Adventist Crossroads
January - March 2003

Hope Update
Peter Ramdas
Hope 1055.com

The ‘Voice of Hope’ takes new meaning as world peace disintegrates and terrorism grips our communities. It is imperative that this Radio Ministry proclaims the ‘Gospel of Peace’. Inspite of setbacks with reception, we are pressing on with new program formats, hosts training and replacement of hardware.
The station has been abuzz with calls and activity especially when Doug Batchelor of Amazing Facts or Mark Finley of It Is Written is on air. We have been blessed with the following recording artists, gospel singers and composers who have been through our station lately:
. Precious Jade (Former professional singer who became a born-again Christian and is now singing for the Lord).
. Rene (A Finnish gospel ginger with an amazing testimony of how he was healed from the brinks of death).
. Tommy Walker and the CA Band (An incredible worship team of singer/song writer—Tommy and his musicians who were professionals in the secular music industry have now completely given themselves to the Lord).
. Don Budd (A former pilot who is now a missionary, singing and raising funds to bless a special ministry in the Philippines).
Their ministries and collaboration with Hope have been tremendous and many have been blessed and touched by their music and testimony on air.
Please pray for us and for the ongoing projects such as:
. RadioYOUth (An up-beat program that seeks to minister to youth in a changing culture).
. Website (A new-look website at www.hope1055.com that is more colourful, vibrant and interactive).
. Net-Radio (The launch of Net-Radio as Hope goes global come May 5 with all five of our programs on the net).
As a non-profit ministry we continue to solicit your support to keep the broadcast on air. Our partnership will ensure that we remain relevant; that we can make a difference; that we can point our listeners to Jesus. God bless.

Seminar with Rex Edward
Gration Perera, Coordinator
Lay Training Institute

The Lay Training Institute (LTI) of the Mission sponsored an eight-hour seminar on Sermon Preparation on February 23, 2003 with Dr. Rex D. Edward from the Griggs University (Higher Education Division of Home Study International of SDA church) as the featured speaker. Those who attended valued the volume of instructions received from the speaker. Participants observed that Dr. Rex D. Edwards, a man of excellent academic experience, blended years of his pastoral ministry and leadership to make the seminar interesting and relevant to lay preachers. At the conclusion, Dr. Edwards challenged the participants to become diligent students of the Word of God so that their preaching would transform lives. Intensive as it was the seminar was well received. Ninety-eight per cent of the the registered participants stayed through the completion of the seminar. Pastor Gration Perera, LTI director, is making the entire seminar available on Audio CD. Contact Mr. Gan Chee Sen (Tel. 62994571) for inquiries on the purchase of the CD.

Adventist Presence in the North
Chan Shee Wai, Pastor
The Ark Group

The housing estates in Woodlands, Sembawang & Yishun are fairly new with 90% of the residents staying in HDB apartments. Most are young couples who are newly married or have young children.There are 73 children care centres and kindergartens and about 19 established Sunday churches (including 3 churches meeting at the cinema at Causeway Point). Although there are some 94 active and 38 absent Adventist members staying in that zone, it is an unentered area for us in the sense that we do not have an established church there. All our churches are located largely in the central south of the island.
Thirty years ago, Balestier Church started a group meeting in Queenstown at 1 Angola Close. Those pioneers became the nucleus of the present Jurong English Church. It is now time for the Church to be “pregnant” again, and give birth to a new group in Woodlands.
In April 2000, delegates at the 5th Triennial Session of the Mission unanimously voted to start new work in the northern part of Singapore.
Before this branch Sabbath School was conducted by some lay persons from the Balestier Road Church.
In 1996, a few others from the Balestier and the Thomson Churches did some community work under the leadership of Dr. Ng Eng Lim. They then set up the Adventist Rehabilitation Centre (ARC) for stroke patients at Woodlands Polyclinic. In October 1998, the ARC was officially opened by the then Senior Minister for Health, Dr. Aline Wong.
On a typical week, the ARC ministers to more than 70 stroke patients or accident victims. This work is patterned after the method of Chirst. Ministry of Healing, p.143 writes, “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.” There is need of coming close to the people by personal effort. If less time were given to sermonizing, and more time were spent in personal ministry, greater results would be seen. The poor are to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the inexperienced counseled. We are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice. Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without fruit.”
Pastor Chan has been a volunteer assistant ambulance driver at ARC since 1998. He finds that it provides opportunities to know people better. He listens to their problems and concerns, and hopes to win their confidence. Many patients have expressed their appreciation and when ininvited to attend our worship services in Woodlands, they respond more readily.
The Adventist Better Living Centre with it’s focus on doing health community projectst works closely with the Residents Committees, especially in Woodlands.
Presently, there are 14 core group members helping to start the new work in Woodlands. They have received some small group training. The group call themselves ‘The Ark ’. Their target are the ARC patients and their families and inactive Adventist members residing in the north zone.
“Those who are laboring in new fields should be encouraged to plant the standard in new places, to annex new territory for God. Camp-meetings are to be held in many places. Churches are to be raised up and organized. There is to be a pressing into new territory.” RH, December 17, 1901 par. 15.
The Ark held its first meeting on January 4, 2003 at Woodlands with the average attendance of 30. To date, there are four regular interests coming to worship at The Ark. The main challenge is to get the families of the ARC patients to come to the Ark.
Please pray for Pastor Chan, the core group and the volunteers in the new work. May the Holy Spirit empower them with heavenly wisdom and strength to labour disinterestedly to win souls in the northern part of Singapore.