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Feature: "UP & GO!" with SCGM  "It was a wonderful night of celebration where one could feel the pulse of missions expressed in so many diverse and creative ways. It also reinforced the fact that God is at work & we are the privileged participants! God certainly has a role for SCGM in the Singapore missions scene!" exclaimed Dr Goh Wei Leong, Chairman of Christian Medical & Dental Fellowship as well as Director of Linking Hands at the 30th Anniversary Dinner of Singapore Centre for Global Missions [SCGM] on 1st July at Orchard Hotel.
Celebrating God’s goodness over the past three decades, SCGM praises, exalts and honours Him for His faithfulness, grace, favour and amazing love. Our Lord of the Harvest had empowered SCGM to make a global impact for Jesus by facilitating the  mobilization of more than 30, 000 persons from 5 continents and 30 nations to respond to the global missions challenge, the adoption of 90 unreached peoples from Asia by 90 Singaporean churches, the research of the national mission pulse as well as charting missions thrusts and highlighting implications for cutting edge missions. About 400 partners, friends, supporters, volunteers and guests representing 65 churches and 30 organizations spanning across various walks of life, professions and ages [9-80s] came to rejoice with SCGM on this special occasion where old  friendships were strengthened and new ones blossomed as conversations, handshakes, hugs and smiles marked the atmosphere of great camaraderie and joy. The clarion call to ‘UP & GO!’ to share the love of Jesus with pre-believers both across the seas & streets by being missions mobilizers, goers, senders & prayer warriors was the central focus of the night.  The powerful team of 10 shofar blowers exuberantly set the ball rolling for ‘Henry Lim’s singing of ‘Go Light Your World’ for the parade of banners depicting SCGM’s strategic thrusts which were carried in by dearly valued partners and friends in the work of  missions [including little children aged 9] in and from Singapore such as SIM, AEF, OMF, VFC, CMC, CPBC & SCCC. These 7 thrusts are Unreached People Groups, Church Planting Movements, Tentmaking (Business As Missions), Reaching The Migrants in Singapore, Disaster Relief, the 4/14 Generation (Children and Youth) and Media Missions. Joseph Solomon from AEF who carried the ‘Reaching Migrants’ banner said he was “blessed, honoured and privileged to partner with SCGM in strategic mission mobilization and multiplication.”  The beauty of the unity of the Body of Christ in Singapore was clearly evident through the presence and participation of key leaders representing the mainline denominations and independent churches as well as missions & disaster relief entities like OMF, SIM, OM, YWAM, AEF, WEC, Wycliffe, MSI, World Vision, Crisis Relief Society, etc. This was further underscored by the prayers of blessings at various points in the dinner by Dean Kuan Kim Seng [Director of Missions, The Diocese of Singapore (Anglican]], Rev James Nagulan [President, ETAC of The Methodist Church in Singapore], Rev Edwin Lam [Chairman, Singapore Baptist Convention] and Bishop Terry Kee [Lutheran Church of Singapore]. Charmaine Ng, Missions Committee member of Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church affirmed that, “It was great that different denominations, churches and mission agencies were gathered together so that all of us can network: to exchange information and missions programs.” Koh Yong Hong from OMF was also particularly impressed by the partnership of SCGM with the churches and missions agencies. The celebration of unity in the midst of diversity to strengthen partnerships to fulfill the Great Commission was indeed a delight to behold!
"An excellent night of powerful messages of missions” said Dr Sng Bee Bee from Covenant Evangelical Free Church. The current global context of billions of different faiths, languages, ethnicities, poverty contexts, persecution levels, diaspora groups, etc who are yet to hear the gospel was clearly conveyed through the ‘Harvest Bells Are Ringing!’ video. Worship led by Caleb Garcia of Cornerstone Community Church, welcome by SCGM Chairman, Dr Chris Cheah, the creative connectors by the master of ceremony, Dr Simon Chong and the Millenium Prayer [The Lord’s Prayer] lovingly  danced by Bedok Methodist Dancers led all present to center in to God’s presence, purposes and heart for the world. “To be salt & light wherever we are, carrying the manifest presence of God in our lives!” was the highlight for 22 year old Caleb Ho of Faith Methodist Church. The National Director, Juliette Arulrajah, through the “UP & GO!” video shared that SCGM seeks to unfold possibilities, uplift paradigms, unleash potential & have unlimited partnerships to empower the Singapore Church to generate opportunities, give openheartedly and grow onwards as a maturing missional church with a global outlook. Janet Lee of Pentecost Methodist Church who is new to SCGM said she had “a better understanding SCGM’s role in missions!” Juliette also challenged all to look  at what God is doing and listen to what He is saying even as we, the Body of Christ, need to strategically take cognizance of global, regional & national mission movements and their implications, arising to our responsibility to be bringers of God’s love & hope especially to the 1.25 million internationals from 99 nations in Singapore, the rapidly increasing numbers of those affected by natural disasters all over the world, 27% of the world’s population who are under 15 years [4/14 generation] as well as to leverage on the internet to reach the 361 million of the world’s internet users. “As a Christian in Singapore, it is encouraging to know that God and His people are moving forward in missions! Singapore has always been emphasizing on economic growth. So it is heartening to know there are people who not only emphasize on the economic growth but also missions growth. I am very glad to know that SCGM did a missions survey that was across churches and denominations,”said Charmaine. “My  awareness of global missions has certainly been enlarged especially through the videos and there is a stirring in my heart to do something more in the area of missions – to go on more mission trips!” shared Chan Pao Yin, 26, of Christ Methodist Church. Several echoed her sentiments! Mr Choe Peng Sum, CEO of Frasers Hospitality shared how a marketplace person could practically be engaged in cross-cultural missions through lifestyle, values and convictions at work which can impact others from an array of ethnic origins [for e.g.  his company operates in 33 countries] as well as prayer for God’s wisdom & power to fulfill His Kingdom purposes through businesses. His testimony of his family being part of his church’s mission trips for families with children even as young as 5 years old to Thailand was a further catalyst for familiesto spend their ‘holidays’ sharing the gospel across the seas. Rev Dr Rick Seaward, Chairman of Together-In-Transformation gave a fiery call to all to respond to God’s invitation to be His love letter to the many who have yet to hear the good news of Jesus’ amazing hope and salvation by giving of our resources, to pray, to send and to go! He underscored the importance of trusting in our BIG God as we step out in faith to align ourselves with His will! Juliette underscored this further with Isa 62:10 to raise the banner for the nations by moving out of our comfort zones, preparing the way for the peoples, building up the highway and removing the stones that are hindrances for the advancement of God’s kingdom! “You Are The Seed!” sung by Sandra Tan & Raymond Fong ended the night of celebration, succinctly crystallizing the call to make a difference and go into all the world as God’s witnesses, proclaiming His message of love, forgiveness and peace! “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!
Eph 3:20-21
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