Mentoring and Succession for Kingdom Continuity

1. Mentoring is a BIG word. How would you summarize it for our readers here?
   
   Mentoring is often seen as helping a person in becoming more Christ-like. However, mentoring is much larger than just character development. Mentoring involves the shaping and forming of the mentee’s mind, in both their strategic thinking skills and values, as well as their practical ministry skills like financial planning, team building, as well as forming and casting a vision for ministry.
   
   Discipleship is not just about Character Formation, but it is also about Ministerial Formation.

Mentoring is sharpening their God-given skillsets, allowing their redemptive gifts to shine forth.

2. What is one principle you apply when you mentor younger ministers?
   
   Don’t kill the God-given shape that He has gifted them with. Our spiritual sons and daughters will be different from us. And because they are different, we want to mentor them, not program them.
   
   Just as how David couldn’t fight Goliath in Saul’s armor, they will win their battles with their God-given shape. Mentoring is sharpening their God-given skillsets, allowing their redemptive gifts to shine forth. Resist the need to conform them to who we are. Release them to their God-given destiny instead of locking them up in your preferred setup.
   
   Give them opportunities to grow. Bring them along for ministry. Allow them platforms to teach and preach. Be willing to share the stage with them. We have to step off the plate to give them space to practice.

If you want a lasting ministry that will continue to impact the generations, you need to have succession plans.

3. Why is leadership succession so important for the growth of the church?
   
   Succession is the mentality of a lasting organization. If we love the Church, we must be ready for succession, and not allow circumstances or poor planning to jettison the responsibility of leading the church.
   
   Many senior pastors reach a point of seniority in life before realizing the need to hand over their church. Often because of failure to groom someone from within, they begin looking for someone from the outside to come in. Sometimes it can be quite a difficult process as the new pastor that comes in may not carry the same vision and DNA of the house. More time is required for mentoring and alignment. However, by the time they reach a certain seniority, time is no longer a luxury available.
   
   Succession is not just about the leadership of the church but has to do with every rank and fi le. If you are a head of communications or head of worship, the absence of your position will impact the church. Every position in the church needs a succession plan.
   
   If you want a lasting ministry that will continue to impact the generations, you need to have succession plans.
   
   
4. We understand that in March 2023, you handed over your Lead Pastorship in Trinity. Why did you do so when you can continue?
   
   Every ministry has a trajectory and peak. There is a golden moment in ministry but it’s important to recognize the moment and not overstay the moment – even for lead pastorship.
   
   There is a bell curve of time, a pattern of life that God has ordained. As leaders, it’s important to be willing to leave at the height and peak of one’s ministry when you have strength and associations, and when you have sons and daughters in the house.
   
   With the increase in life expectancy today, some would say the best contributive age of a minister is when they are 60-70 years old. While all the wisdom they can offer is great, it’s also important to recognize that the next generation will require time to build and run the distance for the new season of God. When you hand over later, the next generation of lead pastorship is short-changed of that time to establish and see the accomplishment of the new season.
   
   Hence, it’s crucial to pass the baton at the right time so that the next runner can take the ministry further than you can.
   
   
5. The Assemblies of God of Singapore celebrates our 95th Anniversary this year. As we look back, what is one thing that makes your heart glad?
   
   It brings me great joy when believers and ministers in the AG Singapore churches testify of our greater Togetherness, stronger Trainings, and evident Transformation.
   
   When I first became General Superintendent of AG Singapore in 2010, God revealed three T’s to me for AG Singapore. The first was ‘Togetherness’—to forge stronger bonds of unity among AG ministers and our churches. The second was ‘Training’—to develop our ministers to be sharp in their anointing and practice, so that we can equip men and women to be strong and mature disciples. The final T is ‘Transformation’—where there will be an increased transformation from within our churches that will effect greater transformation in our communities and the nations beyond.
   
   Going forward, I know God will continue to enable us to be His agents of transformation. MM33 is really moving us into a fresh trajectory for transformation. Transformation of our local churches; Transformation of our leadership; Transformation of our world as they are touched by God’s glory.
   
   
6. As we look forward to our Centennial, in line with MM33, what do you hope to achieve for our denomination?
   
   It was just five years ago that we celebrated our 90th Anniversary. In the last five years, the charge to grow the Assemblies of God to ONE million churches worldwide by 2033 happened. Along with our greatest charge to expand the Kingdom of God, came one of our greatest challenges—COVID-19.
   
   Every commission of God will have its challenges. We are taking back territories, and we should expect opposition. My prayer is that AG Singapore will rise to a greater level of faith and courage to step into the commission of God and allow the entire arsenal of heaven to be upon us to build strong and healthy churches. Also, to plant more churches, so that there will be more centers where worship, the teaching of the Word and discipleship can take place!
   
   
7. How can we pray for you?
   
   I definitely covet your prayers with a heavy overseas ministry schedule. Pray for wisdom as I head MM33 for the next 10 years. Pray for God’s protection upon my household. Pray for health as I am more engaged in global ministry to inspire the movements of MM33. Pray for effective time for family bonding; pray for God to bring the right people to stand shoulder to shoulder and carry the ministry, as well as the right associations that can add strength to the assemblies.

My prayer is that AG Singapore will rise to a greater level of faith and courage to step into the commission of God and allow the entire arsenal of heaven to be upon us to build strong and healthy churches.

近距离探讨国度延续的督导和交棒

1. 督导是个大词。你可否为读者简明概括督导的意思？
   
   督导通常被视为帮助人变得更像基督。然而，督导不仅 仅是品格发展。督导涉及在策略性思维技能和价值观方 面塑造受辅者的思想，也在财务规划、团队建设、事工 异象形成和瞻异象方面塑造事工实际操作的技巧。
   
   门训不只是品格塑造，也是事工塑造。
   
   
2. 督导年轻传道人时，您使用的其中一个原则是什么？
   
   不要破坏神赐予他们的形象。我们的属灵儿女和我们并不相同。因为他们不同，我们要做的是督导他们而不是他们成为某个样式。
   
   就如大卫无法穿上扫罗的铠甲与歌利亚作战，我们的属灵儿女同样的要依靠神赐予他们的样式赢得争战。督导能强化神所赐的技能，使他们的属灵恩赐尽情发挥。请不要要求他们成为另一个自己。要释放他们进入神的命定，而不是把他们锁在你喜欢的状态中。
   
   我们要给他们成长的机会，带他们参与事工。要给他们教导和讲道的平台，要愿意和他们分享舞台。我们需要腾出位置，让他们有操练的空间。
   
   
3. 为什么领导层的交棒对于教会的成长如此重要？
   
   一个持久经营的组织必有交棒的心态。如果我们爱教会，我们就必须做好交棒的准备，不要因为情势或计划不周而放弃领导教会的责任。
   
   许多主任牧师在年长时才意识到需要交棒。其中好些牧师由于未能从教会内培养人接棒，只能从教会外找人来交接。这个过程有时相当困难，因为新来的牧师与教会的异象和基因不一定相同。他们需要更多的时间接受督导和对齐，但主任牧师已年长，没有那么宽裕的时间了。
   
   交棒不只是教会领导层的事，也是教会里每个部门应思考的事。如果你是传讯或敬拜负责人，你位置的空缺将会影响整个教会。教会中的每个职位都需要有交棒计划。
   
   如果你想要一个持久的，能够继续影响几代人的事工, 你就需要制定接棒计划。
   
   
4. 我们知道您于2023年3月进行了主领牧师的交棒。在您还能继续任职的情形下，您为什么要这样做？
   
   每个事工都有一个轨道和巅峰。我们要意识到事工中的黄金时刻，并且不要超时停留在那个时刻，即使对于主任牧师来说也是如此。
   
   神命定了人一生时间的钟形曲线和生命模式。身为领导者，当你处于事工的巅峰，拥有力量、有联系、有教会的众多儿女时，愿意离开是很重要的。
   
   现今，随着人预期寿命的增加，有些人认为牧师的最佳贡献年龄是60-70岁。他们的看法相当有智慧，然而认识到下一代将需要时间为神的新季节建造和奔跑也是同样重要的。当你较迟交棒时，就留给下一代主领牧师更少的时间成就他在新的季节要设立和建造的一切。
   
   因此，在适当的时候交棒让下个接棒人把事工带上更高的一层楼是很重要。
   
   
5. 新加坡神召会今年欢庆95周年。回首过往，哪一件事情令你欣喜？
   
   当新加坡神召会教会的信徒和传道见证团结的强大，培训的有效，还有肉眼可见的转化时，我感到特别开心。
   
   在2010年，当我第一次成为新加坡神召会的总督时，神为新加坡神召会向我启示3T。第一个T是“团结” (Togetherness)：在神召会神职人员和教会之间建立更牢固的团结纽带。第二个T是“培 ”(Training)：培养我们的神职人员在恩膏和实践上变得敏锐，这样我们就能装备信徒成为稳健和成熟的门徒。最后一个T是“转化”(Transformation)：众教会内有更多的转化，这将给我们的社区和列国带来更大的转化。
   
   展望未来，我知道神将继续使我们成为祂改变世界的推动者。MM33确实让我们进入了新的转型轨道。我们地方教会的转化；领导层的转化；世界的转化—当世人被神的荣耀触及时，我们的世界就会发生转变。
   
   
6. 我们期盼神召会百年庆典的同时，根据MM33，您希望我们的宗派实现什么目标？
   
   五年前，我们庆祝了90周年。过去的五年内，我们有了于2033年使神召会增长到全球一百万间教会的使命。这个扩展国度的巨大的任务下达时，最大的挑战—2019冠状病毒—也同时到来。
   
   神的每个使命都有它的挑战和阻挠。我们在夺回失地，必须预计阻碍的发生。我祷告新加坡神召会兴起，有更大的信心和勇气完成神的使命，让天上全部的武装力量装备我们，以建造强健的教会和更多的教会，能有更多的敬拜中心，以便教导神的话语和进行门训！
   
   
7. 我们能怎么为你祷告？
   我的海外事工行程繁重，绝对需要你们的代祷。祷告我在未来10年带领MM33的工作上有智慧。求神保守我的家人。请为我的健康代祷，因为我更多地参与全球事工，激励教会投入MM33运动。祷告我的家庭相聚时间满有果效；求神带领适当的人与我并肩肩负起这个事工，也带来适当的联系，使神召会力上加力。