On the April 7, 2022’s 2TiP, our ministers’ hearts were stirred as they heard from two of our pastors who lived out the mandate of Christ in their ministries.
Held onsite at Bethel Assembly, April’s 2TiP reflected the excitement stirring across Singapore as some COVID-19 measures were lifted. The presence of God was palpable, and it was a double blessing to learn from the two speakers – Ps Billy Lee, founder of BGSS (Blessed Grace Social Services) and Rev Samuel Gift, founder of AGWO (Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach). Both of their ministries have made significant inroads into previously unreached communities in Singapore. Rev Terence Ong facilitated the dialogue session, focusing on what living out the Mandate of Christ looked like for them. Two common threads were observed in their journeys:
1. Birthed Out of Personal Pain
Ps Billy’s ministry to the gambling addicts came out of his failed attempt to help a church member struggling with gambling addiction. That member eventually took his own life after killing his wife and two children.
Similarly, Rev Samuel’s ministry to the guest workers came out of his childhood rejection and disdain of his father’s ministry to migrant workers.
2. Birthed Out of Small Steps of Obedience
No overnight successes but the breakthroughs in their ministries came about as they obeyed God through a series of small steps. Rev Samuel described it this way, “God sets you up for His glory!” For Ps Billy, God had prepared him since that initial gambling tragedy for his social ministry to gambling addicts. All these small steps led to the founding of BGSS, where many gambling addicts found recovery and hope. Their lives were transformed and family relationships restored. Past beneficiaries of the ministry even returned to volunteer and help at BGSS.
For Rev Samuel, his steps of obedience began when he started full-time ministry, where he was challenged by God to love the migrant workers. Those small steps culminated into the delivery of thousands of Nasi Briyani packets to the worker dormitories during 2020’s Good Friday. This turned out to be a timely blessing as the workers were locked down in the dormitories due to the growing COVID-19 clusters and have been unable to go out to get food.
AGWO then received much media attention and interest and went viral. The plight of the guest workers got highlighted and help poured in. Since then, AGWO have helped many organizations and churches link up with worker dormitories for outreaches. Guest workers were appreciated for their labor in this nation. Many have also heard the gospel and come to faith.
Towards the end of his sharing, Ps Billy reflected, “If we want to move in God’s mandate, be ready and open to be changed by God. Be willing to follow Him, even when it gets uncomfortable.”
Riding on the sharing’s momentum, Rev Jason Tan then led ministers to pray for the speakers and spent the next hour interceding for the migrant workers community in Singapore, the community services sector, AG’s MM33 vision and lastly for the current affairs in Ukraine.
