art students. If you have a friend who studied or studies art (visual or music alike), we would like you to invite them to our sessions by asking them to join our Telegram channel (@sketch_cf). We mainly target NAFA and LASALLE students, but we are open to all art students.

Eunice Gabrielle graduated from NAFA this year.

Witness Through Conversations

A visitor picked a card prioritising mental well-being and shared that he’s attending biblical counselling. He later shared how he recently became a Christian but was “persecuted” by his wife and is journeying alone and unsure of his faith. We connected him with the University Staff Christian Fellowship and was encouraged by his reflection, written below.

“What are your current priorities in life? What are your big dreams?”

These questions were posed to over 440 students at three different locations around NUS during Campus Witness Week (CWW). Varsity Christian Fellowship (VCF) set up booths with a card game titled “The Singapore Dream” inspired by NTU CF’s Campus Engagement initiative in AY22/23. As we reflected on the needs of the campus, we asked, “How can we show God’s love and truth in a way that speaks to the hearts of NUS students?” We resonated with the desire to listen and hold space for meaningful conversations amidst the hustle culture. In an academically intense week, we provided a respite for students to slow down and reflect on what they’re chasing after in life; subway cookies, cold drinks and snacks were also given!

Visitors were invited to write their reflections.

When we first considered what witnessing can look like on campus, we looked to Jesus as a model of curiosity and humility. He joined into conversations, raised questions from within, took them in a new direction, and bridged them to God. Indeed, we were privileged to witness Him move in CWW with visitors staying for two hours, being touched by the conversations, agreeing to have lunch together, sharing about us on Instagram and 40 visitors wanting follow-up!

Our prayer is that we embody Christian witness in the everydayness of life, in serendipitous ways beyond planned programmes, in our classrooms, our hostels and wherever we are called.

Kezia Khoo is a Year 4 student studying Environmental Studies in NUS and is currently serving in the Exco of NUS VCF.

Our booth and our enthusiastic volunteers!

Volunteering at CWW was an eye-opening and refreshing experience. It was a rare opportunity to listen to people’s stories of their life goals and dreams. I was continually reminded of how each individual is unique and how oftentimes I overlook others’ dreams because I am too busy chasing my own goals.

One person I talked with was a new international master’s student who shared how difficult it was to find friends with whom he could connect and talk about non-academic topics. CWW provided a safe space for us to converse, get to know each other, and even reflect on the coherence between our decision-making and long-term dreams.

Even though I did not get to mention about Jesus Christ, my conversations with people centred on our values and principles, the things we treasure, and how that has shaped our life objectives. People were visibly appreciative to have someone actively listen to their sharing and respond with empathy. Through CWW, I learned that simple conversations can turn into friendships that strengthen one another, and perhaps become a platform for sharing the joy and love of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

James Clement Lim is a Year 4 Chemical Engineering student and a member of NUS ISCF.

Cultivating a Christian Mind

In the previous edition of Impetus, students shared their reflections from the “Cultivating a Christian Mind” conference, a faith and academic conference organised by FES from 13 to 14 September. Besides a vodcast and plenary session, the conference programme also included breaking into their disciplines for discussion, with each group facilitated by a Christian academic of that discipline. Here, we invite one of the facilitators to share her experience.

Christabel facilitating the discussion

Apologetics, particularly the intersection between faith and science, has always been a topic of interest for me, and I was encouraged to see many Christian university students share a similar interest at the conference. I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with a few undergraduates studying science and having a chat about their doubts regarding how to reconcile Genesis with geological and evolutionary evidence. Although they were subconsciously aware that there were some inconsistencies between the biblical perspective and what they were learning in school, they had not seriously considered the faith implications of those contrasting views. After asking more questions about their specific interpretations of Genesis, the students became more curious about this topic and could see the importance of understanding science in the light of scripture (and vice versa). Additionally, I shared that both scientific literature and Scripture has its own format and structure specific to its genre, and thus should be understood in their respective contexts. Between our small group dialogue and the plenary sessions, I think the students were troopers to have taken in so much new information over two days, and that the conference was a great platform for students to explore their role in the wide intersection between faith and science. I also loved their curiosity and eagerness to explore this intersection, and I am encouraged that the students want to integrate their intellect with their love for God’s kingdom.

Christabel Chan graduated from NUS with a PhD in Biological Sciences this year.

Students intensely taking notes during the plenary

Navigating the Demolition, Deconstruction, and Reconstruction of the Christian Mind

The following is an excerpt from the article written by Revd Dr Samuel Law, the plenary speaker at the Cultivating a Christian Mind conference.

Up until the beginning of the 20th century, for Christian and non-Christian alike, there was great anticipation to enter a university in pursuit of developing one’s intellect; but in the postmodern 21st century, Christians entering many universities around the world are filled with trepidation. Today, books on how to maintain one’s Christian faith in tertiary education far outnumber those that encourage university studies to strengthen one’s faith.

Plenary speaker, Rev Dr Samuel Law

At issue is that Christian students, along with students that come from religious or traditional backgrounds, have generally grown up in one system of knowledge. Upon entering the university environment, they are confronted with diverse systems of knowledge. Consequently, they will face a clash of epistemologies, causing them to question the beliefs and worldviews of their upbringing. Christian students entering the forests of higher education, like Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken,” will be confronted with worldview altering decisions about their system of knowledge. Those that fail to navigate these disparate systems will find the worldview of their youth destroyed and they will likely lose their faith. But those who can deconstruct and reconstruct their system of knowledge will emerge from their university studies with a more robust intellect, a more resilient faith, a greater sense of awe and appreciation of God and His creation and will more effectively flourish as His stewards and kingdom agents of shalom.

This article is intended to help Christian students entering university to successfully navigate through their journey in the university and emerge with a wiser, intellectually curious, and well-formed Christian mind.

The full article, as well as the responses to the plenary, will be published in a monograph sometime later.

GS Page

Finances

A brief review of FES financial statements in the past four years from 2020 to 2023 will show that we have gained a surplus of $900K. A more accurate explanation will reveal that $300K of this surplus came from government support for COVID-19, and the remaining $600K of this surplus is restricted under the Legacy Fund. Most recently in 2024, we received a large donation from the estate of the late Madam Lam Lai Ore, a former VCF member. Together, these contributions have helped to give the Fellowship some financial breathing space to do a salary review for the staff, as well as set up an investment committee to manage investments. In the Fellowship’s financial history, FES is not a stranger to financial challenges, and it seems to have sustained itself through these large donations. However, without these generous one-time donations, FES would have regularly ended each year with a deficit, which makes it difficult to make and execute long-term plans. Yet, I give thanks to God for His faithful and timely provision across the years. I am also thankful to our faithful donors and their support for the ministry. In the coming years, more work will be needed to improve the financial sustainability of the Fellowship to help it readily and reliably minister for greater impact.

Communications

FES has regularly innovated its communication channels and content to try its best to cater to the ever-diversifying community of readers and stakeholders. In some cases, communications have improved with positive feedback. Yet in other cases, some have felt that they have not received any news from the Fellowship for some time. The team tries its best to keep everyone updated and informed with the relevant news and information on the relevant channels. This is the last issue of Impetus for 2024. In 2025, we are making further changes to how we wish to communicate with you and the content to deliver. These changes come together with updates we need to make to our management of data and its protection. Please stay tuned and stay in touch with us as we strive to share with you the latest news and happenings in the world of student and graduate ministry.

FES staff workers at the 2024 Staff Conference

General Secretary: Term Two

This December issue of Impetus highlights the milestones and significant changes in the past four years during my term as the General Secretary – from governance to ministry and administration. Despite the changes and transformation, I believe that we remain crucially committed to the Fellowship’s vision and mission to engage the students and graduates of IHLs and to develop Christlike leaders who are salt and light in the campus, church, and society. The most significant element to look forward to in the second term will be more clarity on how FES develops leaders for engagement, particularly through its curriculum and programmes. As we close the year 2024 and start 2025, I humbly ask that you continue to pray with us as we step into a new year and navigate our path on the way to another decade of student and graduate ministry.

Blessings

Jeremiah Goh
General Secretary

Impetus is published every two months. For enquiries, email connect@fellowship.sg

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