Adventist
Crossroads
August - September 1999
New
Officer
Toh See Wei
President
Pastor Danson
Ng started his Gospel ministry in August 1972 as the assistant pastor of the
Southeast Asia Union College Church. He served as the Southeast Asia Union
Mission associate publishing director from 1973-75 and later served in various
administration and pastoral capacities in Singapore until July 1999, when
he was appointed the Singapore Mission Secretary by the mid-year session of
the Southeast Asia Union Mission. Pastor Ng is also the Ministries Coordinating
Committee Director of the Singapore Mission. This committee coordinates the
plans of various ministries and departments of the Mission.
Pastor Ng lives with his wife and two adult children. His passion is in evangelism
and church growth. We welcome Pastor Ng to the team.
We
Are Moving
Geoffrey A Pauner
Principal
Adventists
in Singapore will witness one more “Advent Movement” before the
close of this century. On 4 November the San Yu Adventist School will commence
its move to 297A Thomson Road.
The move will be staggered over four weeks in November during which the bulk
of the school business will be conducted at 297A Thomson Road. By 1 December
all transactions will be carried out from this new campus. The postal address
is 297A Thomson Road, Singapore 307647. The telephone number is 256 6840.
In the year 2000 four areas of school activities will be emphasized—Spiritual
outreach, Community Service, Information Technology, and Advanced Level Science/Arts
studies. Aggressive recruitment programmes will be carried out to increase
student population.
The school administration and teachers need a helping hand to clean up the
school before we hand it over to the authorities on 1 December. We will be
here in the school on Sundays in November. Please come and give us a hand
on 7, 14, 21 and 28 November.
Called to the Greatest Job
God called
men through the ages to be his mouth piece under most unusual circumstance.
Johnny Kan felt God’s call to the ministry while he was serving in the
army after completing his Polytechnic education. He obtained a Bachelor in
Theology degree from the Southeast Asia Union College in 1992. Since then
he has been in the ministry; first serving as a chaplain in the San Yu High
School, then as an associate pastor of the Singapore Chinese Church and more
recently as the pastor of the Jurong English Church. Currently he juggles
between his work and pursuing a doctoral study program from the Fuller Theological
Seminary.
Johnny Kan in the dark suit and blue tie with Pik Yee
On 4 September he was ordained to the gospel ministry. His wife, Tan Pik Yee,
who is in private practice as a family physician does not let her career interfere
with what she calls “a privilege” to be in a team ministry with
Johnny.
Spanking
New SAUM Office
Lawrence Banyie
Communication Director
Southeast Asia Union Mission
The ear-tingling and nerve-racking shrills of electric drills! These are noises those working in the new Southeast Asia Union Mission office have had to put up with each single day since July as contractors work on the first floor of the office building. The developers of 800 Thomson Road have been using the first floor for their showrooms since the beginning of this year. Now that the condominium project is completed the first floor will be returned to the SAUM. When the renovation is completed by November this year, there will be guestrooms, a reception area, a wellness centre, a book centre and an auditorium.
The
Power of His Love
Yan Siew Ghiang
Chaplain
San Yu Adventist School
Forty students
and staff of the San Yu Adventist School and youth leaders from the Singapore
Chinese Church and the SDA Community Church (SDACC) experienced the “Power
of His Love” during a camp held in August at the Boys’ Brigade
Campsite.
The good food catered by Patricia Choo, the fun games led by the Thomson Youth
Ministry and the SDACC youth and the awesome experience-sharing by Pastor
John Tan made it an unforgettable camp. On the final night, fifteen students
responded to an altar call to accept Jesus as their Saviour.
Fam Saw Ching, a former teacher of the San Yu Adventist School, presented
the Three Angels’ Message during the Primary School Gospel Week in August.
There were visual aids and a question-and-answer session. About 50 students
responded during an altar call.
Partnership
with God
Michael Ho
Stewardship
Recently,
I came across a story which means so much to me. I could identify with the
characters because I have gone through some of those same experiences. This
story is related by David Crook.
“At a relatively young age I was impressed with the importance of stewardship.
I began a faithful practice of returning the Lord’s tithe and giving
offerings. At 14 I began supporting myself fully, including paying my entire
expense through boarding academy and college. When I graduated from those
institutions, both of them owed me money.
Shortly after I married, my wife and I felt convicted to return a second tithe.
According to simple arithmetic, there wouldn’t be enough money to cover
all our commitments, including a home mortgage and car loan. However, we felt
such conviction to do this that we launched out in faith and began returning
a second tithe. We always had enough money to take care of all our needs—with
some left over each month.
All through life these blessings have continued. When I have needed to replace
a car, the Lord has always provided a good used vehicle at a very reasonable
price. I have never needed to make a major repair to any vehicle, although
I have run many a high mileage over my 44 years of driving.
When our son was contemplating attending Loma Linda Medical School, I wondered
how we could ever manage that expense. Looking at very possible option, I
contemplated cutting our conference advance offering from two percent to one
percent. That would not have been a great help compared to Loma Linda tuition,
but it was one option. But then I stop and scold myself, ‘Why would
you ever think of changing any of your giving when God has blessed you so
greatly? Don’t you trust His promises?’ Shamed, I soon banished
that thought. Beyond anything we thought possible, God blessed us with money
to help our son through to graduation.
And during all this we have basically been a one-income family, living on
a pastor’s salary. I truly believe Malachi 3:10 because I am experiencing
it.”
Stewardship is the lifestyle of one who accepts Christ’s lordship, walking
in partnership with God and acting as God’s agents to manage His affairs
on earth.
Character
Building School
Esther Lau
Chaplain
Seventh-day Adventist Kindergarten
Character
Building School (CBS) is an annual programme for children ages 4 to 12 during
the first week of the June vacation. It is also an opportunity to welcome
back former students and renew old friendships and make new ones.
The programmes are planned to be interesting. Our objective is to inspire
in our young the right values and build the qualities that would make them
distinct. We conduct educational talks and video presentations, tell Bible
and character-building stories, go for nature walks, and enjoy arts, crafts,
music and games.
In the CBS this year, a total of 102 students enrolled. We had a special guest,
Mr. Albert Seah, a member of the SDA Community Church, who used simple magic
tricks to illustrate character-building lessons. A lively puppet show was
put on by our teachers, Mrs. Fu Lee Mei and Mr. Jimmy Wee.
Throughout the week the children had the opportunity to interact with one
another and learn to play and most of all—to have fun! A fun time was
the nature exploration at the Sungei Buloh Naure Park.
The finale of the CBS was a graduation ceremony. The children proudly presented
some songs to an audience of appreciating parents before certificates of attendance
were awarded to all the participants by Pastor Johnny Kan. After that a parenting
seminar “lead your child towards a healthier low stress life style”
was conducted for all parents by Ms Luz Brinckhaus, director of the Adventist
Better Living Centre.