happenings@navsing

by Andrew Yeow Keng Mun, SALT Trainee

Growing up. Studying. Meeting your first best friend. Buying

the latest gadgets. Scoring many As for your ‘O’/’N’ levels. Careers. Dating. Meeting your life partner.Family. Retirement… Surely there is more to life than these!

The NavTeens (TNT) held an adrenaline-pumping evangelistic event called Life Race last 11April 2009. Experiencing the different stages in life – starting out as a baby learning the alphabet, to a teenager going through the erratic phase of exam stress before maturing into a young adult, establishing a career, the various teams were required to

run around the city area, stopping at stations replicating the different stages of life.

TNT labourers invited pre-believing friends for fun and excitement, and an opportunity for them to hear the Good News. Two girls gave their life to Jesus and two more who attended the event did the same the next day.

Life Race served as a training platform for a group of teens in a training programme known as “Set Apart Leadership Training (SALT).” It was SALT’s first attempt at organising a major scale event in the NavTeens. v

Life Race

photos by Kelvin Gan and Wong Kia Yuan

happenings@navsing

Staff Training by Chong Ching Ching

Twelve student ministry staff members and four other

Navigators gathered for a five-day intensive training programme last 18-22 March 2009 conducted by US Navigators John Hamilton and Dave Hawes. Organised by the Navigators Singapore as part of staff development, the training was set to help our staff learn and re-learn how to design training curriculum and identify trainers and potential staff in their own ministry contexts.

The staff enjoyed a refreshing t ime of shar ing, praying, brainstorming and laughing, and makan-ing (eating) together. Life-on-life, generations of labourers, and heart of discipleship were some of the key phrases that came up often in the discussions.

The most humbling reminder came when John Hamilton took us through Galatians 1-2 reminding us of the Cross – because of Jesus, we are forgiven, we are free, and we are transformed. The core of any training is the Gospel.

“The exercises on how to get in touch with God at the emotional level was an enriching learning experience for us,” said Chong Lee Yin, one of the staff members who joined the training. v

More than 70 Navigator volunteer labourers and staff members gathered at the Labourers Retreat last 18 April 2009. Here’s what some of them shared on what keeps them moving in the ministry and what motivates them to make disciples.

by Aurelia L. Castro

God’s love drives us to do what we’re doing. God’s Word

motivates us to make disciples and think of generations. As I progress in my life, I realise that being a Christian is not about being a Sunday pew warmer. I have to be a full-time Christian. I need to live my life to inspire others and help them know God. – Raymond Tan, financial consultant, volunteer labourer - ITE

I always see my brothers and sisters reaching out to the lost. They pray for the people. Their example motivates me. I also know that as I honour God,

he will honour me. For the past month or so, I have been taking leave from work every Thursday (not because of economic recession; this is a paid leave) to join my brothers and sisters to go out witnessing at Singapore Polytechnic. Two people responded. They were attracted to us not because of our activities but because of the Word of God. – Bernard Kok, logistic executive, volunteer labourer - Ngee Ann Polytechnic

A girl I was helping backslided for a while. I didn’t know anymore how to help her. I prayed for her. She was re-taking her A levels and God blessed her.

It boosted her morale. I encouraged her to give thanks to God. She got excited and went to share to her classmate what she went through. God reminded me that it’s not through my personal strength but through him. That encourages me to do more. – Jasline Pan, teacher, volunteer labourer - The NavTeens

I’m here because of 2 Corinthians 5:14 – my motivation – the love of God. Sometimes, it’s easier to lead someone to Christ but to invest in people’s

lives, day to day, life to life gets very tough at times. But it’s the love of Christ that compels us to go into people’s lives. As we pour our lives to other people, it’s not a one-time thing, but lifelong and eternal. – Peter Yim, Navigator staff member, National University of Singapore

If a person loves someone, he will give his best to the other party. I have no doubt that God loves me. And I’m growing in my love for God as well. I

asked God what he wants me to do. What is something that excites him the most? Throughout the years, the thing that came to mind is that he desires my life first. He desires to have all of me. Then through me to bring many others to him. It’s the lives of people that excite God the most. I’ve got to give that to God. – Xue Yang Kui, researcher, volunteer labourer - Ngee Ann Polytechnic v

What keeps us labouring, really?

The NavAlumni seeks to reconnect, build a network, rekindle passion for disciplemaking, refire the vision of the Navigators to become ‘labourers next door to everywhere’.

Alumni & FriendsC O N N E C T I O N S

by Aurelia L. Castro

A sense of destiny

I used to travel a lot. One time, I was in Beijing in the morning. I took a flight to Singapore in the afternoon,

then another flight to Mumbai in the evening for a meeting. I was tired. I sat there and started thinking what is life about? What am I doing? A sense of destiny in life comes about when you have a deep realisation of the brevity of time. – C C Chang, Regional Procurement Officer, Holcim

What legacy will I leave my children?

S everal years ago, I was on official duties at the funeral of a well-known and respected person in Singapore.

I stood for ten hours that day watching people from all walks of life come to pay their respects to a wonderful person I had come to know well. I had the best “seat” standing and facing this person the whole day. As I was dressed officially for the occasion, I was not able to move whilst on duty. Throughout the entire day, I watched people from all walks of Singapore come in and pay their respects. I was fully aware of the many different reactions and emotions on the faces of Singaporeans as they filed past the casket. That day, I asked myself several questions.

What will people say about me when •they come to my funeral?Would they think I have lived a full life •that was worthwhile?Am I ready to go?•What more can I do for God?•When is enough really enough, and •when is it not enough for him?

What is the BIG thing in life I should be doing •for him?What legacy am I leaving for my children, so •that they can tell their children who I was, what I believed in, stood for, and lived for?

– Leonard Yeow, Chief Executive, The Eximius Group Pte Ltd

The true measure of a great life

The Navigators have given me a heritage. In my early years (the 70s or 80s) the Navigators put big dreams

and fire in my heart. For some reason it frizzled off, most likely because of my pursuit for achievement, a sense of identity that I can do this and that, and to find out what I can get out of life. I got distracted and for years I went off track. The most thrilling part of my journey was coming back to God again. – San Wee, Managing Director, Turnaround Management Services Pte Ltd

Halftime Vision Casting held on 11 April 2009 was organised by NavAlumni and Resource Development. Participants left with more questions raised than there were answers for. The real work will take place and the answers come as each take time to take stock of their lives. Here are stories from the three who anchored the event.

P A U S E

What is Halftime?Halftime is a pause in life (around ages 35-60) to look

at who we are and what we’ve accomplished, and then to redirect all our time and our energy for the second half of life. The key word is “pause”. A GPS (Global Positioning System) only works and able to give you direction when you pause your car. No pause, no direction.

Many people would die with the music still unsung in their hearts. That would be very sad. They go to the graves with their music buried with them.

Halftime is not only taking stocks but also looking at your reserves. The true measure of a great life is not how much you’ve accumulated, but how much you’re able to give. A person cannot give what he doesn’t have. – San Wee v

What are some lessons you are learning in your own journey in making disciples?

In what ways are you involving your head, hand, and heart as you make disciples?

How will you strengthen the area you are under-utilising?

Write to us if you have a comment or storyangel@navigators.org.sg

disc

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mak

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TOO

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The curious, the convinced, and the committed

by Robert Yeun, The NavTeens Director

2QuestionsPonder

What’s worth giving

my life to?by Thomas Chua, National Director

It was very uplifting to listen to staff members and volunteer labourers

during our labourers retreat last 18 April 2009 share about what motivates them in disciplemaking.

Each of them who came is a motivation

– just seeing how God is leading them in discipleship and how they are growing as labourers partnering with God in discipling people and in discipling the nations.

I have been reading Luke for my quiet time and one of the things that comes afresh to me is what Jesus desires, his passion to see people come to know him, and to see labourers. He called the disciples, prayed overnight and he appointed the Twelve to be apostles. Raising labourers is very much on God’s heart.

I am 61 and I have been wrestling more and more with what is worth giving my life for at this age because I want to end well. I have been reflecting on Psalm 61 and Isaiah 61 which depict what are on God’s heart. So, what more can you and I give our lives to and for except what are on God’s heart – the kingdom of God, people, and nations.

Thank you for partnering with us in the harvest field. We trust that the Lord will lead many of you not only to partner with us in Singapore but also to the nations. v

1. Disciplemaking must involve the heart, the head, and the hand. I’m better with the head and the hand than with the heart. I prefer to think, and I prefer to do. I must learn to make disciples using the heart. One of the new things that really intrigued me is this word “emote”. I am challenged to connect with those I disciple at the emotional level as well.

2. In discipling, there are three types of people: the curious, the convinced, and the committed. The curious is one who has just started out and is wanting to know more. The convinced is one who as you go through the process, will say, “This is it, this is it!” But they won’t throw everything in until they become the committed. Disciplemaking is getting the person from the curious to the committed stage.

3. Allow rope for people to fail in discipling – both the trainer and the trainees. I have seen a lot fail in discipling whether they intentionally or unintentionally do it. Many times I don’t give enough rope for people to fail. When they fail, the first thing I think of doing is to kick them out. Or I will make very strict demands on them until they scream and give up.

4. The three I’s of making disciples a. Be intentional. Disciplemaking is not just about meeting with

a person, but as I depend on God, consider what that person needs, and then come up with whatever is necessary to help him grow – it could be a training, syllabus, or other tools and materials.

b. Be intimate with God. I need to be intimate with God so they can imitate my walk with God. It’s not what I tell them, but what I do.

c. Influence the masses, impact the few. I need to influence so that I can create impact. Discipling is influencing people especially the masses and big groups so that I can impact the few. v

Navigator full-time labourer and director of The NavTeens, Robert Yeun reflects and shares lessons he has learned about disciplemaking over the years from different sources and personal experience.

Printed by Seng Lee Press Pte Ltd

The calling of The Navigators is to advance the gospel of Jesus and his kingdom into the nations through spiritual generations of labourers living and discipling among the lost. Views expressed in published articles are those of the individual writers and may not necessarily be the views of The Navigators Singapore.

THE NAVIGATORS SINGAPORE • National Director: Thomas Chua • Editor / Design & Layout: Angeline Koh • Writer: Aurelia L. Castro 117 Lorong K, Telok Kurau, Singapore 425758 • Tel: (65) 6344 4133 • Fax: (65) 6344 0975 • E-mail: admin@navigators.org.sg

www.navigators.org.sg

Over the last dozen years my wife, Judy and I have been privileged to encourage a loving community

of people to walk with God and reach out to others as light and salt.

It began with one student, then two or three. Then they would bring their contacts together weekly in our home to discover what the Bible says about just about everything. Some had to believe in Jesus, first, and they did. We met every Tuesday, so we called ourselves the Tuesday Group.

As time passed the core became a community centred on Christ, the Bible and the adventure of the Great Commission. Then something happened and they became close, like “family.” So we called ourselves the Tuesday Community.

Judy and I didn’t set out to create a community. It just happened. Being a community is a good thing. We are made that way. It is one of the ways that God keeps us healthy and productive. See Genesis 10:32, Psalm 8:6 and Ephesians 2:19.

Later, the family dispersed physically, as God led them and life took them. They married, had children, bought homes and looked to their careers. Judy and I let them go, but stayed in touch. Weekly studies and prayer ended, but today we meet every few months, with a similar but looser format, this time with babies and toddlers! We also pull together to help one another out—fixing houses, moving, painting and so on.

Recently, one of the men thoughtfully observed what attracted him to the Tuesday Group in the first place.

Nigel needed a Bible study group that encouraged discussion without being restrictive, something that gave him freedom. He liked being around people who were serious about the Great Commission, and not, like some, just filling in time, or using the group to meet people.

Why are we still together? Our community meets a need not met elsewhere, Nigel says. Our common

Community - a relationships phenomenon

asia and beyond

purpose is and always was the Navigator vision and mission.

If we had to do it again to achieve this happy result, this is what we would do:

1. Centre the fellowship on the Bible. Study what is necessary, like the basis for salvation and following Christ. Deal biblically with life issues. Encourage Bible study preparation, but do not censure if it is not done.

2. Accept everyone without conditions—have no hoops for people to jump through.

3. Encourage socialising by having common and unusual experiences. We took the group hunting for fossils. We took them on a holiday weekend to find gold in the creeks. I told them once, “Love one another.” And they did, and do today.

4. Meet every member of the community personally from time to time, and discuss what’s going on, and what should be going on, and pray together, developing these personal relationships.

5. Have a cutting edge, promoting evangelism, sometimes doing it with them, and reporting back how they are doing and praying about our contacts.

6. As founders of the community, trust God and relax. This is a relationships phenomenon, and can’t be engineered using a formula, including this one.

The Tuesday Community is growing, with six children and a few adherents. Some of the community have their own, growing personal ministries. And when we are all together, we urge them to follow Christ and fulfil the Great Commission through spiritual generations. What they have seen in us, they are beginning to do. v

Full text and photos at www.navigators.org.sg. Sandy Fairservice is the former New Zealand Navigators Communications Director and author of The Asia Legacy. More about Sandy and Judy’s ministry at www.fairservicenz.com.

by Sandy Fairservice, The Navigators, New Zealand