I had mixed feelings when Sr Fran reminded us that our Spiritual Direction Formation Program (SDFP) was about to end on 30 September 2023. I felt a sense of relief that our input sessions of a year and nine months were about to be completed. I have enjoyed this learning journey together with my fellow learners of spiritual direction and will miss their company. At the same time, I had a sense of anticipation that a new vista has opened up before me, a feeling that bubbled up when I began my practicum in January. This was how I felt about the impending end of the program.
What is left of this SDFP 2022/23 is one whole day integration session, an eight-day directed silent retreat, and finally, graduation. Sr Fran also announced that we would be given a complimentary one-year membership in Life Direction Team, which entitles us to join the team for their planned input sessions. She also encouraged us to continue our learning journey by accompanying directees regularly, continuing with supervision and with spiritual direction. They are serious about our ongoing formation. I cannot but be most thankful for the passion, care and sacrifices of the team that has driven this whole program.
There is so much more to learn. Not textbook learning. Not more lectures. More of learning through a process of practice, reflection, personal growth and ongoing supervision. I look forward to this. What I have learned will more fully equip me to accompany younger pastors in their journey of growth and serving God’s people. I believe this to be part of my God-assignment.
Where did the term “church camp” originate? In USA in the 1880’s where summer camps were organised for boys who grew up in the cities and parents wanted them to toughen up and reconnect them with nature. The camps ran for a few months. The first camp to introduce spiritual growth was done by the YMCA with outdoor religious services on Sundays for the boys. In the 1930s the American Bible Society funded church camps. In the 1940s and 1950s church camps began to spring up in all the denominational churches, becoming shorter and packed with spiritual input and more organised. It impacted many youths with the gospel and revived the church members. The Singapore Church is very much influenced by the US church, so we too use the term “church camp”, to describe the few days of programmed spiritual input usually in a hotel or conference grounds, with the intention of reviving and strengthening the faith of believers, young and old.
In my recent engagement with the Church of True Light as the guest preacher in a “church camp” I had an interesting chat with their Vicar, Canon Barry Leong. The interesting thing was that Barry was insistent on eradicating the use of the term “church camp” among members. “Its “church retreat” not “church camp””! The schedule reflected his strong views about changing terms to reflect a change in purpose, spirit and schedule that he advocated. He advocated a schedule with a better balance of bonding among members, Bible teachings, and time for leisure and rest (see below).
This was what the schedule was like: on the first day, everyone got to the hotel, settled in, and at 8 pm attended a short briefing and prayer. No Bible teaching. On the second and third days, they could sleep in if they wished, because the spiritual input of worship and teaching was from 10am to 12noon. They could have a leisurely breakfast and catch up with church friends or get to know other church members. After the morning spiritual input, they had a leisurely lunch and a free and easy afternoon, followed by a leisurely dinner. The night spiritual input was from 8pm to 10pm. On the last morning, the same time schedule was followed but the spiritual input was worship, thanksgiving, holy communion, and a final lunch before everyone goes back.
I had preached in their “church camps” before and I have seen an evolution of their camp programmes. The first time I preached in their church camp: two Bible teaching sessions in the morning, one workshop in the afternoon, one Bible teaching session in the night. This was the programme each day. I almost died. They too almost died from listening to me. The second time I took the “church camp” it got better: there were no afternoon workshops. The third time I spoke for them in a church camp it was already better: one session in the morning and one at night. I thought it would not get any better. This time round, I felt it had a very good balance. Good at getting the best out of the invited preacher, even better for stressed Singaporean church members who came to the “church camp” to “come away to a desolate place by yourselves to rest”.
If the name was changed from “church camp” to “church retreat” without any change in purpose, spirit and schedule, it would be mere cosmetic spin, words without action, and futile change for projecting a new image that meant nothing.
Anyway, enough about this. I enjoyed teaching in this recent church retreat because the theme is dear to my heart, one that I believe the Singapore church badly needs. It was also a joy because the people were responsive and I have gotten to know this congregation over a few decades of on and off teaching ministry to them. The anointing was present in all the meetings.
I noticed that the pastoral team had a good gift mix and oneness about them. I was happy to meet up with former WRPF church member, Jude, and his wife, Kaining, both of whom now are in the pastoral team. I believe they are in a place where they can develop, thrive and blossom. I met them over a breakfast and was very happy for them.
I was also blessed by the helpfulness of Rev Aaron and Jennifer Cheng (above) and Pastor Matthew and Susan (below) and Gasper for transportation arrangements. The church retreat is certainly a June ministry highlight for me personally. Not to forget, one of the members sponsored a truckload of durians for the members to enjoy during one of the afternoons at the outdoor hotel carpark.
My wife and I received a warm welcome after being ushered into the office of Pastors Francis and Peggy Ng, the husband and wife that founded the church and continue to lead it.
We were thrilled to be invited there as I have heard about this church and met the Senior Pastor in Covenant Pastors fellowship, and also heard him speak in a panel at a recent MFIS Equip Conference. Even in that short answer to a question, I noted his eloquence and his story-telling skills. The prophetic mantle is expressed differently through different personalities, and his is one that is winsome, inspirational and persuasive. Therefore, I was not surprised when he took the church stage after the song set had been sung, that he was able to lift the atmosphere and get the congregation on their feet, praising the Lord.
Pentecost Sunday
It was Pentecost Sunday, and I gave a teaching on “Following the Lead of the Spirit” to honour the presence and person of the Holy Spirit, remembering how He came on the Day of Pentecost to unify and empower the body of waiting and praying believers 2,000 years ago. The positive energizing worship really made it easier for me to teach the Word, and the message ended with a call for prayer and ministry. As I was praying for people in the front, I passed by a “catcher” with a familiar face that resembled an actor, but I thought this could not be. Later, I found out he is the famous actor, Charlie Goh, from Ah Boys to Men movies. There were members taking selfies with him and of course I took one too. Very pleasant person, and as it turned out, he is with Fly Entertainment, the same agency as new actor Paul Lee Wen Por, my nephew.
We were invited to lunch at nearby Northpoint where we got to know the pastors better. I must say their journey was inspiring and colorful enough for a book to be written. They left their jobs in their 20s to live by faith and join the church in full time ministry – without a salary. They experienced God’s miraculous provision in the midst of suffering hardship. The pastor of the church they had served told them then, “I did not call you and the church did not call you. God called you, so you have to trust God for finance”. That was the period that vital foundations were laid that shaped the trajectory of their life and ministry – faith in God and God alone would be a hallmark of their service. It distinguished them in all their endeavors in the church and in the marketplace. This positive faith in God has also been imparted the members, Sunday after Sunday, year on year with sermons and stories of healings, answers to prayer and prophetic encounters and breakthroughs.
A Remarkable Miracle
One of the most remarkable miracles the church witnessed was the healing of their son Samuel from autism. Not mild autism but serious autism. Peggy shared about their struggles with their son: the challenge of getting a school to accept him; reading books to him while he runs around the room; trying to handle him as he screams in public; and teaching a dyslexic son basic English and Math. In their helplessness, what can they do but to look to God in faith and pray? Indeed, the breakthrough they were looking for came in his secondary school years as marked improvements accompanied his advancement till he received scholarships from NTU university, and he is currently in a PhD program. This is nothing short of a miracle and I could see how their faces lit up when they shared this story. After all they were direct participants in the miracle! You can access the miracle story HERE.
We went home with our stomachs filled and our hearts infused with faith and warmed by their hospitality. Tabernacle of Christ is a church that God would be pleased with for “without faith it is impossible to please God.”
To view more stories of my visits/ministry in other churches go HERE.
