Cross Cultural Team Internships 2026 Reflection
CCTI Teams 2026
During the recent school break, three teams of EAST students travelled overseas to minister through Cross Cultural Team Internships (CCTI). Here are their reflections as they look back on their experiences and impact made at their mission fields. As one of the teams went to a creative access country, we will only be reporting on the teams that went to Mongolia and Thailand.
Strategic Leadership in Church Operations – Workshops by 4Twelve Academy
Would you like to be a more biblically strategic and operationally competent church layleader, elder or pastor in an increasingly complex environment?
In today’s Christianity where church leaders are expected to be effective in managing one’s church in the dynamic marketplace, it certainly requires one to not only have spiritual depth in the Word, but also a strategic and operational clarity, organisational competence, and cultural intelligence in church management to operate in a complex operating environment.
The advent of AI and technology, the growth of a more educated populace and congregation; whose lives and living are shaped and impacted by digital disruptions, economic pressures, generational shifts, and pluralistic values — a need had arisen where church leaders of the future are expected not only to acquire organisational management ability, but also critical people skills to complement the governance of churches, biblical pastoral shepherding of God’s people; thereby ensuring a continual and sustainable church mission anchored in Christ. Learn how to strengthen your leadership competency at the following 4Twelve Academy introductory workshops:
Selected Saturdays, 9.30 AM – 12.30 PM (see dates below).
Calvary Chapel, 432 Balestier Road #02-436, Public Mansion, S(329813).
Instructors: Mr Tan Ban Thong & Mr Edwin Sam
- 11 Jul 2026: Vision & mission alignment; Goal setting.
- 15 Aug 2026: Ministry planning frameworks; Workflow & systems: Resource management.
- 12 Sep 2026: Reporting practices; Budgeting principles; Volunteer management.
- 10 Oct 2026: Mentoring & Discipleship.
- 21 Nov 2026: Team building; Action planning; Commitment & follow-up.
To sign-up for one or more of these free in-person workshops:
Registration closes the day before each workshop. Hurry, limited seats!
Jarred Jung: EAST 32nd Commencement’s Reflection
EAST stands on the foundations of many who have gone before in equipping past cohorts of ministry practitioners. As EAST held its latest Commencement Service recently, we praise God for His faithfulness over the decades. The reflection below is written by Dr Jarred Jung, an EAST Resident Faculty and Coordinator for the EAST 32nd Commencement Service.
On 16 May 2026, EAST celebrated the sending of another class of students into the harvest fields of countries throughout Asia with our 32nd commencement ceremony. As a faculty member at EAST, commencement is one of my favourite days of the year. In many careers, it can be difficult to see the fruit of one’s labour, but we get to celebrate this every year in a tangible way. It fills us with great joy to see students who we have invested in for two, three, sometimes up to four years receive their hard-earned degrees. Perhaps it is the festive atmosphere that brings about this joy, but from my experience, there is something deeper than the morning of festivities.
EAST Valedictorian 2026: Pang Xin Xian
Valedictorian Pang Xin Xian graduated with Master of Divinity in Intercultural Studies at EAST 32nd Commencement Service on 16 May 2026. She received the Academic Excellence Award 2026 and Sim Ai Tee Christian Character Award 2026 too.
Below is the text of her speech delivered at the Commencement Service. You may watched her delivering the graduate’s reflection on YouTube too.
Years ago, I was in Japan packing up after a year of ministry. As I packed, I was trying to figure out what would happen when I returned to Singapore. Would I go straight into long-term missions? Would I return to working as a pharmacist? Would I study online? Would I work in church? Little did I imagine that three years later, I would be standing here today with all of you, graduating from seminary. And so I left Japan and returned to Singapore at the start of June 2023.
Pray for EAST 32nd Commencement Service
EAST 32nd Commencement Service will be held on 16 May 2026, Saturday.
This year EAST is blessed with a graduating cohort of 52 students from our resident campus in Singapore, EAST Extension Centres (EEC) around Asia, and in partnership with the following partners:
- Certificate counselling program in partnership with Elim Center, Singapore,
- Competency-based theological education graduate program in partnership with Kairos University, USA and
- Doctoral programs in partnership with Asia Graduate School of Theology Alliance (AGST Alliance), South-East Asia.
These graduands are from nine countries viz East Asia, Indonesia, India, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. We rejoice with these graduands who will graduate from the following certificate and degree programs.
EAST Library Catalogue
EAST Populi
National Library Board eResources
The Digital Theological Library
