Worldwide Day of Prayer 2023
On Tuesday, 3 October 2023, EAST and Cru Singapore came together for a Worldwide Day of Prayer (WDP). Conducted twice yearly by all Cru ministries globally, it was a blessed time of communion with God and fellow co-labourers in the Lord.
The prayer theme was “The Battle Belongs to the Lord,” based on 2 Chronicles 20:15. The WDP consisted of three parts: 1) Morning – Prayer & Worship together reflecting on 2 Chronicles 20:1-22; 2) Lunch & Prayer Time in small groups of five to six; 3) Afternoon – Prayer Walk around the town area.
Below are some reflections from EAST faculty and students.
Inaugural Partners-in-Ministry Chinese Program
Equipping the most important partner of Chinese ministers and Christian workers
EAST launched the Chinese online program of the Partners in Ministry (PIM) in July 2023 to meet the equipping needs of Mandarin-speaking wives of men who are ministers, Christian workers, and seminary students. EAST News caught up Mrs Agnes Liong to find out more on the progress of the program and students.
“I started attending church with my mother when I was just 5 years old, but I truly received Christ as my Lord when I was 15 and was passionate about sharing the gospel with others. Hence, at 16, I started serving full-time and brought the good news to different places. After being married, we decided I would work to support the family and his ministry so he could serve God full-time. However, I wanted to study and be more equipped so that I can serve alongside my husband better,” a student wrote in her application for the Chinese PIM program.
MG Ministry Weekend – Building Up the Body of Christ
One of the distinctives of EAST is MG (Mentoring Group) Ministry Weekend, when students, with guidance from mentors, gain ministry experience at regional locations in partnership with local churches and ministries. The students are part of EAST MGs with faculty as the MG Leaders. In the words of Mrs Josephine Goh, EAST Director of MG, “Ministry Weekend is a valuable time to behold God’s faithful love for his people in Asia! It is also a timely pause for our students to apply what they have learned in classes; truly a time of ‘intentional mentoring and enhanced learning without walls’ experience.”
This year, from 14 to 19 September, there were five teams that ministered in three countries: Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand. What did they do at these locales and how was the experience beneficial to the team members and the hosts?
Faculty Josephine Lew: Living A Spirit-filled Life
How can the Pentecost that happened more than 2,000 years ago revolutionise our Christian living even today?
Ms Josephine Lew, an EAST Resident Faculty and Director of Mentoring Group, wrote of the origins of Pentecost and how the presence and power of the Holy Spirit may be made manifest today. Pentecost is usually celebrated 50 days after the Jewish Passover, typically in May. From the book of Acts, it recorded the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit upon the early believers at the very first Pentecost. This resulted in the followers of Christ being transformed through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
From that very first Pentecost, believers are mandated to live in the power of the Holy Spirit by faith as an act of the will to fulfill God-given purposes for their lives.
How then does one live a Holy Spirit empowered life?
The Transformers: A Tribute to Teachers
A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO TEACHERS AT EAST AND ELSEWHERE!
Life is More Than Just Assignment
“A little past midnight last night, I was contemplating whether to work on Dr Ying Kheng’s assignment that was due today or go to sleep. Suddenly, I remembered what Dr Ying Kheng said awhile back: ‘Life is more than just assignments.’ With that reminder, I went to bed to get some rest, tired from working on assignments.” Elijah, one of my classmates, shared this story in our student lounge during our afternoon class break. We all had a good chuckle.
Through Elijah’s story and Dr Ying Kheng’s wisdom, I was reminded that life is more than just assignments. As seminary students, we can easily lose ourselves to assignments and tasks while negating the more important things: our relationship with God and others.
EAST Library Catalogue
EAST Populi
National Library Board eResources
The Digital Theological Library
