Launching out – Jacob & Josephine Li
Jacob and Josephine (Josie) Li arrived in Singapore from Vancouver in 2015 to join EAST as Faculty members. Together with their young children in tow, Josiah and Jesse (5 and 1 year old respectively), they began their lives in sunny Singapore. Both of them graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary, Jacob with his Master of Theology (ThM) and Josephine with her Master of Arts in Biblical Studies (MABS). Prior to entering seminary, Jacob was involved in real estate development while Josie was into interior design. Due to their desire to honour and serve their aging parents, they have decided to return to Vancouver to be with them at the end of June 2023 after serving in EAST for the past 8 years. While being back in Vancouver, they will still be very much involved in the ministries they are in since EAST. As well, for Jacob, he will continue to serve on the leadership team of Asia Theological Association while Josephine will run her Sisters in Ministry (SIM) Toolbox that offers online workshops for sisters from different nations.
Partners in Ministry Graduation 2023
God is raising labourers. As we celebrated the graduation of many women in the Partners In Ministry (PIM) program, we are truly recounting and rejoicing in the mighty work of our Lord sending out His spiritual multipliers into the harvest field throughout Asia. What a joy to hear the same refrain over the many testimonies given – “God is equipping me to better serve alongside my husband, and build up other women!” What a privilege to see God sending them out to different pockets of Asia where solid biblical teaching might be lacking! What an encouragement to know that their hearts are burning to use what they have learned in PIM program to further equip more spiritual multipliers!
These ladies whom God brought into the PIM program love the Lord and are passionate to make Him known. Many are already actively leading groups and shepherding younger women locally. We are so grateful that God uses EAST to help them gain a strong conviction to serve visionally alongside their husbands in full time ministry, and to train them with tools which will benefit them as ministers of the gospel.
Graduands’ Testimonies
EAST News (EN) had an opportunity to have a chat with both Japheth Chew (JC) and Lee Poh Chin (PC), both of whom will graduate on 20 May 2023. Japheth came to EAST in December 2021 from Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, to pursue a Graduate Diploma. During his studies, he has also served as the EAST Student Council Vice President and worshipped at Cornerstone Community Church. Poh Chin, a Singaporean, has served in the education sector for a few decades, both locally and overseas, before starting an EAST Master of Arts program in July 2020. She currently worships at Covenant Evangelical Free Church and was a core-team leader of the Hillington Green Covenant Group (CG) before it went back to on-site meetings.
Below is an extract of the short interview done with both of them by Tan Eng Kwang (Associate Dean of Advancement) regarding their experiences at EAST.
EAST Commencement 2023
EAST 29th Commencement Service will be held on 20 May 2023 in Singapore. We are anticipating the graduation of 12 graduands with the following certificate or degrees:
- Partner-in-Ministry certificate – 6 (wives of ministers and students)
- Graduate Diploma degree – 2
- Master of Arts degree – 2
- Master of Divinity degree – 2
These graduands hail from East Asia, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and South Korea. The EAST Commencement Service is an annual highlight and it is less than a month away. We are grateful to God for His empowerment, the ministry partners for their faithful giving and prayers, and the students for their diligence in completing their studies. Read more
Long Service Appreciation 2023
We congratulate the recipients below for their long service as EAST staff. They were presented with their Long Service Appreciation on 19 April 2023.
15 years of service
- Dr Benson Goh (Associate Dean of Academics)
- Mrs Josephine Goh (Office of Mentoring Director)
10 years of service
- Mr Nelson Lo (Resident Faculty)
- Mrs Sophie Lo (Partners-in-Ministry Faculty)
- Ms Woon Lee Tzu (Executive Assistant to EAST President)
5 years of service
- Ms Cynthia Tan (EAST Extension Centre Coordinator)
- Mr Chris Wong (Admin Support Executive)
- Dr Raymundo Go (Resident Faculty)
- Mrs Lut Go (Partners-in-Ministry Director)