In the late 2000s, Geylang also became a popular housing area for migrant workers. Today, shops offering products and services catering to these workers speckle Geylang. 

Said Debbie Zhang, 55, who founded the NGO that reaches out to men and women in the sex trade in the area: “I was walking around looking for some guests to talk to and I saw him.”

Debbie Zhang at a volunteers’ debriefing session after carolling at Aljunied during Christmas.

As they chatted, Debbie discovered that the man was from India and had been working in Singapore for four years. Brought up as a Christian, his family later renounced their faith. They then converted to another religion.

“He told me that this was the first time he had stepped into a church since then. When he received our party flyer, he told himself that he would come back to church.”

The man was among the nearly 300 foreign workers who attended the Christmas night event in December 2024 at Geylang Chinese Methodist Church, drawn by flyers GM had been distributing in the streets since November. Of these, over 40 gave their lives to Jesus even though there was no sermon preached.

“It was not possible because the people spoke so many different languages – Bengali, Tamil, Hindi, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telugu, Chinese, Burmese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Malay and Indonesian.”

Instead, there was a hearty meal, door gifts, game stalls with prizes for every participant and a wishing tree.  

GM ordered 300 bento box meals to treat the migrant workers to a sumptuous dinner. Fruits and cakes were also served.

“I didn’t expect any salvations. We just wanted to show them love, bless them with a wonderful Christmas so that when they go home and think about Singapore, they will remember this.

“This shows they just want to be embraced,” said Debbie.

Light up Geylang

GM’s outreach this Christmas past is the largest since it began its work in the lorongs (alleyways) of Geylang’s red-light district. Apart from the party at GCMC, there were carolling sessions over two days instead of just the one in other years.

On Christmas Eve, about 40 GM volunteers carolled door to door at Geylang’s red-light district, handing out 550 goodie bags along the way. This is a tradition they have held for 14 years.  

Blowing the shofar at the start of the carolling, a clarion call to arise and bring the Gospel to the people in Geylang.

“In the beginning, we were only able to carol outside two brothels. Our goal was simply to worship God in the red-light district, praying to soften the spiritual ground,” said Debbie.

“The people only knew me then. My face was the passport. If we had different groups of carollers, they would bring my photo to show them that they were with me.”

It took more than a decade of work before GM saw a sliver of acceptance among the “uncles”, “aunties” and girls in the sex industry. Debbie and her volunteers have pounded the streets handing out Gospel tracts, gone on walks to cover the area in prayer, celebrated the birthdays of those in the trade every month, and sown God’s love and seeds of the Gospel into their lives.

During the pandemic, GM delivered food and groceries to those shuttered in the brothels. They even sponsored trips home for the girls who could not wait out the lockdown.

For the girls who had become Christians but had returned home to their own countries, the ministry connected them with shelters and churches back home, and even conducted regular online Bible study classes for them. 

“God is faithful. This year, we prepared 80 tealight candles for those who accepted Christ through the Geylang carolling. But God exceeded our expectations. We had 126 salvations, the most in GM’s history.

“A lady was moved to tears during our carolling and one ‘uncle’ could not hold back his tears when he talked about his late mother who was a Christian,” Debbie reported in GM’s newsletter.

The harvest is plentiful

On Christmas Day, nearly 100 GM volunteers went to three separate locations at Aljunied to carol. Some 1,500 goodie bags were handed out to the mostly migrant workers who had gathered to listen. 

The GM team before carolling around Aljunied.

“Carolling in Aljunied is new. It has been upon my heart since the red-light area opened up in 2022. I felt God wanted us to reach out to the people who visit Geylang as well, many of whom are migrant workers.”

The GM team split into three so that they could carol at three different locations in Aljunied.

That GM managed to not only get permission to carol in the streets of Aljunied and at the gates of GCMC is no small miracle. GM has been trying for years to partner the church. 

GM carollers at the gate of GCMC who partnered them this year.

“I find the location of the church very strategic. We just want to use the church to gather to pray before we do our weekly tracting and for the debrief after that, and to store our gift packs.”

After several years of trying, Debbie finally gave up seeking the church’s support only to have a member of GCMC contact her the following year, offering financial support. In time, the church also gave GM space to do their work.  

“This is really God’s doing after so many years.”

The partnership also meant that GM had a place and opportunity to engage those in Geylang in deeper conversations about faith.

“In the past (when speaking to them) on the streets, we would only get to find out who they are and where they come from. We don’t have a chance to get them to share about their lives or ask if they are open to our faith. So we thought a party would allow us to talk to them more personally.”

This was exactly what happened last Christmas. Over dinner, as the guests played games, while they wrote their wishes and hung them on the two-metre tall Christmas tree, GM volunteers shared the Gospel with the guests.

GM volunteers having deeper conversations and sharing the Gospel with the guests at the Christmas party,

Of the nearly 300 foreigners who turned up at the party, a large number were foreign workers from countries with limited access to the Gospel. Many often visit Geylang for the cheap groceries and food from their hometown.

“That is a mission field. You know how hard it is to go to these countries for missions? Now God is sending these people to our doorstep. We can just share the Gospel with them in Singapore.”

Plugged in to the Body

More than 50 people became Christians at the party and the other outreach events. Of those, 19 are being followed up by a Tamil church. The other converts will be introduced to churches with English or Chinese services, depending on the language they are most comfortable with.

“Our hope is that churches will embrace them,” said Debbie.

But attending worship services in the morning may be a challenge for these foreigners who work even on Sundays. So Debbie is considering having a Sunday evening Christian fellowship and Bible study group for them instead.

She has more plans ahead for 2025.

“I hope to do something in Geylang similar to Celebrate Christmas in Singapore at Orchard Road. Build tents so we don’t need to worry about the weather. Then we can do more.

“When we caroled at the streets of Aljunied, the people seemed so blessed by our singing. I believe our carolling and the party did make their Christmas very special. Many of them even recorded the whole carolling.” 

Meanwhile, GM will continue to do what they have always done to reach those in the area – love.

“I believe love is the universal language that is able to break all barriers to bring them to God. Because of our love and kind gestures, so many came.

These bags, a reminder of the power of God’s love, were filled with treats and given out as goodie bags.

“It is my prayer that the churches in Singapore will open their doors to reach out to the community, even simply inviting them to watch free movies so they can kill time instead of coming to Geylang to wander around on the streets.”  

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“In the past, if people heard my name, they would run”: Former Geylang pimp

The post “God is sending these people to our doorstep”: Geylang Ministry reaps a harvest after many years of sowing into the red-light district appeared first on Salt&Light.

On the evening of Boxing Day last year, like millions of other Netflix subscribers (68 million as of last week), I sat on my couch and turned on Squid Game 2.

When the original Squid Game first aired in 2021, it became an instant hit around the globe, a morality tale bathed in garish colours and shocking violence.

It also birthed a lot of memes – which we all know is the true measure of popularity.

The story picks up three years after Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), aka Player 456, has won the 45.6 billion won prize having defeated all other 455 players in the first Game. But his riches bring him no joy – it is all meaningless, as King Solomon would have put it.

Haunted by his experience and the loss of life he witnessed, Gi-hun is a changed man, determined to return to the mystery island and destroy the Game once and for all.

Long story short, he finds himself in a car talking through a speaker to the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), the one orchestrating the Game. The only way Gi-hun can return to the island is to let himself be drugged. When he awakes, he is once again Player 456.

A brand new set of 456 players join the grisly Game, playing with their lives.

The Game restarts with a brand new set of players, all clueless about the horror that is about to befall them. Among them is a failed crypto investor (Yim Si-wan), a rapper called Thanos (BigBang’s TOP), a transgender who was a weapons specialist in the military (Park Sunghoon, famously the villain in Queen of Tears), an old lady (Kang Ae-sim) and her gambler son (hiphop artist Yang Dong-geun) and a pregnant girl (former Kpop idol Jo Yuri).

At the time I started on Squid Game 2, our office – the Thirst Collective – was coming to the end of a collective one-year cover-to-cover Bible-reading programme.

I found myself watching the scenes through the lens of what I had read in the Bible in 2024, watching biblical truths being played out before my eyes.

Truth #1: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Ecclesiastes 6:9 (TLB) says, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush; mere dreaming of nice things is foolish; it’s chasing the wind.”

Some people would rather gamble on what they don’t yet have than appreciate what they do have in their hands.

In the first episode, the Recruiter (Gong Yoo) goes to a park where the homeless camp out, and hold out two things to each one: They have to choose between a lottery ticket and a bun. 

The Recruiter (left) plays on the greed or desperation of those who need a way out of debt.

Most of them choose the lottery ticket, despite the fact that they have witnessed others waste their chance of having a meal on the improbability of winning the lottery.

At the end of that exercise, the Recruiter throws all the unpicked buns on the ground and stomps on them. “I gave you a chance and you made your choice. I’m not the one who threw these away — it’s you, ladies and gentlemen.”

Jesus Himself said “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15

Truth #2: If we have the love of Jesus in us, we would be desperate to save as many souls as we can from Hell.

The fact that Gi-hun chooses to risk his life and return to the Game in an attempt to save the players and to stop the Game from taking more lives reminds me of why Christians must tell the world about Jesus. 

The Front Man asks him: “Have you seen The Matrix? They could have lived in peace if they took the blue pill. But they still chose the red pill to play the heroes. Do you also think you are a hero who can change the world?”

Seong Gi-hun aka Player 456 could have kicked back and enjoyed his 45.6 billion won of blood money from the first Game but he willingly re-enters the Game to try and save others from certain death.

It is tempting for Christians, once we are saved, to be content and live in peace that we have eternal life — the ultimate prize, being forever in the presence of God! We may make extra effort to share Christ with our nearest and dearest, but to evangelise strangers has a much lower take-up rate (which would explain why Christianity has plateaued in Singapore).

But we are supposed to take the red pill; Jesus clearly commanded us to do so. Mark 16:15-16, “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

How willing are we to take the risk, suffer the shame, face the persecution to win souls for Jesus? We may lose face, while others such as missionaries to hostile countries may lose their lives, but how important is it to us that “none should perish but have everlasting life”? 

Click here if you want to know how to share Jesus with others.

Truth #3: Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)

Player 001 is the Front Man, but none of the players know, not even 456. He ingratiates himself with Gi-hun and the small group of players that have naturally formed. He says the right things, chooses the right side, even attacks the masked guards. By ignoring the small tugs of discomfort and not confronting his questionable behaviour, they trundle along with Player 001 until their lives depend on him and they realise their mistake too late.

Like the Enemy, the Front Man is a liar who infiltrates Gi-hun’s team by deceiving them with his “good guy” act.

1 Peter 5:8 (TLB) warns us: “Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart.”

Christians are called to “put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:11) and to wield the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.

We must keep up our daily spiritual practices – pray, read our Bible, meditate on Scripture. We must exercise the fruit of the spirit, especially self-control, so that we do not give the devil a foothold. 

Truth #4: The wages of sin is death, no matter what your situation is

It’s easy to think of some of the characters as “more evil” than others. Thanos the rapper, for example, is an unrepentant drug-abusing bully – a stereotypical villain.

Then there is the old lady who joined the Game to try to bail her son out of gambling debts. Is that sin? It may seem unfair, or at least incongruent, but yes. 

As the saying goes: The road to hell is paved with good intentions. This mother just wants to free her son from debtors, but gets into a situation far worse.

What about the desperate father hoping to win money to pay for his daughter’s cancer treatment?

Whatever reasons the players have for signing up are immaterial. The officers shoot any and all who fail at the games.

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way to death.” 

Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” A sin is a sin, no matter how compelling the reason is behind it.

There is no excuse for sin, but there is a Way our sins can be washed away. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” 1 Peter 2:24

Truth #5: Repent while you still can

At the end of the first game Red Light, Green Light (featuring the now-iconic giant doll in the orange dress), the survivors are given a choice: Do they want to end the Game and divide the money equally among them and leave, or do they want to keep playing in the hope that they survive and walk away with a bigger amount of money as more players get killed off?

This is after they have just experienced the terror of the life-or-death exercise and watched fellow players shot to death in front of their very eyes.

Even when given a chance to choose life, the majority of the remaining players choose to “try their luck” and cheat death.

Their greed proves greater than their fear: Despite Gi-hun’s best efforts, the majority vote for the Game to continue, guaranteeing the deaths of more players.

This reflects Revelation 9:20-21 “The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

The period for us Christians to share the Gospel and help the lost to repent of their sins and receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour has an end-date. We may not know exactly when Jesus will come again, but the Day of the Lord will most certainly come, and there will be no chance for repentance then.

Watching Squid Game 2 invoked in me a deep sense of urgency. The fields are ripe for harvest: We see many around us, at work, at the gym, at family gatherings, in the office who need the saving grace of our Lord Jesus. Will we take the blue pill and chillax, waiting for Jesus’ soon return? Or will we take the red pill and start doing what we have been saved to do?

“The Game will not end unless the world changes,” the Front Man tells Gi-hun. 

The number of souls bound for destruction will not change unless we change and become active bearers of the Good News and show them a better way.

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The post Squid Game 2: 5 truths found in the allegory of hell appeared first on Salt&Light.

That’s how Planet Earth is described in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series of novels, authored by comedic sci-fi writer Douglas Adams. The phrase is not meant to be complimentary; the series’ Earthly protagonists are rightly chagrined that their existence has been distilled to two words brimming with inconsequence.

We understand. Surely a life well lived should be one of impact; where what we do matters; where we leave behind a meaningful legacy.

Not one that is “mostly harmless”, barely registering any noteworthy act in our lifetime, let alone in the eternal scheme of things.

I wonder if the Church in Singapore will be viewed the same way, come our reckoning. 

Did we put our lives on the line for Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:15)? Did we hold nothing back to wage war on evil and injustice (Amos 5:24)? Did we endure persecution, hated to the end (Matthew 10:22), as we stood firmly by the offence of the Cross (Galatians 5:11)?

Or would it be said of us that we were … mostly harmless?
Salt that is no longer salty is worthless (Matthew 5:13). A dull knife is a pointless thing.

Why might a knife get that way? Because no care is taken to sharpen it.

In the sharpening of a knife, it is put to the grind with great force, generating intense heat. Sparks fly; it is a most uncomfortable process.

The intentional discomfort is needful. It keeps the knife useful. Without this process, it will eventually be unwanted and discarded.

Like the knife, the Church must ask: What is our purpose here? How does our Maker desire to wield us? What discomfort must we willingly undertake to stay sharp?

But I worry that that last question might prove the stumbling block. For the Church in Singapore is a very comfortable Church. 

Now, I’m not suggesting we should be uncomfortable for the sake of being uncomfortable. I’m not suggesting we should spurn all creature comforts – Turn off the aircon! Remove the cushions from the pews! – in 2025. Neither am I saying God doesn’t want to bless us.

Being uncomfortable is not about spurning physical comforts. It’s about being willing to shrug off everything that is keeping us from fulfilling God’s purpose for us – throwing off everything that hinders (Hebrews 12:1).

There are four fronts I suggest the Church in Singapore needs to guard against, where if we are not careful, we can get too comfortable, to our own detriment.

THE CHURCH IN SINGAPORE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO BECOME …

1. A dated church – too comfortable with the same old ways.

In the State of the Church in Singapore Study 2024: The Church and Seniors, the study authors (various theological colleges in Singapore plus Salt&Light) note that just as Singapore will soon become a super-aged society, the church here will likely soon become a super-aged church.

If this is merely a function of demography, we should take it with good grace. But if it is a question of vitality, then wake up, O sleeper (Ephesians 5:14)!

We thank God for the exponential growth of the past few decades. Many of today’s biggest churches were founded in the 1970s and 1980s in particular, thanks to the momentum provided by groundbreaking events on our shores such as the Billy Graham Crusade and the Charismatic Revival.

But it also means that many of these churches are now in their third or fourth decade of existence. Theirs was a boomtime fuelled by the Baby Boomer generation. Since then, have they been able to adapt to changing needs and narratives?

The consequence of a dated church is generational. First to vote with their feet will be the young adults; then, as they stop bringing their children, the children’s church will be impacted, then the youth church.

Soon you reach the point where the typical member is so old that any young visitor would not choose to stay; a church leader I have spoken to whose congregation is in this state has described it as a slow death, inexorable and depressing.

How do we avoid becoming a dated church? We must start having uncomfortable conversations.

Which of our church practices are non-negotiable, per Scripture? And which are merely man-made traditions and preferences? Which sacred cows are not so sacred after all?

Who are the true decision-makers in your church? What is their average age? Do they reflect that of Singapore – 42.8 years old, per the Department of Statistics. What would it take to get there?

Would you be willing to not merely hear out the next generation, but increasingly entrust them with the church – not in a superficial manner, but real empowerment?

2. A duplicated church – too comfortable with the same old faces.

The typical church in Singapore is majority Chinese-race, English-educated, and middle-class. The statistics bear this out: The typical Christian is almost twice as likely to live in a 5-Room HDB flat or larger than the national average, and more likely to hold a university degree.

I use the phrase “duplicated church” for the sake of alliteration; the truth is, we are too homogeneous.

Are we a homogenous church? Or are we a church for all?

Having too many of the same kind of people is no bad thing in itself – at least we have done well among this demographic! The problem is how this might affect the faith decisions of those who do not fit this carbon copy mould. If they walk into your church, would they fit in, or stick out?

How do we avoid becoming a duplicated, homogenous church? We must start having uncomfortable interactions.

James 2:3 warns against “showing special attention” to anyone because of their appearance and social status. If we want to diversify our congregational makeup, this is something we should take seriously.

For example, in my church, we’ve:

• Hard-coded into our narrative the importance of being a “church for all”, regardless of age or language
• Never placed any weight on a member’s social-economic status
• Insisted that any Chinese/dialect phrase uttered must be translated into English
• Diverted resources to grow our non-English ministries

Everyone of every race, language spoken, or income level is equal in God’s sight, but this is somehow not reflected in the church. It’s time to be truly a church for all.

3. A divided church – too comfortable in the same old camps.

How often does the Church in Singapore move as one?

We fail to agree on … almost everything. Baptism(s). Tongues. Worship styles. Bible versions. The separation of State and Church. Dress code.

There are possibly 500 to 800 churches in Singapore, depending on how you count them. When was the last time members and leaders of, say, 200 or more churches were involved in the same event?

If anything, in recent years, some of the rifts seem to have widened. Proponents of this style of preaching vs that style of preaching. This denomination vs that denomination.

But, as the Apostle Paul asks: “Is Christ divided?” (1 Corinthians 1:13)

How do we avoid becoming a divided church? We must start having uncomfortable reconciliations.

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (1 Corinthians 1:10)

With humility comes peace (Ephesians 4:2-3). With unity comes blessing (Psalm 133). With love comes powerful witness (John 13:34-35).

One of the prerequisites of Billy Graham bringing his evangelistic crusades to Singapore in 1978 was that every key denominational leader would have to be united in the project. To achieve this took hard work and great humility. But what reward, with tens of thousands of people coming to faith in that one week!

We were never called to be a people of many camps; we are one camp, built around the Tabernacle.

4. A distracted church – too comfortable with the same old priorities.

God is not meant to be an occasional consideration. He is meant to be our overriding consuming preoccupation (Colossians 3:1-3).

We are supposed to live with eternity in mind (Ecclesiastes 3:11), yet we seem to allow the here and now to dominate our decision-making. We throw all we have into our careers, relationships and past-times, and give Jesus the scraps.

Church is best for us when it knows its place. God, don’t you dare interfere with my job. Don’t encroach into my parenting. And stay away from my financial planning. Just be happy I’m there on Sunday mornings.

We are a blessed people, but we allow those very blessings to distract us from the God who blessed us.

We are the church of Laodicea. We see our relative affluence and think we’re doing a lot of God – but God says “I know your deeds … So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16)

How do we avoid becoming a distracted church? We must start having uncomfortable corrections.

God did not mince His words with this church. “You do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked … Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.” (Revelation 3:17-19)

Jesus is coming soon. We only have so many years – Months? Weeks? Days? – left to make a difference. Every minute spent fixating on something with no eternal value is a missed opportunity to lay up treasures in heaven.

So here’s the uncomfortable correction: We are the comfortable Church. God help us.

We are dated, duplicated, divided and distracted. We are fine with the status quo. We are unmoved by the unsaved. 

Of course, I’m not speaking for everyone. There are many among you who are already living and dying for Jesus. We know this by the fact that Salt&Light still manages to daily spotlight Christians and churches who are doing amazing works for God.

But I don’t think that’s the majority position. There are at least 400,000 Protestants in Singapore, according to national statistics. If these were all on-fire, soul-saving, hell-storming world-changers, our numbers would not be plateauing.

Imagine what would happen if we all chose to feel uncomfortable about the fact that at least 80% of Singapore remains unsaved. Imagine if we all cultivated a divine discontent about the Gospel not yet reaching every corner of the Earth. Imagine if we turned that dissatisfaction into action.

And so that’s my prayer for myself, and my prayer for the Church in Singapore in 2025: May this be the year we allow the fires of revival to consume any part of the church that has become too comfortable to be used by Him. Lord, have Your way with us.

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State of the Church in Singapore 2023

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The post 2025: The year of the uncomfortable church appeared first on Salt&Light.

In his professional career, he has been a father figure to many incarcerated men who never had loving male influences in their lives, and has also protected vulnerable children and youth.

He also launched a fathering movement, Dads for Life, in Singapore and was the Chairman of Focus on the Family and a Director with the Centre for Fathering.

Jason became a Christian because Christians at the Overseas Christian Fellowship in Australia shared the Gospel with him when he went abroad to study.

Yet, he maintained that he would not have done any of those things had someone not first pointed him to the ultimate Father: God.

Jason was speaking to nearly 200 financial planners at the recent N5 Conference 2024.

The fourth run of Asia’s only Kingdom-focused conference for financial planners was centred on the theme Clean Hands, Pure Hearts and aimed to help participants blend financial excellence with biblical truths.

“Many conferences and seminars in the marketplace very often are about, ‘How do we make more money?’ Today, we are here to ask, ‘How can we make a difference wherever God has put us?’” said Jason.

Sharing from his personal and professional experiences, he offered 7 principles to hold to as we influence others for Christ.

1. It starts with a spark

Jason began by sharing the way he came to Christ.

As a teenager, he started asking big, existential questions: “Where do I come from? Where am I going? What is this life about?”

In junior college, he said two prayers “to a God I didn’t know”.

“The first was, ‘God, why did You put me here on earth?’”

Jason had always believed that there was a God. As someone who liked to draw, he would often look at paintings to see who had painted them. He also liked science and enjoyed taking things apart to see how they worked, and putting them back together.

“If every painting has a painter, every invention as an inventor, then who is my Creator?” he remembered asking.

“So everything has a purpose,” he told participants. “Things will not work if it doesn’t know what it’s supposed to be for. Of course, it has to be hooked up to a power source.

“So, do we know Who made us? Do we know why we are supposed to be here? Are we hooked up to the power source?”

His second prayer was for God to give him a scholarship to go to university. God answered this prayer and, through it, his first prayer was answered.

When he went to Australia to further his education, students from the Overseas Christian Fellowship sought him out.

“I wasn’t an easy person to reach out to. I’m sure they fasted and prayed for me because I asked very different questions. Because of them, I became a Christian. They passed God’s love to me.”

Their efforts to reach him was the spark that led him to today.

“If that group of older senior Christian students did not target me, there would not be a Yellow Ribbon Project today, there would not be a Dads for Life today.”

2. Impact one life at a time

When Jason started his first posting at Changi Prison, there were 2,400 prisoners. With only eight hours at work a day, he could not speak to everyone. He wondered how large of an impact he could make.

“As a duty officer, as I made my rounds every day, I will just ask, ‘God is there one person, or two or three, you want me to talk to?’

“I would spend that extra minute in every block to ask God, ‘Is there one person out of the 300 (in whose life) I can make a difference? Even if it is a simple question, ‘How are you doing today? Did your family visit you? Is there any request you have?’”

Then came the moment he met the first HIV+ inmate in prison. For an hour a day, the man was allowed out in the yard, where he would walk up and down a small patch of grass.

Jason would often walk with him.

One day, Jason noticed dark rings beneath his eyes.

“I said, ‘You haven’t been sleeping well, is it?’ He said, ‘Sir, cannot sleep. Got dark shadows in my cell. Sir, what can you do?’”

Jason told him that, as a Christian, he would pray to Jesus because the Bible says at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow in heaven and on the earth and under it (Philippians 2:10-11).

“He said, ‘Sir, can I try?’ I said, ‘Sure. You say, ‘In the name of Jesus, get out of my cell.’”

A few days later, Jason saw the man again. He was smiling. “He said, ‘Sir, it worked.’”

Jason then asked him if he wanted to have Jesus to be with him all the days of his life. In time, the man said the Sinner’s Prayer with Jason.

Jason also arranged for him to have Bible Study with a staff from Prison Fellowship Singapore (PFS).

“Impact just one life,” said Jason.

3. Touching one life touches a whole family

Touching one life may seem insignificant, but its impact actually has a ripple effect, said Jason.

The late Rev Henry Khoo, a prison chaplain who once oversaw 12,000 inmates, once told Jason: “You touch one life, you’re touching the whole family. It’s not just 12,000 prisoners, it’s 50,000 lives.”

This was a lesson Jason never forgot.

“Jesus taught thousands but He also made time for the one. He said to Zacchaeus, ‘Come down. Salvation has come to the whole household.’” (Luke 19:9)

4. Every promotion is an opportunity for greater influence

“Each time we get a promotion, it is because God wants us to have a bigger influence for Kingdom impact,” said Jason.

“It’s not so much that we want to unleash our influence for Kingdom impact. It is God who wants to unleash His influence to build His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.”

That is how Jason encouraged the participants to view their work: “I tell people I’m a son doing his Father’s business. Jesus was a Son doing the Father’s business.”

Jason shared what running God’s business might look like: Very often, he would meet ex-offenders who would tell him that they became Christians because they had heard him preach.

Recently, he met one such man who now owns his own business and hires ex-offenders, which make up 80% of his staff.

“He’s passing it on,” said Jason.

5. Begin with one person

In 2019, Jason was wrestling with God over the challenge of evangelism.

That was when God asked him: “Do you think you can bring a pre-believer to Christ if I give you 10 years to do so?”

“Of course,” Jason replied. It was a simple, achievable goal.

That was how the One for Jesus was born. The movement encourages and empowers Christians to reach just one person in the next 10 years.

There may no longer be evangelists who reach thousands. But if thousands reached one each, there would still be thousands saved. “I’m not talking about big stadium events. This is personal evangelism on a mass scale,” said Jason. 

An example he gave was of a young woman who wanted to share the Gospel with her grandmother. However, she could not do so in Hokkien. So, she went to her church to ask if anyone could speak to her grandmother. An old lady volunteered.

“Both of them went. That day, Grandma accepted Christ. You don’t have to do it alone. Two, three, four together.”

6. Seize every opportunity

There is always a chance to share the Gospel at every turn, said Jason.

He recounted the time when he was in the army and assigned to do weekend duties. He could not go to church, but there was always someone in the army with whom he could share the faith. So, that became his focus.

“You don’t even have to go to them. Your Facebook page, don’t keep showing food, your holiday. Share some testimonies, Bible verses.

“Pray, care, share. Pray for the person. As you sit down, listen to the person. Eat (with them). As you eat, the person will share about his life, about his needs. Then you bring that home and pray for the person.

“Serve. Your industry is all about servicing: Serving their financial plans, serving their life goals. At the end of it, share. Share about what God is doing in your life first.

“If you are not excited about God, they will not be excited as well.”

7. Have the Father’s heart for the lost

“The heart of evangelism is the heart of the Father,” said Jason, emphasising that this is the most important principle to influence others for the Kingdom.

Talking about the longing of the father for the return of his prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), Jason said: “The heart of evangelism is the heart of the Father for the lost sons and lost daughters. It’s not about events. It’s not about programmes.

“If we know the heart of the Father, we will go.”

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The post 7 principles to influence others for Christ: Jason Wong at the recent N5 Conference appeared first on Salt&Light.

Called the Celebration of Hope (not related to the 2019 national event of the same name), this event brought together 500 pastors from 40 different churches in an extraordinary show of unity. 

Pastors and leaders from various denominations—Anglican, Methodist, Charismatic, and Pentecostal—came together under one roof in worship and surrender.

Organised by the Alliance of Indian Ministries, the meeting was hosted by Pastors Joel and Sandy Samuel Jerome and the team at Cornerstone Community Church, Tamil at Odeon Katong. Ps Joel, a lay pastor with Cornerstone Community Church, Tamil, is the National Co-ordinator in AIM’s leadership team.

“We have been planning for this event since December 2023,” Ps Joel told Salt&Light. “The Alliance of Indian Ministries (AIM) organises a monthly meeting with pastors and this was where the vision for such an event was shared.”

Such a vision was no small feat to realise.

“There are around 70 Indian churches under AIM and this is across multiple languages like Tamil, Telegu, Punjabi, Hindi and Malayalam and across multiple denominations like the Anglicans, Methodists, Pentecostal and Charismatic churches,” Pastor Joel added.

“Every month that the AIM pastors met, we kept talking about oneness and unity, to come together as Indian churches to reach out to the Indian community.”

Pastors Joel and Sandy Samuel Jerome of Cornerstone Community Church hosted the launch of COH 2024 on behalf of AIM at Cornerstone Community Church, Katong.

Celebration of Hope 2024 was a historic event that marked the launch of a church growth initiative for Indian churches to collaborate and reach out to the community as the Body of Christ.

“It illustrated the possibilities that arise when faith communities unite under a common goal,” Ps Joel said. 

From dream to vivid reality

Planning took two years, but the dream of such an event was birthed back in 2018 when AIM held its first Leadership Conference. Guided by AIM, with Pastor Sam Gift Stephen as chairman, the event embodied a shared purpose amid diverse backgrounds.

Chairman of the Alliance of Indian Ministries, Ps Sam Gift Stephen and his wife Grace giving the charge for evangelism.

“It’s a testament to the power of a united faith and vision,” said Ps Joel.

He elaborated: “Previously, Indian churches were not united. Many church pastors were protective and apprehensive about collaboration, fearing that members of their congregations might leave to join another church if they opened up. While unity and oneness appeared to exist on the surface, it was not genuinely reflected in their hearts and minds.”

For an event like COH to have taken place marks a genuine change in the hearts and minds of the Indian churches.

“This event is significant because over 40 churches are now committed to the COH initiative, agreeing that we need to work together,” Ps Joel said. “We can no longer operate as fragmented and competitive entities; instead, we are coming together as a united church to reach out to the Indian community.”

COH is a collective church initiative over a nine-year period, ending 2033.

It brings the focus on evangelism to the forefront for every church and ministry that reaches out to the Indian community. Given the many different languages and denominations, there is room for these churches to do evangelism their own way during Easter and Christmas.

“On the other side, we are coming together as the Body of Christ, joining hands, praying and interceding together for the Indian community,” he said.

“According to the current statistics, the Indian Christian population in Singapore is 37,000. The mission of COH is for this population to grow to 100k by 2033. Why 2033? That’s the year when, 2000 years back, Jesus gave us the Great Commission.”

It is a lofty goal but Ps Joel emphasised that it is “not just aspiration but a strategic plan for outreach and healing.”

An event to remember

The day stood as a testament to faith, fellowship, and focused vision. The Indian churches worked together to run the event.

Worship was led by Kingdom Generation (KG), another initiative launched by AIM in January 2024. KG empowers Indian youth and young adults to seek His Kingdom first and equips them to be warriors for Jesus. The KG worship team consists of around 30 members, comprising youth and young adults from seven different churches.

Worship led by Kingdom Generation (KG), a next gen movement launched by AIM in early 2024. KG has volunteers of all ages, Sairah Samuel Jerome being the youngest.

The ushering and serving teams were led by Cornerstone Community Church, Tamil, with support from other Indian churches, including Life Centre, Jesus Lives Church, Parish of Christ Church, Praise Evangelical Church, City Missions International Church, New Home Family Church, and Jeevan Apostolic Church.

Special guests, Pastor D Mohan and his wife, Pastor Getziel, from New Life Assemblies of God Church (NLAG) in Chennai, India, graced the evening. Pastor Mohan, who grew his church from seven to 50,000 members in 50 years, shared an inspiring story of what faith and perseverance can achieve.

Pastor Mohan’s church focuses on two things: prayer and evangelism. These were the two fundamental aspects of the church growth NLAG experienced. Pastors Mohan and Getziel are also very close to Rev Naomi Dowdy, the former senior pastor of Trinity Christian Centre. Under her mentorship, the couple replicated her cell group strategy in their church successfully. NLAG is a testament to the cell group church growth concept and one of the early adopters. 

Pastor D Mohan from NLAG (New Life Assemblies of God) Chennai was the guest speaker. In 50 years, he grew his church from 7 to 50,000 people.

Pastor Mohan closed his message with a call to action and fervent prayer for pastors, leaders, and congregants, emphasising compassion for the lost. 

Alvin Reggie, Pastor of Praise Evangelical Church, told Salt&Light: “It was truly an indescribable night of oneness where we all came together: One Spirit, one Body, one Church.”

Hope for the future

The true power of the church is its people – united in purpose and ready to spread the Gospel to the community.

“This gathering wasn’t just about numbers, it was about transforming lives,” Ps Joel said. “The Tamil and Indian communities, facing challenges like broken families and addiction, found hope in the unified efforts of the church.”

As Ps Mohan gave the altar call, young and old gather at the altar, united by their passion and desire to become evangelists and shine God’s light within the Indian community in Singapore.

Many leaders and dedicated church members present at Celebration of Hope were thrilled to witness the Indian Church united.

“For decades, pastors constantly guarded their congregations, so collaboration with other churches seemed impossible,” the pastor explained.

“Now, however, there is healing in their hearts, knowing that there is unity and oneness, and this allows them to work together.

“The event was more than a gathering; it sowed seeds of evangelism and hope. Attendees left with renewed commitment to shine light and hope in their communities.”

There are plans for a COH gathering of the saints meeting in October or November 2025.

Ps Joel said: “We are planning to invite Pastor Satish Kumar from Hyderabad, the founder and Pastor of Calvary Temple. Calvary Temple is now the fastest-growing church and the largest church in the world with over 350,000 members.”

Attendees at COH were surprised and inspired by what they witnessed.

Senior Pastor of Jesus Lives Church, Jonathan Suppaya told Salt&Light: “To be very honest, I never thought this could happen but to actually see the saints gathered were on November 21 were unified, joined, combined, allied and bonded for just one purpose alone and that’s soul-winning.”

Revd Paul Xavier from the Parish of Christ Church added: “It was such a joy to see the churches from so many denominations coming together because we love Jesus, and we want to share that love of Jesus to the Indian community.”

Major Kunam, the oldest member and leader of AIM, led the attendees in an opening prayer.

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The post 500 Indian leaders across 40 churches unite to reach out to the Indian community appeared first on Salt&Light.

The holiday season is an opportune time to share love, joy and the Good News of Jesus Christ with those around us who have yet to know Him.

As Christians, we are called to be salt and light, reflecting God’s love in every corner of our lives. But how do we engage meaningfully with our pre-believing friends and neighbours in a way that resonates with their hearts?

One practical approach is the BLESS model, a simple, relational strategy to bless those around us while planting seeds of faith.

The BLESS Model

B: Begin with Prayer
Start by lifting your friends and loved ones in prayers. Ask the Lord for wisdom, discernment, and opportunities to share His love. Depend on the Holy Spirit to guide your conversations and actions.

L: Listen
Be present and listen with an open heart. Instead of jumping straight into sharing, take time to understand your friend’s struggles, dreams, and perspectives. Listening with empathy paves the way for meaningful connections.

E: Eat
Sharing a meal is a timeless way to build trust and strengthen relationships. Jesus Himself often ate with those He ministered to, creating moments of fellowship and joy. Invite your pre-believing friends for a coffee, a meal, or even festive treats during this holiday season.

S: Serve
Serving others can be as simple as offering encouragement, providing practical help, or showing up when they need a friend. Acts of kindness reflect God’s love and often open the door for deeper conversations about faith.

S: Share
Finally, share your story of God’s love and grace. Your personal testimony, paired with the Gospel message, can inspire hope and transformation in others. When the moment feels right, don’t shy away from asking your friend if they want to receive Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour.

A Meaningful Gift for the Season

To help Christians share God’s love during this festive season, One For Jesus has created the “Love Comes Home” Evangelism Kit. This thoughtfully curated gift box is a wonderful way to bless your friends and family while sparking Gospel-centred conversations.

Each kit, priced at just S$14, includes:

• A ceramic cup inscribed with blessings in English and Chinese.
• A wooden coaster engraved with the attributes of God’s love (based on 1 Corinthians 13).
• Seeker-friendly tracts from Our Daily Bread, covering topics like happiness and money.
• A beautifully designed gift box to hold it all.

If you would like more materials to help you reach out, OFJ also has a Host Resource Kit complete with conversation starters, a creative gospel illustration tool, and festive evangelism resources.

This kit is more than a gift: It’s a conversation starter, a bridge for sharing faith, and a tangible reminder of God’s love. Click here to get yours.

As you step into the Christmas season, remember that the greatest gift we can give is the love and hope of Christ. Through prayer, empathy, fellowship, service, and sharing, you can bless your pre-believing friends and community in powerful ways.

Let’s embrace this season as an opportunity to make God’s love known, one relationship at a time. Let’s do our part to advance the Kingdom of God, one soul at a time. 

To purchase the Evangelism Kit and Host Resource Kit, click here. For details and queries, please email oneforjesus.sg@gmail.com.

The post How to give the gift of Jesus this Christmas? Learn to BLESS and use this Evangelism Kit appeared first on Salt&Light.

The famous story of Samson and Delilah, along with other Bible stories, comes alive on the screen.

By blending slick anime-inspired visuals with AI (Artificial Intelligence)-generated art, Bible Bento is delivering timeless Bible stories in a fresh, modern way. 

The unique platform that was conceived a year ago, has been captivating children and their parents on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and other social media channels.

The ministry of Bible Bento continues to grow with close to 20,000 followers across Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, with a few million views across various social media platforms, as well as thousands of direct messages received so far.

A WhatsApp group that was formed for better engagement with subscribers to the channel now has 1,000 members who exchange testimonies and share devotional thoughts daily. 

What’s especially astonishing is that Bible Bento, a Singaporean creation, has found its largest audience in Africa. Its Samson and Delilah video on Facebook also went viral among Africans and garnered half a million views across various social media channels.

It all began with a cryptic sentence from God to a former punk rocker, which sparked what may be the most exciting evangelism tool among the rising tide of Christian content accounts.

Bible Bento’s Samson and Delilah video on Facebook went viral among Africans and garnered half a million views across various social media channels.

The puzzling sentence

Twelve months ago, Levan Wee, the former frontman of rock band, Ronin, woke up with this sentence playing clearly in his head: “Children love Bible stories, like Daniel in the lions’ den.” 

Levan told Salt&Light: “It was so clear and complete that I was confused by it because I had no reference. I wasn’t thinking about kids or that story or anything.”

The unexpected experience led the social media professional with a doctorate in philosophy to pray. The idea of creating Bible videos for kids hit him.

“I didn’t naturally gravitate to it because, in all honesty, I am quite awkward around children. It’s not a natural inclination for me so it was a bit of a grapple,” admitted Levan, who turns 43 today (December 5).

Later that morning, he heard the pastor utter the exact sentence, nearly word for word, at a devotion session.

“Children love Bible stories like Daniel and the lions’ den”, sparked off the new ministry using AI art and anime to create Bible story videos for children.

During his prayer time over the next few days, Levan started seeing symbolic visions of Japanese anime and received impressions that pointed towards AI. 

He gradually sensed God’s guidance to combine traditional video-editing programmes with AI tools to generate anime-themed Bible videos designed to teach kids.

Still, the idea was vague and he was uncertain of God’s direction.

Nonetheless, Levan went ahead to create the first draft video, testing out AI to generate anime images that told the story of Daniel in the lions’ den, animated in vivid colour.

He then created videos of other Bible stories, including Jesus’ parables and some fun Bible trivia.

A few weeks later, while praying at a pavilion in his neighbourhood park for God’s clear direction regarding the mix of AI and anime for kids, Levan decided to send an ex-colleague his first video draft for her comments.

Minutes later, a teenager jogged by and initiated a conversation with him. She revealed her hope to be an anime artist. 

Even more specifically, she said her parents thought that AI would make her job difficult but she believed it was possible to work together with AI to create anime art.

Levan took this as a perfectly timed confirmation from God.

 “When God calls us in our various capacities, He will make them clear.

“In the case of Bible Bento, it was confirmations that were specific enough to help me overcome the hesitations,” he told Salt&Light.

Encouraged, he proceeded to ask God for guidance on the audience that these anime videos should reach on social media.

“I assumed this would be for Singapore, Philippines, all the anime popular regions, right?

“Praying further, I saw African flags and symbolisms of African flag colours, which are quite schematically unique.

“I was taken aback because I don’t know much about Africa!

“I’ve never had a real interest in Africa. I don’t know much about the culture. I didn’t even know how their Christian faith was like,” he said.

Levan received more clarity from an unexpected confirmation when the very next day, he heard colleagues at work discussing the enthusiasm African Christians possessed – a topic he had never heard them talk about before.

This reinforced God’s call to him to create anime Bible videos for children in Africa.

A leap of faith

In September, Levan obeyed God’s call to step out of employment and work on Bible Bento full-time.

Now, having left his job as Social Media Strategist and Managing Editor of Stories of Hope at the Thirst Collective, Levan had no visible means of financial support and has had to tighten up his budget.

“There are days I wonder how things are going to play out, but I have no regrets.

“I trust that God will provide in His own timing and I truly believe in Matthew 6:33 – seeking first the Kingdom of God and the rest will be added to you,” he declared, adding that financial provision has come in miraculously each step of the way.

Levan was also prompted in a dream to accept help from Rume Eburu, a Nigerian follower of Bible Bento, transforming the solo effort into a partnership.

When he woke up, he saw he had received a text message from Rume, saying that he had felt the Holy Spirit nudge him to volunteer to help with Bible Bento.

“I was shocked at the perfect timing of all of this. Rume had no idea that I just had a dream about welcoming someone to join me – and here he was, offering his time and effort!

“Other surprising supernatural confirmations happened between Rume and me – things that we both witnessed that absolutely defied probability!” said Levan.

Surprising supernatural confirmations brought Levan Wee (left) and Rume Eburu (right) together to work on the Bible Bento ministry.

God later challenged Levan to pay Rume for his volunteer work.

“I’m leaving my job. I got no income and I’m supposed to pay him?” Levan wondered.

He then sensed God’s prompting to call his mother. 

Levan obeyed, and his mother immediately shared with him about a YouTube video she had watched and talked about God’s financial provision.

He told her about his decision to pay Rume for his help with Bible Bento. His mother suggested paying Rume S$200.

A subsequent conversation with Rume revealed that he was planning to start a family.

Levan said: “This is my way of providing for his prayers, because he has prayed for provision.

“If you provide for him – if you are willing to provide for him – I will provide for you,” Levan sensed God saying to him.

By faith, he transferred S$200 to Rume, while still worried about depleting his bank account.

The next day, Levan had lunch with someone he had arranged to meet some weeks ago. The ministry of Bible Bento came up in the conversation. After lunch, the person sent a text to say that he had transferred S$200 to Levan in support of his ministry.

To Levan, this was yet another confirmation from God. 

While he may not have absolute clarity on the journey ahead or the potential difficulties, with the many supernatural confirmations he has received from God, Levan is assured of God’s guidance.

“It’d be worth it if it means walking in the Holy Spirit at this level,” Levan told Salt&Light.

AI for the Kingdom

While AI is rapidly evolving with daily breakthroughs, Levan noted that creativity from the human touch is crucial and irreplaceable by technology.

He uses AI to a certain extent, then manually employs design, animation and video apps like Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere Pro to polish up his videos.

“In some areas of the process, there are simply no shortcuts,” he told Salt&Light.

“Ultimately,” he added, “God must remain at the centre of the project.”

Videos on Bible Bento are created using AI along with programmes like Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere and others.

“When it comes to using AI for Kingdom work, I believe we should always pray to God for inspiration, craft the message He wants to share by hand and use AI wisely – as a tool to bring that vision into reality rather than something we rely on solely,” he said.

He believes AI, just like social media, if used the right way, can help Christians share the Gospel in fresh, exciting ways and reach people far more efficiently than before.

“I don’t think the Church should shy away from using it just because it’s new. We shouldn’t let fear cause us to miss the opportunity to reach more people,” urged Levan.

“New tools can bring new ways to serve others! But as we do this, I feel it’s essential to stay focused on God and people and not get swept up by the latest tech just for the sake of it.”

A box of surprises 

The Japanese bento box is a compact, compartmentalised container designed to hold a balanced meal comprising a variety of foods. The box is often beautifully arranged, emphasising aesthetics and balance, both nutritionally and visually. 

This was the vision Levan received when he prayed for a name for the ministry.

Similarly, Bible Bento has been nourishing thousands in Africa through its unique storytelling of Bible content, encouraging believers in the faith.

Levan told Salt&Light: “What excites me most is seeing how many amazing believers from Africa – especially from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa – are truly on fire for God.

“So many have this deep love for Jesus Christ. It’s been such a joy connecting and fellowshipping with them across our platforms. Their faith truly inspires me!” he said.

Many parents have sent positive feedback, encouraged that their children have uplifting, Christ-centred content to watch, especially with the pervasive influence of today’s mass media.

Encouraging feedback from subscribers about the Bible Bento ministry.

“We’ve also heard from people struggling with depression who found comfort and hope through our fun, biblically-focused videos.

“One woman shared that she’d had a troubling dream but felt a sense of peace wash over her after seeing one of our posts about Jesus being right here with each of us.

“I never expected to hear such things from others and I’m just so thankful to God for these moments,” said Levan.

He is also humbled that there are people interested in translating Bible Bento’s English videos into their native languages to share with others.

“I always say yes because it’s truly a blessing that they’d want to do that! I believe that the heart of every ministry should be about serving people in Christ.

Bible Bento engages with subscribers who exchange testimonies and share devotional thoughts daily.

“I’m just grateful for the chance to do that through anime Bible videos, of all things!” he added.

Bible Bento is a ministry specially meant for Levan. Born with albinism, he has more physical constraints than the average person.

“I can’t do missions in the hot sun. I can’t get scorched. God is helping me to be very effective within the areas that I can do that are natural to me,” he said, referring to his capabilities in digital media. 

“By God’s design, He called, according to what He knows I am able to do and not able to.

“Even with limitations, there are so many ways God can use you and multiply – if you are willing.”

Looking back to when Bible Bento was conceived, he said: “This ministry is not about me, because I know that it’s not my idea, and I know all this comes from first saying yes and stepping out first, then God walks with you.

“We don’t have to wait until everything is in place before we start moving.”

The song “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” by Hillsong United has served as a powerful reminder to Levan that the Holy Spirit would guide him. Another song “Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me” by CityAlight reinforced the importance of humility, reminding him that everything is achievable solely through Christ.

Just enough light for each step

“God has been teaching me the difference between having a spirit of excellence – doing our best for Him and the traps of perfectionism,” shared Levan.

“I’ve struggled with perfectionism for a long time. In the beginning, I fell into the habit of trying to perfect every video frame, driven by my own unrealistic and, honestly, silly expectations.

“But over time, God has been humbling me, showing me how to let go of that unnecessary perfectionism day by day and focus instead on the teaching value of each video and the people they can serve.

“It’s about others, not me,” said Levan.

For most of his life, Levan has also done things solo, no matter the project.

Speaking about how the partnership with Rume is progressing, he said: “We’ve learnt to lean into each other’s strengths while following God’s guidance and I really couldn’t do this without him.

“On days when I feel discouraged or low on focus and energy, Rume is there to keep me on track and lift my spirits, reminding me of all the ways we can share God’s love with others through this ministry. His energy is infectious!”

With tendencies to micro-manage, Levan has also learnt to trust Rume with more tasks.

“It’s been so liberating to let go of that need for control!” he declared.

For now, his goal for Bible Bento is to keep growing its reach with more content that encourages people to draw closer to God and His Word.

Looking ahead, Levan hopes that the ministry will one day generate revenue and eventually shift away from AI art and hire freelance anime artists.

“I love the idea of supporting creative people in their dreams, especially believers who are passionate about their art and sincere in their desire to glorify God.

“It’s such a joy to think of reinvesting God’s provision into the artistic aspirations of others, so that both creators and viewers are uplifted and encouraged.

“That’s the vision – building a community where we can all grow and glorify Him through our gifts,” he said.

With his passion for music, Levan will also return his talent for God’s glory.

In collaboration with That’s Worship, he will release a new music video next January. Two other songs that he recorded are scheduled for release in February and April, with one of the music videos featuring familiar faces in the Christian community.

“I hope this music will inspire other Christian musicians in Singapore to release fresh, fun music that expands the ways we can worship the Lord across different genres.”

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The post God is using him to cook up a Bible Bento with anime, AI and Africa appeared first on Salt&Light.

He is survived by his wife Kwee Hong, his son Pacer (Senior Pastor of Lighthouse Evangelism) and daughter Tracy, and his four grandchildren.

The late Ps Vincent Cheo of Harvester Assembly of God (now Harvester Community Church) led Ps Rony to the Lord in 1968. But it would be many years later before he would serve God full time.

In 1975, Ps Rony suffered from incessant, intense pain because of severe stomach ulcers. He bled for four days and three nights without sleep. 

In desperation, he held onto his mother’s hand and prayed for the Lord to take him home or heal him instantly. He vowed to serve the Lord full-time if he was healed. 

After that prayer, he fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up, there was no pain as long as he remained still. 

The progressive healing continued until he was able to stand upright and resume his regular activities.

The late Ps Rony (in light blue) with his wife Kwee Hong (in pink), (back row from right) his son Ps Pacer, daughter-in-law Katherine, daughter Tracy and son-in-law Gareth, and his grandchildren (from left) Ezekiel, Eden, Rainbow and Racer.

Honouring his vow to serve the Lord full-time, Ps Rony enrolled in the Singapore Bible College and served at Jubilee Presbyterian Church as a pastor trainee in 1976. 

Two years later in 1978, he was sent to pioneer an outreach in Chip Bee Estate and Lighthouse Evangelism was birthed.

Under his leadership, the church, which turned 46 this year, has grown into two centres, in Tampines and Woodlands.

Ps Rony also founded the Miracle Service, a healing ministry in Lighthouse Evangelism, that, to this day, is conducted weekly at both worship centres. The sick and the afflicted are ministered to at these services.

In 1979, while he was preparing for his first mass healing crusade, God spoke to him in a clear and audible voice, “Son, I will use you to shake the nations!”

Ps Rony went on to become widely known as a healing evangelist. His ministry impacted many lives and led many to Jesus, both in Singapore and overseas where he conducted mass healing crusades.

Throughout his 48-year ministry, Ps Rony’s consistent passion was to preach the full gospel, usher souls into God’s kingdom, heal the sick and set the captives free from the clutches of the devil. To that end, he has authored numerous books and recorded several albums featuring his own compositions.

The fruits of his ministry

God was glorified through much of Ps Rony’s ministry, particularly during the healing crusades he conducted.

Accounts of healing following the crusades were captured in his book, Soul Winning Strategies. 

Deliverance from osteoporosis at the Miracle Revival in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, in 1980

Yan Ah Mui, 67, suffered from osteoporosis for three years. She had three operations in her right leg during this period but they did not help. Her right knee cap had also been operated on two years before. 

After these operations, her doctor told her that there was nothing more he could do and that she had to rely on painkillers for the rest of her life. Because of her condition, she needed the aid of a walking stick to help her move around. Most of the time, she would stay at home.

Ps Rony (centrestage) at the healing crusade in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur in 1980

About ten months before attending the healing crusade, Ah Mui had accepted Christ at a service held by Emmanuel Assembly of God Church in Cheras. 

Through the church, she came to know that an evangelist from Singapore was coming to Cheras to minister God’s healing power. She was so excited that she made up her mind to attend all the three nights of the crusade. 

Despite the inconvenience and the excruciating pain on both her legs, she made her way slowly to the stadium on the first night. When the call for healing was given, she made her way slowly to the front. 

A ministry worker prayed for her but nothing seemed to happen in the physical realm. However, she returned home feeling good and slept soundly throughout the night.

On the second night, she went to the healing line again. Again, nothing happened in the physical realm but she was determined to be healed.

On the third night, she was totally healed as waves and waves of the Holy Spirit filled the stadium. The healing power fell on her and she could walk steadily without the aid of her walking stick. The pain also left her.

Healing of a fractured arm at the Miracle Revival in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, in 1980

Timothy Kerussnan, 14, fractured his right arm during a football session in school just a day before the crusade began. 

The doctor told him he had a hairline fracture on his lower right arm. Every time he moved that arm, Timothy would experience excruciating pain.

On the first night of the crusade, a friend brought Timothy to receive healing from God. Timothy’s right arm was totally bandaged and the fingers of his right hand were swollen. He could not even lift one finger without feeling pain down his arm. 

When the healing call was made, Timothy stepped forward with great expectancy. At the altar, he could sense the anointing flowing throughout his body. His countenance changed: from a face contorted with pain, it became one that was bright, cheery and peaceful. 

After he received prayer, Timothy was filled with great faith and immediately pulled off his bandages as he felt a heat wave surging through his right arm.

Before the whole stadium on stage, Timothy demonstrated how God had healed him completely, by swinging and even hitting his right hand. The pain was gone and so was the swelling in his fingers.

Deliverance from demonic possession at the Miracle Revival in Lautoka, Fiji Islands in early 2000

Rupeniwesi, 13, lived in a world of witchcraft and curses. When he was being formed in his mother’s womb, his stepfather cast a spell on him out of jealousy and anger over his mother.

Since birth, there was no happiness and peace for baby Rupeniwesi. By the tender age of three, he was possessed by demons. He could not move his body freely. He was unable to lift up his hands. His speech was no longer his but that of the demons who were residing in him.

As he grew older, things became worse. Whenever he opened his mouth to talk, there was a foul smell. His back was full of boils which also gave off a strong, unpleasant smell. It was a terrible plight and torment for a helpless and innocent boy.

His mother had spent S$15,000 trying to find a cure for him. (The average monthly salary in Fiji is S$300.) She took him to many witchdoctors as well as a few local hospitals. All these efforts were in vain.

During the 1980s, God healed many during Ps Rony’s three-night crusade in Lautoka, Fiji Islands.

While going to the town of Ba one day, Rupeniwesi’s mother chanced upon a poster that read, “Evangelist Rony Tan from Singapore will be in Lautoka to conduct the Miracle Revival meeting. And Jesus is the Healer and Deliverer.” 

She became very excited. She had spent all her money and tried all means to help her son. She thought to herself that maybe the crusade was the only hope. She approached one of the local pastors to take her son to the meeting and he agreed.

At the Miracle Revival meeting, Rupeniwesi committed his life to Jesus. After the mass healing prayer, he was delivered by God: He was able to talk properly and move his body freely.

The most precious soul saved

In his many years serving the Lord, Ps Rony had led multitudes to receive salvation. 

But it was the salvation of his own father that bore the greatest significance for him, an account he gave in Soul Winning Strategies. 

Here is an edited excerpt.

“My own dad’s testimony is simply marvellous. He was a typical China man who was extremely proud of his Chinese heritage. At the same time, he was very hostile to foreign influences such as Christianity.

“When I was a little boy, he told me that Christianity was a political religion. The white men, he claimed, would hide guns and fire power in the churches and they made it unlawful for the Chinese authorities to search their so-called sanctuaries.

(Influenced by his father, Pastor Rony would argue with Christians until his conversion at the age of 24.)

“Then one day at the dinner table, my dad announced, ‘I want to go to church this Sunday.’

“All of us almost choked. My mum asked him, ‘Why do you want to go to church?’

“He smiled and said, ‘I want to see whether the preacher is preaching correctly.’

“My dad rose up early that Sunday and got dressed up, waiting for my mum to take him to church. During the Sunday worship service in the Chinese church, it was announced that an evangelistic meeting would be held the following Saturday.

A gathering of 32,000 came for a touch from Jesus at the Manila Miracle Revival in 2008, held at the Araneta Colisuem in Manila.

“My dad eagerly went to that meeting. When the salvation call was given, he raised up his hand. As soon as he did, he could feel a warm glow starting from the tip of his fingers and descending slowly to envelop his entire being.

“At that time, my dad was a sub-agent for the four-digit lottery. He would keep a complicated chart for the purpose of trying to strike the winning numbers. Whatever he had earned from the lottery business was gambled away because he never found a combination of those lucky numbers.

“That night, as soon as my dad came back from the evangelistic meeting, he destroyed all his lottery records and charts. Nobody told him that it was wrong. He just knew it.

“We were very curious why he had this sudden urge to go to church that Sunday. So we asked him. From his lips unfolded this amazing story.

“One morning, he was mopping the floor of my room. As he was doing so on his hands and knees, he saw Jesus Christ, in a physical manifestation, walk over his hand. He was taken aback.

“The following week, while my dad was doing the same chore, Jesus appeared once again in like manner. 

“He knew in his heart that Jesus Christ had come to live in his house because two of his sons believed in Him. That was how he finally gave his heart to Christ.”

“Going Home” 

Ps Rony wrote many songs and recorded a number of albums. “Going Home” was a song he wrote on September 27, 2011 — exactly 13 years before his memorial service today.

Many times in my childhood
when we traveled so far
By nightfall how weary
I’d grown

Father’s arms would slip
around me
And gently he said
My child, we are going home

Going home
I’m going home
There is nothing to hold me here
I’ve caught a glimpse
of that heavenly land
Praise God, I am going home

Now the twilight is fading
and the day soon shall end
I get home sick the farther
I roam
But my Father has led me
each step of the way

Ps Rony conducting a Miracle Service at Lighthouse Evangelism.

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OFJ is “an invitation for every Christian to bring at least one person to Christ within the next 10 years.”

Going beyond churches and denominations, OFJ issues a clarion call to every Christian to obey Jesus’s Great Commission. Those who take up the invitation to make the 1/10 Promise are called Fire-starters, individuals who boldly evangelise those yet to know Jesus.

Surveys show that most Christians are keen to share the gospel with non-believers, but don’t know how. OFJ offers many forms of support for would-be evangelists.

“The heart of evangelism is the heart of the Father: Father God wants to bring the lost son home, bring the lost sheep home,” said OFJ founder Jason Wong at the movement’s Fan The Fire event on August 17. “The how — the methods — can come later.”

The following inspiring testimonies were shared by Fire-starters at Fan The Fire.

Ai Qin: “I use every day to live for Jesus and to share the gospel”

At 78 years old, Ai Qin leads a life dedicated to sharing the gospel through intentional evangelism.

Her mission is simple: to reach out to those around her, build genuine relationships, and ultimately lead them to Christ. Her approach is as gentle as it is effective, reflecting the warmth of God’s love in her everyday interactions.

Ai Qin’s passion for the Lord is infectious: Through her kopitiam outreach, she has shared Jesus with countless and seen many salvations.

Frequenting her neighbourhood kopitiam (coffee shop) for meals or drinks, Ai Qin doesn’t just sit quietly—she intentionally engages with her neighbours. With her friendly smile, she makes it easy for people to approach her and share their lives.

Through these interactions, Ai Qin builds meaningful relationships, inviting her newfound friends to her home for meals. As these bonds deepen, she eventually invites them to church, offering them not just friendship, but a community centered on faith.

Over the past two years, she has led nearly 20 people to her church, with 10 of them accepting Christ and being baptised.

Reflecting on her mission, Ai Qin says, “My life is given by God. So I use every day to live for Jesus and to share the gospel, to be a testimony for Him.”

One particular encounter stands out. Last year, while at the hawker center, a woman sitting nearby complimented Ai Qin, calling her beautiful.

In response, Ai Qin said, “It’s because I’m a Christian. I have inner peace and joy in my heart. That’s why I’m beautiful!”

She used the moment to invite the woman to church, saying, “Do you want to be joyful and beautiful too? Come to church with me. We have a ‘happiness’ group, and you’ll meet many friends.”

Though the woman didn’t accept the invitation immediately, Ai Qin remained patient, respecting her decision and continuing to gently encourage her. Eventually, the woman joined Ai Qin for dinner at her home, where she learned more about Christ. In time, she attended the church’s happiness group, accepted Christ, and was baptised last December.

Not every encounter ends with immediate conversion, but Ai Qin doesn’t lose heart. “Not everyone will accept Christ on the spot,” she admits, “but I will not lose my fire and passion for sharing the gospel.”

There was another neighbour from another religion. Ai Qin invited her to her home for a meal, offering warmth and friendship. She shared the gospel, brought her to church, and introduced her to the “happiness” group. This neighbour also accepted Christ and was baptised this past May.

“I thank God for putting me here. All glory goes to Him!” Ai Qin declares, humbly acknowledging that her role is merely to plant the seeds of faith, while God brings the growth.

In just two years, Ai Qin’s unwavering commitment to living out her faith has transformed lives. Through kindness, hospitality, and a passion for sharing the gospel, she has brought countless people closer to Christ.

Pastor Amadea Seow: Pray, listen, eat, serve then share

Pastor Amadea’s approach to evangelism begins with prayer, listening, eating and serving others’ needs before sharing the gospel.

This philosophy played a crucial role in leading Aaron and his family to Christ during what she describes as a divine appointment. Pastor Amadea first met Aaron’s wife through a friend who attended their church, Maranatha Christian Assembly.

Ps Amadea’s (left) gentle outreach to Aaron’s wife, and later to Aaron drew the couple close to Christ.

Before Aaron came into the picture, Pastor Amadea and a group of church leaders had been learning a powerful evangelism tool called “Conversational Gospel.”

This simple, conversational approach, based on John 3:16, was introduced by Brother Alfred Tan, who emphasised that sharing the gospel doesn’t need to be intimidating.

“It can be simple and powerful,” Pastor Amadea recalls, as the church offered the tool to anyone interested in evangelism. Many became eager to learn and practise it.

After praying for Aaron’s wife and building a relationship through a few meetings, Pastor Amadea met Aaron when he came to pick up his wife. Feeling prompted by God, she invited them over for dinner.

During their meal, Pastor Amadea felt a divine nudge to share John 3:16 with him. To her amazement, Aaron asked, “How can I give my life to Jesus?” She responded, “It’s easy, let’s just pray,” and right there, Aaron accepted Christ into his life, while his wife rededicated hers.

Since that night, both Aaron and his wife have been baptised and are now fervently pursuing their faith. “They are really hungry to grow in the Lord,” Pastor Amadea shares, thankful for the way God orchestrated this life-changing encounter.

Aaron’s Testimony: From Freethinker to Follower of Christ

Aaron did not grow up in a Christian home. His family practised Buddhism, and his parents separated.

Growing up, he was a freethinker, uninterested in religion. In the past, his prayers were directed toward short-term desires like wealth and health, but he never truly sought a deeper spiritual connection.

During a particularly stressful period, when his wife was pregnant with their third child, Aaron felt a deep anxiety about finances.

After accepting Jesus, Aaron had a powerful encounter with God through a dream.

Although he had started attending church, he found himself closed off, unable to share his concerns even with his wife. The only person he could talk to was God. “I asked Him to guide me,” Aaron recalls, explaining how this internal dialogue with God became a lifeline for him.

One night, Aaron dreamt of a man bathed in light, holding a chubby baby boy. At the time, Aaron and his wife didn’t know the gender of their baby, but Aaron woke up certain that it was a boy.

When he shared this with his wife, she doubted it, thinking it was just his imagination. However, a week later, a visit to the doctor confirmed the baby’s gender—it was indeed a boy.

“It was a sign of how God communicates with me,” Aaron says, reflecting on the powerful experience.

When his son was born, Aaron felt that God had spoken directly to him through the dream, igniting a deeper passion for God’s presence and power.

Since becoming a Christian, Aaron says his life has transformed. Thanks to the warm and loving community at church, he is no longer closed off emotionally and has learned to share his struggles with his wife and those around him.

“Jesus has helped me a lot in my transformation. I do not regret and will always follow Jesus.”

Georgie Lee: Art as a gateway to encountering Jesus

What if you could bring the truth of the gospel to people in a way that feels both accessible and inviting?

For Georgie, the former president of marketplace ministry Gatekeepers, and his family, the answer came through art.

Led by the Holy Spirit, they founded Sound of Art, a Christian social enterprise that uses art as a tool for evangelism while also supporting emerging Christian artists.

Georgie firmly believes that art can be a gateway for people to encounter God. In their own home, the family has a collection of paintings that depict significant biblical events, including the creation story and the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

When visitors see the paintings and ask about them, it naturally opens the door for Georgie and his family to share the gospel. By simply explaining the meaning behind the artwork, they bring others into a deeper understanding of God’s story.

Through his gallery Sound of Art, Georgie Lee finds many opportunities to share about God and the Bible with non-believing customers.

Many of Sound of Art’s customers are non-believers. However, Georgie and his team view every sale not just as a transaction, but as an opportunity to connect deeply with people.

They hand-deliver each painting to buyers. During these deliveries, they make a point to engage in meaningful conversation, often sharing the message behind the artwork the customer has purchased. Many customers express genuine curiosity and excitement about the deeper meaning of the pieces.

To make their art more accessible to non-believers, Sound of Art describes several pieces as being inspired by an “ancient proverb” rather than quoting the Bible directly.

This subtle approach piques curiosity and invites questions, allowing non-believers to explore the message of the artwork without feeling overwhelmed by labels.

Recently, Sound of Art partnered with the Church of the Holy Spirit to turn a traditional Good Friday service into a unique art exhibition.

Historically, this service primarily attracted existing believers. But transforming it into an art exhibition drew in many pre-believers who were intrigued by the artwork.

The exhibition featured eight paintings, each representing a key moment from the trial of Jesus to His death and resurrection.

Volunteers were equipped to share the story behind the paintings and, in doing so, the gospel. This experience not only impacted visitors but also empowered the volunteers to become confident in sharing their faith.

One painting, symbolising God’s light, left a deep impression on a non-believer who expressed seeing light and hope through the artwork.

A Christian couple, who had struggled with mental health issues, purchased paintings that reflected their healing journey. These pieces now serve as powerful visual testimonies, which the couple uses to share with others about God’s work in their lives.

Through the medium of art, Georgie and his family are finding creative ways to share the gospel in a non-intimidating and engaging manner.

By bridging the gap between the sacred and the everyday, they are opening new pathways for people to experience God’s love and truth through art.

Inspired? Why not make the pledge to bring 1 person to Christ over the next 10 years? Make the 1/10 faith pledge  today!

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Statistics show that evangelism has been on the down trend for a good part of the past decade.  

At “Fan The Fire”, an event held by One For Jesus on August 17, founder Jason Wong returned to the issue at hand: the Church is dying unless every Christian does something.

Jason is also the founder of the Yellow Ribbon Project and the Dads For Life movement.

“In certain Western countries, church buildings have become museums, become cafes, become entertainment venues,” he told the gathering. 

“In Singapore, when HDB too expensive, we complain to the government. MRT not okay? We complain to the government. 

“The Church is dying? We have no one to complain to; we only have ourselves to blame if that ever happens, and that’s why we are all here today,” said Jason to the room.

OFJ is an invitation for every Christian to bring at least one person to Christ within the next 10 years. 

Fan The Fire, held on August 17, saw 120 Fire-starters and friends in attendance.

It is built on the understanding that the Great Commission belongs not just to the evangelists, missionaries or pastors, but each one who professes Jesus as Lord.

The movement’s vision and mission is very simple, said Jason, “To ignite, to mobilise every Christian in every church to share the love of God, to share the gospel with those who still do not know the love of Jesus.”

He added: “The whole idea for the One For Jesus movement is to raise the water level so that every church, every Christian organisation, can float, every church can grow.”

The theme song of OFJ is “Pass It On”. “It only takes a spark to get the fire going, and soon all those around will warm up to His glory,” paraphrased Jason. “That’s how it is with God’s love. Once they experience it, they want to spread His love to everyone, they want to pass it on.

“All of us have this spark in us — that’s why we call all those who are part of OFJ, Fire-starters.”

What Evangelism 2.0 is

In the last three years since inception, Jason has shared the vision and mission of OFJ with many churches and para-church organisations, some of which have incorporated evangelism into their DNA.

The movement organises learning and sharing sessions across a network of pastors and leaders, offering them a platform to connect. Every one has a role to play no matter where they stand.

Jason said: “If you have something to offer, you come and share. If you want to learn something, you come and learn. If you don’t need this, that means we need you: Can you come and share how to start a fire? Then those of us who need some fire can catch the fire from you.”

Believers are now in the age of Evangelism 2.0, which are marked by several elements:

1. Not the How, but the Heart of evangelism

“The heart of evangelism is the heart of the Father: Father God wants to bring the lost son home, bring the lost sheep home,” he explained. “The how — the methods — can come later.”

2. The “new wine skin”

“Let’s keep doing programmes and events, but it is about personal evangelism on a mass scale,” he noted. “This phrase came from Bishop Rennis Ponniah when he was sharing at one of the roadshows for Celebration of Hope (2019). You see, the Celebration of Hope is not a big event at the Stadium; it is actually mass evangelism, personal evangelism on a mass scale.”

Jason shared how the Lord led him to rethink evangelism. In the past, one evangelist like Billy Graham or Reinhard Bonnke reached thousands and saved thousands. But now, how about thousands reaching one or two each? We will still see thousands saved.”

Jason reminded the gathering: “The heart of evangelism is the heart of the Father: Father God wants to bring the lost son The how — the methods — can come later.”

3. As one for the One

Forging a unity and synergy in evangelistic efforts across the entire Body of Christ. We are in this together.

4. Ecclesia organised by segments

Jason told of how, in his 17 years in the Singapore Prison Service, he had volunteers from churches and ministries who came into the prison to share Christ with the inmates, and how, when one inmate got saved, he would go back to his cell and tell the others. 

His challenge: Why not replicate this ecosystem in sectors like the marketplace or the digital world, effectively going into “all the world”?

He told of an 18-year-old who was a highly-skilled MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) player who rose to the top of his online “kingdom” and amassed a large digital tribe.

Such digital spheres offer anonymity, and he found himself in a leadership position, being approached by 40something CEOs who would confide in him about work and family.

“That’s an 18-year-old boy discipling a 40-year-old CEO!” Jason noted.

OFJ is here to support such radical rethinking of the harvest field, which exists all over different segments of society and community.

5. All things to all men

There is no single method or approach to evangelism. “All things” refers to all tools and all methods.

Don’t keep the mindset that evangelism has to be a gathering of thousands. Whatever is available to you, whether it’s a gathering of three, or a Christmas event, just go ahead and evangelise. 

6. OFJ’s 1/10 Promise

Bring one person to Christ in 10 years — that’s OFJ’s invitation to every Christian to make a promise to evangelise. This will lead to double the Christian population in 10 years. 

To that end, every Christian must be equipped and mobilised to bring the Good News to those who do not yet know Him.

Come to the table

“Jesus always invited people, or He always got into the homes of people and they always ate,” Jason noted. 

“When you come to the table, it can be half an hour to three hours. And what do you do? You talk: You talk about life, you share needs, and then you can BLESS.”

Whether it’s a huge Christmas event or just a gathering of three, take every opportunity to evangelise, said OFJ founder Jason Wong.

B.L.E.S.S is a strategy that has been proven to work, particularly in food-loving Singapore. He unpacked the acronym: “Begin with prayer. Listen. Eat. Serve. Share.” 

Jason illustrated it with a testimony he received from a 70-year-old grandfather in the Elijah 7000 network.

The grandfather would go daily to his neighbourhood coffee shop to drink his morning coffee at 6.30am. He felt led by God to befriend a 30-year-old named Alan (not his real name), and would chat with him each time they met.

Over the course of several years, Alan confided in him about his gambling and money problems. The grandfather, prompted by the love of God, advised him to quit gambling.

Some time later, the grandfather heard a knock on his door one day and was surprised to see Alan. The younger man asked Alan to help him quit gambling.

“I told him I couldn’t help him, but Jesus can,” said the grandfather. “Guess what? That very day, Alan accepted Christ.”

Since then, the grandfather and his wife have been following up with Alan regularly, always inviting him to come to the table. He gives Alan Bible study while his wife teaches Alan English.

They found out later that another Christian lady in the neighbourhood had been faithfully interceding for Alan’s salvation for many years — all of them acted as one for the One, and brought Alan to Christ.

Fan The Fire was the first in-person gathering of Fire-starters and supporters since its founding in December 2021.

OFJ’s new executive director Steven Say obeyed the Lord to return to Singapore from Melbourne to fulfil the mission and vision of the movement.

Executive Director Steven Say, who stepped into the role after OFJ’s former ED Pastor Alan Tay returned to pastor Petra Community, told Salt&Light that OFJ is at “a critical juncture”.

“Jason has gone to over 40 churches to cast the vision. Close to 1,400 Fire-starters have pledged to win one soul for Jesus in 10 years,” he said.

Calling the event “long overdue”, Steven says the OFJ team plan to actively engage those who have made the 1/10 Promise, to reach out to different sectors and engage in deeper dialogue.

He said: “It’s time to spread the fire.”

Click here to read the testimonies of Fire-starters and their unique methods of evangelism.

Would you like to make the pledge to bring 1 person to Christ over the next 10 years? Make the 1/10 faith pledge today!

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