Freshmen Alert!

"What's in store for me in Campus Crusade?" you may ask. Don't worry, we asked some seniors about how they grew spiritually through our regular ministry events.

Weekly Discipleship Group (DG) Meetings

Enting (middle) and disciples"I've grown in more ways than one - to learn how to love, to stand in the gap and to be commited to each other. My dg mates challenge me to stretch my level of faith and they are always there to walk me through happy and sad moments in my uni life." - Koh En Ting, ACC/3

Weekly Crossroads Meetings

"I'm just really encouraged by how enthusiastic people are about the things of God. It wakes me up from my sleepy times, and keeps my walk with God accountable." - Jane Xie, CS/3

Weekly Blitz (Campus Outreach Event)

"Blitz: A window to evangelism, a faith step to bigger faith. Blitz showed me how blinded people are to the truth and reinforces my burden for the lost." - Eugenia Loh, MSE/3

Weekly Prayer Meetings

"I have learnt to pray and intercede for something bigger than the myopic world that I see. I started to have a burden for the campus, rather than just my circle of family and friends. The Great Commission became more tangible for me, and I learnt that prayer is an important pillar for every work we do, if not, it is leaning on our own strength" - Teo Huimin, CBE/3

Gen12ii Missions

Gen12 ii (Thailand)"I think Gen 12ii really enabled me to impact the lives of others through the word of God. At the same time, living with fellow Christians for a period of time serves as a retreat from the world and focus on the Lord. It is very fulfilling to be able to share the gospel with the elderly!" - See-Toh Waiyin, MSE/4 (She went for a mission trip last year to Bethany Nursing Home for the elderly.)

Leading a Discipleship Group (Being a Spiritual Multiplier)

"Being a Spiritual Multiplier has taught me to trust God more. Even during times when the going was tough, by God's strength, I was still able to look towards Him. Through the tough times, He has strengthened my character significantly. It is only by serving Him that we can see how great He truly is." - Andrew Tang, MSE/3

Leading Non-Christians in an Evangelistic Bible Study (GIG)

Sharing Christ"The time I spent as a GIG leader helped me grow spiritually because some of the questions asked by the non-Christians are really tough! Due to the GIG sessions, I found myself reading the word of God more. To those who are considering being a GIG leader – Go for it! It's truly a rewarding experience." - Jason Tan, Graduate

Naked i Campaign: Love, Sex and Relationships

Dear Crusaders,

Valentine’s Day is approaching in two weeks time, and I confess that I’m excited! But it’s not because I have a boyfriend. (Laughs…)

This year, Valentine’s Day presents a window of opportunity for us to reach out to our non-Christian friends. It’s a day when many people celebrate love.

What is Naked i Campaign?

Love, sex and relationships are the foremost issues on the hearts of most young people nowadays. By discussing these issues, we are connecting with what our friends really care about, and creating an avenue for them to hear about God’s love.
In order to leverage on this opportunity, Campus Crusade for Christ will be distributing a magazine to all NTU students. This magazine discusses these issues of love and sex in a refreshing manner, and presents our Christian stance subtly.

What will be happening?

In addition to the magazine distribution, there will be talks about addictive relationships and a testimony from a guy who struggled with his sexuality and found freedom. There will also be a Hangout @ NTU party where your friends can chill out with great music from Soul2Soul, a band from the Crusade music ministry, ForeRunners. These events are aimed at bringing NTU students a step closer to God.

Why are we doing this?

Because God loves NTU, and thus, we want to reach out to every student. By putting a magazine in their hands, we hope to guide them on their quest of true love, so that they will finish their search with God.

How can I participate?

1. Pray for the Naked i Campaign. It is an essential part of this spiritual war.
2. Help with the magazine distribution. Watch your email for more details.
3. Invite your friends to the talks and the party. Grab a flyer or send your friend an invite through email/Facebook.
4. Learn how to engage your friends regarding spiritual issues. Trust God to give you words to say.
5. Use our resources as talking points for spiritual conversations. Be creative!

What resources are available?

Besides the magazine, you can also use photographs and short films for discussions with your friends.
Publicize Crusade’s evangelistic website (everystudent.com) on your MSN nick/ blogs/ Facebook. Check out our Facebook group “Naked I @ NTU” and help create a buzz there!

☺ Charis Cheong
Editor

Working in the Harvest Field of NTU

Jonathan Tan, a second year engineering student, talks about labouring in the harvest field through discipling four guys.

By Charlene Tan

1) What made you want to become a Spiritual Multiplier (SM)?
My SM approached me, and I prayed about it. I did not have any prior experience in leading discipleship groups or cell group. Thus, initially I was a little overwhelmed when I was asked to take up the role. I prayed and asked for a clear sign if I should disciple others. It was 2 days before the deadline, when I read during my Quiet Time a verse in 1 Timothy 4:12, which says "do not be ashamed of your youth". That verse struck me because I interpreted it that if God calls to do His work, He will equip you and make sure you are adequate and that is why I decided to take up the challenge to be an SM.

2) How is the training like?
We were trained during the SM retreat, which took place during the holidays at Changi Fairy Point Chalet 2. It was a 2-days, 1-night program. They taught us how to call up our contacts. We learnt how to ask them in a polite manner. Those were the more basic things taught. Then, we also learnt discipleship skills.

3) What was the most helpful skill you picked up?
For me, the most important thing I learnt is that when you take a discipleship group (DG), it is to let God direct the flow and not be the person driving the flow. For example, instead of just skimming through a verse, we would break down a verse and emphasize certain words on why it is used and the meaning behind its usage. The open communication and learning from one another is what I like most about DG.

Also, you should avoid being a 'super SM', a perfect role model, but more importantly, to see yourself as a facilitator during the DG sessions and let God teach everyone in a personal way.

4) Were you given sufficient help?
Yes. I did not experience much difficulty in 'recruiting' my disciples, because a few were already quite keen, so I am thankful for that. And it is also God's way of answering my prayer. Because during the retreat, they reminded us to pray before we call them. And I asked God that if it is in His will, He would provide me with a group where we can learn and read God's Word together.

5) Does being an SM mean that you will be thrown into the 'deep waters'?
Not really. I find the calling up of people on your own, although it may seem scary, is quite vital because this is the real world. Things are not always prepared or done for us. Sometimes we will face obstacles along the way, and it is good training.

6) Will there be help?
Yea, there will be encouragement and prayer and support from Derrick, the head of the SM's for the North side. (Editor's note: And all the staff too!) I feel that prayer is more important.

7) What is the most fulfilling experience you had?
It would be during the recent Metamorphosis camp. I was very encouraged to see two of my disciples turn up for the camp. Just to see the way that their hearts are transformed and they have a deeper longing to know God on a deeper level. When they start asking me questions about Quiet Time, I can sense their longing to be right with God and have a closer walk with Him through this New Year. I was very encouraged by that.

8) How have you benefited from being an SM?
Since I have to spend time with my own DG and my disciples, I had to learn better time management. But on a more godly level, it is a great feeling to see my disciples and I growing together. There is a pillar of support and encouragement, and when we learn new things or gain insights, DG time is a great time to share and learn from one another's experience. DG also provides for accountability to one another in our Christian walk.

9) What were some of the struggles that you faced with?
Initially I struggled with time management. However, the benefit was that I learned to manage my time well. Initially I had concerns like how it will affect my studies. However surprisingly, the more I help out or avail myself for God, my results get better. That is how I am assured that God answered my prayer. Thus, there is no need to be overly worried.

Freshmen Orientation Camp 2007

Workshop 1: Grey AreasWhat is your favourite part of the camp?

"The workshops were very good and the topics were very relevant. I enjoyed socializing with my team, especially with Jeremy."
Tan Keng Tiong, BUS, year 2

"The worship was brought down to a simple level without drums. It reminded me that worship is not about fanciful instruments."
Yee Minyi, HSS, year 1

Together we stand"The games were not very demanding, but allowed room for teamwork and encouragement, for example, the ping pong ball game."
Deborah Lee, HSS, year 1

What are your feelings towards the camp?

"I realized the purpose of my 4 years (in NTU) and the videos spoke to me."
Sandar Koh, Maritime Studies, year 1

Lovely girls"Organizing the camp placed in my heart a burden to mentor the freshies."
Julian Tan, MSE, year 2

What are some challenges in organizing the camp?

"We had a lot of needs but God provided. What touched me most was that (the camp committee) prayed for 30 freshies and God has brought in more than 30."
Zeke Gao, Camp Coordinator

See the FOC photo gallery!

By Michelle Tay and Charis Cheong

God Made A Difference in me

Crusaders share how God changed their hearts to live for Him.

"I was very lost," began David Lee, a first-year student at the School of Art, Design and Media (SADM).

"Everything was happening at the same time," he said, "The tough environment at OCS (Officer Cadet School) was getting to me, my girlfriend and I had just broken up and my future didn't seem bright at all."

David accepted Christ when he was six years old at a Christmas party, but stopped going to church at the age of fourteen, indulging in the secular world for ten years.

"I wouldn't even call myself a Christian then," he said, "For ten years, I didn't do anything that would glorify the name of the Lord."

But things changed early last year when David felt that he could not rely on himself any longer and prayed for direction for the first time in ten years. During the application process to SADM, David found direction in life once again as God removed the obstacles through prayer. He joined the Freshmen Orientation Camp to know more Christians who would encourage him through the trials and temptations of university life.
Eugenia, fourth from the left

Eugenia Loh, a second-year Materials Science and Engineering student, shares the same experience. Born into a Christian family and baptized when she was six months old, she dropped out of church at the age of seven. In December 2002, Eugenia joined the dance ministry in her church after much encouragement from her tutor. She was then attending a church-organized tuition program. Through the dance ministry, she realized that dance could be a form of outreach, praise and worship.

However, she admits to being a "ninja crusader", a term used for students who choose to play a minimal part in Campus Crusade. Choosing hall activities and netball training over Discipleship Group (DG) sessions, she only realized God's purpose for her on campus during a personal retreat with God in May this year.

"I know that God has placed me in NTU for a reason, and it was amazing how He opened doors for me in Crusade to be a group leader and emcee at FOC," Eugenia said with a smile.

Christened "M.A.D. camp", the focus of the camp was to "make a difference" in the lives of others. Held from 25th to 28th July at NTU Hall 13, it was a time of fellowship between freshmen and seniors, as well as a time of refreshing to draw closer to God. Despite getting dirty and wet during the day games around campus, the start and end of each day brought the hearts of each and every camper to God through the worship sessions and various testimonies.

Happy Hour!

Charlene sharingIn a cosy, serene corner of Canteen B, several crusaders set up tables with laptops and refreshments in preparation for the evangelistic Happy Hour- a friendly and gradual approach to help pre-believers find out about God.

After an ice breaker, everybody broke up into small groups with a fair mix of the pre-believers and crusaders. Each group gathered around a table to watch a short film called La Búsqueda on the laptop.

La Búsqueda (The Search) is a touching story of a loving father who persistently tries to bring his wayward daughter back to him. It is an interesting parallel to how our Heavenly Father unceasingly seeks us, motivated purely by His unconditional love for us.

Watching the short filmAfter watching the film, the groups discussed the issues presented. Many shared openly about what they identified with in the film, and what they learnt from it.

One of the participants, Huang Yi, a first year EEE student said that "children should try to understand (their parents) more, and do more things for them".

Similarly, Sauvigon, a SCI Masters student, said she learned that "the Father loves us and we should give something back to our Father and keep in contact with Him".

Sharing their opinions about the filmBoth of them and the rest of the 12 pre-believers agreed to find out more about God through the Groups Investigating God bible study. Praise the Lord! Let us pray for the salvation of these new friends!

By Yang Lin Jin

Love it and Sex It

By Michelle Tay

In Singapore, people lose their virginity at around 18.4 years old. As the world strives to lift the lid that limits the permissiveness and definition of sex, it is time we get down to the basics and plant ourselves firmly in God's perspective of sex. God set boundaries for us, because He knows and wants the best for us.

Before we reach out to our friends during the Love and Sex campaign next year, we need to clearly understand what God says about it.

Here are some points from the recent South Crossroads.

What is sex?
Sex is God's design and gift for enjoyment and procreation between man and woman, united in marriage. Sex (sexuality) is God's design and gift. (Genesis 1:26-27 & Psalm 139: 16-17)

•   God created us in His image, male and female, in utmost care
•   We embrace our sexuality.
•   We reflect God differently but equally and glorify God with our sexuality

What is sex for?
Sex is for enjoyment and procreation. (Songs of Solomon & Genesis 1:28)

•   But enjoyment of this gift is only right within the stated rule

Who is sex for?
Sex is between man and woman, united in marriage. (Genesis 2:18-25)

•   It is for married couples to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth
•   Those who indulge in it and refuse to repent will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Rooming together
The heart is deceitful beyond all measures (Jeremiah 17:9). Don't trust your heart in this aspect, and don't tempt yourself.

Why does pre-marital sex still happen among Christians?
Due to peer pressure, for experimentation, or in a serious relationship. But it cheapens sex and spoils the true beautiful meaning of dating; dating is to explore each other's mind and spirit, not the body.

A good guiding principle:
If Jesus is sitting next to you now, what will you do? And what should you not do?

What if I already blew it?
•   Admit to yourself it is a sin
•   Confess your sins to God
•   Accept God's forgiveness and forgive yourself
•   Genuinely repent
•   Forgive those who have hurt you
•   Move on from past sins

We all need significance and security, but God intends to meet these needs in Him. There is hope in Christ. He saw us in our worse state but yet He chose to love us. Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again (Proverbs 24:16).

Love me, please?

By Charis Cheong
Prayer by Juliana Chee

As a missionary in the war-torn East Timor, my aunt met a girl from East Asia who was looking for work there. Seeing that she was alone in a strange land, my aunt and a fellow missionary befriended her and told her about Jesus during bible study sessions.

But the 20+ year-old constantly sought attention and motherly love from my aunt. (Her mother mistreated her when she was growing up.) Naturally, that didn't satisfy her need. To swallow her pain, she started to smoke and drink. Recently, she tried to kill herself.

She was desperately looking for love. But in all the wrong places.

Underneath the facade that says everything is alright, there are many people who are hurting and looking for real love. They may seem happy and successful on the outside, but it's a different story within.

Perhaps he is that intelligent and outspoken Dean's list scholar. Perhaps she is that well-dressed model with the looks, the grades and the boyfriend. Or maybe a friend of yours.

They are screaming out to you. SILENTLY.

In junior college, I worked on a project with a girl who was always smiling. The weariness of the day didn't seem to affect her happy personality. Yet, she committed suicide a few weeks later.

Later, her best friend told me about the online journals that she kept- filled with dark, depressing thoughts. She was shouting out to the world for help through her online poems. But did anybody hear?

Through her, I learnt to see people as who they really are – people in need of God's love. And what is God's love?

God's love lasts forever
"The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."" Jer 31:3

God loves you so much that even your sadness is precious to Him
"You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." Psalm 56:8 (NLT)

God thinks that you're great!
"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zeph 3:17

God's love is the only effective medicine for the hole in our hearts. Have you felt it before? Something in you is crying out for love. To be loved fully and deeply and accepted just as you are.

The arms of a boyfriend will not satisfy. Neither will sex with a girlfriend. Not to mention the highest accolades and success in life.

Only God satisfies.

If you have a hole in your heart that longs for love, will you turn to God and ask Him to fill you? Trust me, He will. Though you cannot touch Him physically, He is there. And ready to show you how much He loves you as your Father.

Then, secured in God's love, would you tell others about the answer to their deepest needs? They might laugh at you, or reject you. Don't be afraid. God's love is what they desperately want to know.

Next year, we will be using this heartfelt issue to reach out to our generation. We will be distributing magazines that discuss love and sex issues, and gently present our Christian stance. You can use the the campaign and the follow-up events to reach out to your friends and tell them of the true love that satisfies.

Would you pray this prayer with me?

Dear Lord,
I confess that I have so often looked for love in the wrong places. I open my heart to You-- every dark corner-- for Your light and love to shine in. I praise You for Your love that does not die. Thank you for loving me with Your whole heart and soul (Jer 32:40-41). I want to be captivated by You anew, and let Your love overflow from me to the world.
In Jesus's name, Amen.

Meta Oei!

Hear what Meta is like!

By Yang Lin Jin

"The wonderful friendships forged during the camp, the enriching workshops, the prayer labyrinth experience, the exciting Project X... I thank God for the Meta experience."
Dennis Wong, BUS/3

"After Meta, I learned what it really means to let go of the things that I cling on dearly and trust in God to take care of these areas."
Ng Yee Wei, ACC/2

What is Selina doing?"Meta has helped me to see the bigger picture of God’s movement in the campus. I learnt that God is serious about the campuses in Singapore."
Anton Wibowo, MSE/3

"Project X was a good chance to test my faith because it was my first time doing street evangelism. It helped me to experience how it feels like to depend on God as I talk to strangers."
Esther Oon, SBS/3

Ministry Leaders' Appreciation Night

Derek's disciples smother him with love!It was a night like no other, when North Crusaders gathered in NIE TR5A last Thursday for the annual North Ministry Leaders' Appreciation Night.

The event kicked off with a refreshing worship led by the first year male crusaders. Thereafter the crusaders were treated to a wide array of items presented by the disciples to their dearest SMs and GLs.

Like true disciples, Juliana's disciples practise what they've learnt from her by making her memorise verses on the spot.The night's programme featured several entertaining and touching videos of disciples expressing their heartfelt thanks and well-wishes to their dearest SMs, 'live' testimonies about how their SMs had impacted their lives, and special performances dedicated to their leaders.

For instance, Champ's disciple, Eugene, did an enthralling mime to the song 'Thank You' by Ray Boltz that left the audience in awe.

Selina's DG did a light-hearted video of how Selina had used creative ways to "drill" the memory verses into them, such as pasting the verses under innocuous-looking pudding cups!

Eileen's disciples put up a music performance which included a song written specially for her, and made her feel like a pageant queen when they presented her with a prestigious Best DGL Award.

The night was finalized with a closing speech by Tony, who reminded the crusaders that "this (discipleship) chapter will always stay with you" and that it is a "highlight of our Christian journey".

It surely is, thanks to the effort and dedication of the SMs and GLs!

By Yang Lin Jin

Never the same again

An annual tertiary student conference, Metamorphosis aims to impact the lives of students. Business students Tan Meng Choo and Jeremy Wee tell us how their lives were transformed.

Tan Meng Choo

Meng Choo

What were you like before Metamorphosis?

I was a very quiet and judgmental person trying to live a life of rules and regulations. I was very mean, harsh and sarcastic. I demanded a lot from others and myself. I suppressed a lot of my emotions and put up a front.

What happened during the camp?

Before the first night conference, I was flipping through the sermon notes and laughing at the "rubbish topics".

"Legalism, I'm suffering from it? I don't believe it."

However, halfway through the message, I was crying. I realized how much I was missing out in my walk with God.

On subsequent nights, I realized that I had unresolved issues that led to my legalistic attitude. For example, I found out that I did not forgive my church leaders. Though I was very angry, I didn't express it.

When I went for the altar call, I felt that the wall between God and me was broken down. It was the first time that I went out in faith to receive what I was lacking.

Now, I'm free to be who God created me to be, and this freedom brought about the liberty to be nicer and less critical.

Jeremy Wee

Jeremy Wee

What were you like before?

I'm a third Generation Christian, but I didn't understand what it meant to be a Christian. I went to church and was involved in the church ministry, but I didn't pray much and didn't spend much time with God. I had a relationship with God, but not fellowship with Him.

What happened during Metamorphsis that changed you?

At the start of the camp, we wrote down what we expected God to do during the camp. Very innocently, I wrote that I wanted to experience God's love again. Throughout the camp, I felt God's presence near me. In spite of everything that I did wrong, God was so gracious and loving, and I found myself unable to stop crying. I'm a guy, and I didn't want to cry in front of a lot of people, but I just couldn't control it and I felt very loved. I raised my hands up, looked up and simply could not stop crying.

I could feel that God was wrapping His arms around me. It was really a very heart-warming experience. When everything was cold and you feel a warm hand wrapping around your heart, you cannot describe the feeling. You just have to experience it.

What are you like now?

My life took a 720-degree turn. God filled me with the passion and desire to do things for Him. Now I understand that the joy of the Lord is my strength - when you are happy, nothing can keep you down. Serving God gives you a lot of joy, and that keeps you going everyday. I experience that abundant joy even up to this day.

Throughout the camp, I experienced how God never gave up on me, even though I took everything for granted, abused my parents emotionally, wasn't a good student, and lived my life as though everyone owed me a living. Though I was nothing, God graciously showed me how much happier I could be and how much more I could achieve.

What do you want tell others regarding Metamorphosis?

Go for it and don't be put off by the price. Have faith in God that this will be a life-changing experience. If you find yourself worn out, He can restore your joy. All you need to do is ask Him.

In the camp you'll not only experience God, but also meet new friends, learn more about God and have fun together. Once you go for Metamorphosis and experience what I had experienced, you'll go for it every year. God can only make things better.

Can't afford the camp fees? Click here for great ideas to save money!

Regionalization? Huh???

NTU Campus Crusade will be multiplying into two regions this academic year (2006). Jane Xie finds out more about the process.

When did talk about regionalization start?

Tony Ng (Former staff team leader of the North region): It actually started years ago but never materialized. The idea of regionalization returned during one of the leader's retreats when I was speaking to the group and God kept reminding me about the signs He was showing that regionalization was needed. That was around September 2005.

What signs did God show?

Kenneth Ou: Previous Student CoordinatorKenneth Ou:

• Greater freshman intake
• Birth of new schools like School of Arts, Design and Media, School of Maths and Physical Sciences etc.
• Growth of the ministry, as more come to know the Lord
• Provision of leaders such as the Spiritual Multipliers (SMs) and GIG-Leaders (GLs).
• More signed up for Metamorphosis 2005 (an annual Campus Crusade camp)
• The Vision Tea held around Orientation period was packed with about 150 people- double the usual attendance.

(For more signs, please feel free to ask the staff or leaders.)

What should I expect this coming year?

Tony Ng: on the lower leftTony: Efforts put into rallying and gathering everyone together. As we branch into North and South region respectively, chances are that we may not be as "visible"- you might not see as many people at Crusade Corner as before. But this is also reason for us to strengthen our discipleship. Perhaps activities might have to be cut a little and more efforts pumped into discipleship to foster closer and more bonded disciple communities.

What are the challenges?

Tony:
Short term challenges: settling down and getting used to regionalization i.e. smaller groups for Crossroads and the emotional adjustments to that.

Long term challenges: the areas of spiritual growth of ministry because it is a huge responsibility God has trusted us with. I am concerned about how the ministry leaders can be good shepherds in guiding God's people to a deeper and closer walk with Him. It is really focusing on the growth of individuals. This brings to my mind how King Josiah found the Book of Law, read it to the people who responded to the Word of God with repentance. It is an immense responsibility to be used by God.

Kenneth:
There is a challenge of reaching out effectively to pre-believers because that is one of the main reasons for regionalization – expecting that God will add to our strength. We hope that people will take the challenge to step out of their comfort zone to reach out to the lost.

How can I help?

• Pray for each believer to have a faith heart towards God, especially as the holidays draw near and it is easy to be off-focus in our relationship with the Lord. Everyone has to be on guard for our commission and mission for the Lord.
• Many freshmen will respond when we send out cards to them in the CCA package
• Leadership in the ministry as well. After regionalization, the workload is the same but the strength is halved.
• Wisdom for the leaders and their well-being, e.g. health.
• More Christians in NTU to participate in the work of God.
• Crusaders to grow deeper in knowledge of God.
• The Lord's compassion to be in each crusaders to reach out to the lost, especially the freshmen.

SM Appreciation Night Quotes

Some heartfelt words about SMs from the north...

"i learnt as a disciple that i should not only seek to gain knowledge and draw strength from my SM, but i should also take care of my SM and love and appreciate her, knowing that even though she's sort of my teacher, there will still be times that she might need me to encourage her as well..so that we can all grow strong in the Lord together as a DG."
Teo Huimin CBE/2

"I've really enjoyed being Champ's disciple, to see his love for God and his heart for those around him. A responsible and hardworking SM, he always does his best during our DG sessions, and never fails to challenge me to examine myself and move out of my comfort zone for God."
Eugene Chua SBS/1

"DG under Xinying is always very enjoyable and fruitful, as XY is such a cheerful leader who teaches very effectively. I also feel very open in sharing my recent life stories with the group as XY is very encouraging, and a great advisor and listener!"
Lin Jin SBS/2

"Caroline is such a sweet and loving SM! She never comes on hard on her disciples and she has great patience! Thank you dear! Many thanks for being there to advice me on stuff, not just spiritual stuff but other things in life, you’re more than a sister-in-Christ to me =)"
Rebecca Hum MAE/1

"I learnt to be more intentional in my discipleship process."
Jonathan Lim CE/2

And a few affectionate stabs from the South...

Crystal:
My sm always asks me out to study with her on sundays but all we ever do is chit chat. but through those sessions we grew much closer and i thank her for taking time out to spend with me!

Cody:
My sm, Jeremy, always asks me out for dinner but he end up talking with gals for most of the time. I still love you anyway XD

Ee Jun:
Derek came to us excitedly to challenge us to run the Standchart half marathon. In the end, we challenged him to run the full marathon with us. Still, Derek is a true inspiration to all of us. Next year your turn to run the full!

Ouch! Ouch!

So You Think You can Lead a DG

Enting (middle) with her disciplesBeing a Spiritual Multiplier was a real challenge for me, but it taught me so much. As I was timid, it was after much thought that I took up the challenge of becoming an SM.

What a challenge it was. Building into the lives of others brought me out of my comfort zone. I learned to create opportunities to study with them, organize mini birthday celebrations and witness how my prayers were answered through them.

Answered Prayer

During the evangelism week, I asked God to give me someone to share the gospel with, so that my disciples could learn to witness to strangers. Surprisingly, God sent a girl who did not attend church for some time, but was searching for God. It's amazing how God answered my prayers beyond what I expected!

Through all these, I learned to go all out to love my disciples. Loving them was not in vain. I am filled with joy to see the fruits of that love; to see my disciples step up to serve in the various committees in Campus Crusade.

When two sparks meet, they shine brighter together. Similarly, investing in the lives of others will brighten your life, letting all those around light up in its low. I really urge you to pass on that spark and build into the lives of others.

By Koh En Ting

STOP! Think!

How is your relationship with God? Actively serving God does not mean that you are spiritually healthy, said Mok Shao Hong. What God really wants is not your sacrifice of serving Him, but your whole life.

Shao Hong speakingThe former student coordinator of NTU Campus Crusade for Christ was speaking at the Annual General Meeting two weeks ago. The AGM marked the commissioning of the main committee (Servant Team) for the new academic year, including the new student coordinators Mah Way Champ and Cindy Chu.

Speaking to the newly commissioned leaders, Shao Hong emphasized a right relationship with God because God is more valuable than all other things. He urged the leaders and the ministry to know Christ Jesus and be built up in Him.

Juliana as Chicken LittleAfter the commissioning, the ministry celebrated the birthdays of Crusaders born in August. The celebrations included making Juliana, staff with Campus Crusade, dress up as Chicken Little much to the delight of everyone.

Who's in the Servant Team?

Student Coordinator:
Mah Way Champ, Cindy Chu

Secretary:
Albert Halim

Treasurer:
Anton Wibowo

Prayer:
Teo Huimin, Justina Yee

Discipleship:
Leow Bok Wee, Koh En Ting

Evangelism:
Eugenia Loh, Lim Lee Choon

Crossroads:
Andrea Lee, Huang Peiwen

Communications:
Charis Cheong

Servant Team 07/8

By Michelle Tay

Uniting every NTU Christian in Prayer

Campus Day of PrayerFor the first time, Christians from all over NTU gathered as one body to pray for a revival in the university.

The Campus Day of Prayer last Thursday saw more than 200 students, lecturers and staff interceding for their schools as speaker Lai-Kheng Pousson challenged them to pray for God's presence in NTU.

Mrs Lai-Kheng PoussonShe cast a vision of the university being famous for the Lord's great work in it.

The prayer gathering ended off fourteen days of Engage, a period of seeking the Lord through prayer and fasting.

Praying in groups

United in prayer

Walking with the Vision of a Freshman Again

Wacky EmceesA year ago during the Freshmen Vision Tea, I was ushered into a lecture theatre where I hardly knew anyone. It was my first ‘real' contact with people from NTU Campus Crusade for Christ as a freshman, just as it might have been for the freshmen this year.

This year, looking at the Crusaders dressed in green, my first thought was instead, "You mean there are two Earth Days in a year?" I watched as the green Crusaders eagerly registered the freshmen, stuck a nice name tag on each of them, and guided them into the lecture theatre.

Fun with eggsThe speaker Ivan John shared the choice he made between his involvement in hall activities and that in Campus Crusade. I listened intently as he spoke with conviction of how he chose God over the former and did not regret that decision. After one year in NTU, I know that it is not easy to make the choice and follow through with it faithfully.

Ivan JohnDuring last year's Vision Tea, the speaker talked about finding Christian friends to walk through school with you, building you up in Christ and relighting your passion to witness for God. As a freshman, I found myself nodding in agreement then. It was a nice thought, and seemed like a good idea.

But as I look back now, I can see many things that threatened to and sometimes succeeded in taking my time away from God. Chief of these are friends, personal entertainment and our favourite excuse, studies. God became secondary when I spent time with the people I loved, put Him aside when there was a more urgent test the next day, or engaged in all kinds of activities that were more appealing than a quiet retreat with Him.

Student TestimoniesThe message this year, however, showed how living for God starts with a commitment and genuine desire to give God more of yourself. The inspiring student testimonies by Janice and Champ explained how living for God meant making the effort to effectively juggle the Christian life and the project-cum-schoolwork life. For the speaker Ivan John, the committed decision to place God at the very top of his life gave him victory.

A freshman asked me that day after glancing around the room, "How come there aren't a lot of people?" The lecture theater was not filled physically that night, but it was filled with much greater things: the Holy Spirit, and people lifting up their hearts to God, committing to place Him on the highest throne of their lives.

As our freshmen face similar pressures and distractions this year, let us continue to pray that they will choose God above all else, trusting in His words in Matthew 6:33 "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

By Chermaine Ong

We took our first step!

At the first official regional Crossroads. Last week's Crossroads seemed like just any other session. But it was actually history in the making. This is the first regional crossroads since NTU Campus Crusade multiplied into two regions this academic year.

Why regionalize?

Tony Ng, staff with Campus Crusade, explains.

Firstly, it is to sharpen efforts to reach out to different kinds of schools. Engineering schools in the North regions have different discipleship and evangelism needs from Business or Communication schools in the South region.

Secondly, it is "a call of the ministry". The Christian environment in NTU is "cold" as the other Christian groups are not functioning well. Thus, there is a need to double efforts to do God's work in NTU.

Thirdly, it is God's call for us. God has put regionalization in the hearts of the staff and sent signs to confirm the move.

"It is always best to go when God shows (the way) instead of doing it out of excitement because excitement dies down," Tony said.

What is your heart for this ministry?

Mok Shao HongFormer Student Coordinator, Mok Shao Hong, shares his thoughts.

When I think about that question, I ask "What does God want for the ministry?" and "What is God's heart for me?"; before what I want for the ministry. I realize that the answer is love – a ministry after God's heart, which finds its deepest satisfaction and delight in loving God. All other serving and deeds are a response from a heart on fire for God.

How does this relate to me?

Reading the Bible
This love can be expressed through reading the bible, and being involved in bible study in discipleship groups (DG) in Campus Crusade or in your church. If you love somebody, you would want to know the other person deeper. If you love God, you would want to know Him through his word.

Living by Faith
Next, this love is expressed by applying the things learnt in DG in your own life and living by faith in God. Trusting Him is an act of loving Him. Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith, we cannot please God.

Being Interested in His interests
Lastly, being interested in what He is interested in. God's heart is for the lost and also those who are saved. For us, this means reaching out to the lost and bringing Christ to those who are saved, which is fellowship and service. This means seeing your friend not just as a person, but someone who needs a touch from God.

Facing my fear with God

Many of us struggle with telling our non-Christian parents about our desire for baptism. And so did June Chin. Read her account written after she talked to her father.

Just now, I finally plucked my courage to break the news of my upcoming baptism to my Dad.

My Dad knows that I have been attending baptism class from my Mum, but he has not heard me say that I want to be baptised.

I procrastinated in telling him, giving excuses that I need to find a perfect timing to inform him.

It is close to 3 months since baptism class started, but it was only just now my dad heard it from me. (I really regret it. Why didn't I have the decency to inform him earlier?)

Well, the "right" moment won't have come if not for God who spoke to me
through my Ngee Ann Crusade friend. "Taking the step of faith to get baptised honors God, so there should be pride and joy as you inform your father"

"Pride and joy"
"Pride and joy"
This phrase kept resounding in my head.

Upon reaching home, I told myself that I had to do it by TONIGHT. There's no better timing cause the baptism is just next tues, and I will not be able to talk him this week.

"Pride and joy"
"Pride and joy"

I said a quick prayer, went up to him, and started off with what I had rehearsed in my mind earlier.

"Daddy, I have something to tell you.
I have been attending baptism class for a while,
and I have decided to get baptised."

I quickly added,
"I think baptism will do me good."

There wasn't a single doubt for my dad concerning my decision.
All he asked was, "When is it?"

"25 Dec."

"I'll need to take leave on that day.
That means that I will earn lesser, but it's ok."

I know that my dad was always the supportive one, but when it comes to major decision like this, giving me the green light to be baptized and accepting me as Christian means a lot to me.

I couldn't contain it any longer, I said out loud, "I feel like crying."

And I really did.

The tears just fell. In front of my dad.

"Why are you crying? I'm proud of you."

My dad may not know the true significance of baptism, but I was just simply overwhelmed with his love and support for me.

As I was crying, my hand reached over and touched his.

At that moment, it was hard for me to say this, but I knew that I just had to. I couldn't contain it.

"Daddy, I hope you will come to believe in the Lord Jesus too."

And you know what my dad said?

"I will. Give me time."

Can you believe my dad said that? I really can't.

The whole conversation felt so unbelievable.

There were tears.
There was love.
There were vulnerability and honesty.
There was God.

GOD WAS THERE.
He was in the picture.

I cannot believe it! I was so afraid to break the news, but God surprised me!

Giving Praise to God!

Listen to two testimonies of transformed lives during Metamorphosis last December.

By Chermaine Ong

QUEK YING XIU, Business/3

Metamorphosis 2007 was an exciting and wonderful time for me, and I really regret not going for the previous two years!

I had previously seen many believers, including my friends, go for mission trips and come back describing their trips with such enthusiasm. However, I always had this fear that I was not ‘qualified’ enough to go for one. But as I sat within the Meta congregation listening to three missioners share their experiences, I was inspired to sign up immediately. It was as if God had removed that barrier in my heart and opened the door to a whole new experience for me in Him! I believe that this was the first step to a closer relationship with the Lord.

Another highlight was the session on forgiveness. God really touched me through the session when I was able to put down my hatred at the foot of the cross. I held this hatred for that person for a few years, and it was a burden in my heart. That day, I let it go. Praise the Lord!

After experiencing God’s immense grace in Meta, I am truly looking forward to Him bringing me on a mission trip this coming May. I believe that it will be a life-changing experience, and that this year, I will experience even more of His grace!

TAN SHU FEN, NIE/3

I never thought that the bible stories of Jesus healing the blind, mute, sick and those with skin diseases could happen to me. But I experienced God’s healing power during Metamorphosis.

Five years ago, I spotted a fungal infection on my left leg, which made a turn for the worse while I was in New Zealand just before the conference. The area was red and itching quite badly. But upon returning to Singapore, I could not visit a doctor due to a lack of time during Christmas and the coming three-day conference.

On the last day of the conference, when the speaker Dave Park prayed for God’s physical healing to be upon those who were unwell, I whispered a little prayer for God to heal my leg. And God performed a miraculous healing, just like that in the stories I’d read in the bible! When I woke up the next day, the fungus was completely gone. Praise the Lord! Through this experience with Him, I can confidently say that God still performs miracles and heals the sick today, according to His timing and plan.

First a Christian, then an Intern

Yap Xue Xin did his internship in Bochum, Germany last semester. He talks about how God orchestrated his exciting experience there.

Yap Xue XinBefore I start sharing, I want to thank everyone for keeping me in prayer and for giving me much needed encouragement along the way.

To start things off, I treated my internship as a mission. Not mine, but God's. Five years ago, I started to pray for an opportunity to visit Germany again.

When the prayer was answered, it was obvious to me that the Lord had a special purpose for me there. I wasn't attracted to the famous company, Nokia, as much as I was attracted to God's will and plan.

Church in Germany
Chinese Church in GermanyStep by step, the Lord unveiled His marvelous plan. Finding a suitable Christian fellowship was the first challenge. By God's grace, I found a Singaporean who had contact with the campus ministry in Bochum.

In addition, the Lord led me to a Chinese church and bible study group in a European country. Even though I was not able to follow the songs and the sermon fully, I really enjoyed worshiping the Lord with the brothers and sisters in Christ there. I could sense that they really worshiped the Lord with all their hearts.

During a church friend's birthday party, I saw a few church members playing the piano. I felt led to ask if they wanted to learn contemporary piano worship, to which they eagerly agreed. I later found that they had been praying for someone to teach them.

The whole teaching process was a very humbling experience for me. Their attitude, the way they took notes, and the rate at which they progressed just showed me that no matter how difficult things may be, as long as I am willing to make the effort and put in the right attitude, I can grow, I can learn.

And it doesn't matter where I am God can and will use me. All I need to do was to obey.

Witnessing to German Supervisor

Campus Fellowship in Germany
While I was there, I kept praying for my German supervisor. He selected me only because I had studied in a Polytechnic. I found out later that he had interned in Ngee Ann Polytechnic, and in the same department that I graduated from!

It overwhelmed me to remember that I did not want to study in Polytechnic until circumstances forced me to. With teary eyes, I silently asked, "Lord, how far into my future did you see when you told me to go to Poly?"

Some weeks later, I met him at a Gospel concert. His wife told my friends that he often praised me at home. His wife, who is a Christian, asked me to invite him to Christian meetings that I attended. But I didn't do so, as they were not appropriate. I simply prayed for him.

After much prayer, I shared my testimony of how God brought me to Germany. I am not sure how he responded to it, but by faith, I believe that it brought him closer to Christ.

Sharing Christ through music

One of the coolest things I did was to travel using the German carpool system. Not only was it cheaper than taking the trains, it was faster, though not as comfortable.

During one of my trips, I travelled with a French guy, and we shared, in German, about what we were doing in Germany.

I showed him the N76 handphone that I borrowed from Nokia, and also the 4GB microSD card. He was amazed at the size of the microSD card, but it really shocked him to find out that I had 4GB worth of Christian music.

Out of disbelief, he asked if he could listen to the music. I guessed he thought that Christian music only comprised of solemn hymns, so I asked him which genre of music he liked.

Rock, punk rock and clubbing music, he answered. So I blew him away with Planetshakers, DC Talk and gospel music. As he was listening to the music, I prayed for a chance to share the gospel to him.

He was extremely shocked that Christian music could also be rock music, but to hide his shock, he asked if I had music from Singapore. I did not have them, but I showed him the Chinese music, from Streams of Praise.

He selected some of the worship songs, and commented that they were like lullabies, so I chose a fast song for him, which he asked me to translate.

By God's grace, for the first time in my life, I translated from Chinese to German directly! He suddenly interrupted me, asking "What is the 'Lamb of God'?"

I knew at once that God had given me a chance to share. So I explained that the Israelites had to sacrifice lambs to atone for their sins. Then, went on to explain how the Lamb of God was an ultimate sacrifice for all man.

He started to ask me lots of questions in English; phew… it was a relief as I reached the limit of my German vocabulary.

At the end of it, I was really glad that I was actually able to use my time in Germany to share the gospel with him.

Xue Xin in Europe

This experience made me think. Is street evangelism ineffective?

My conclusion is that Street Evangelism is as effective as we think it is. I know that we do not often meet people who are willing to listen to us.

But it is not about that, it is about us creating the opportunity, and then seizing it for the Lord's glory.

The past six months of walking in the Lord were especially exciting. I believe that when you are obedient to the Lord, exciting things will happen to you too.

Christmas in Tokyo

Jeremy Chan spent his December holiday on a GEN12ii mission trip in Japan. He tells us the tremendous blessings it resulted in his life.

Last June, I started off with a vision of doing more for God’s kingdom. The best way to accomplish that, I thought, was to do mission work as it placed me at forefront of God’s rescue work for the lost.

When I started the preparations, I wanted to pay for all the expenses myself. Being quite self-reliant, I was unsure if I could raise enough money from my limited Christian contacts. Therefore during support-raising updates to the team leader, I always reported an unhealthy zero. Subsequently, one of the staff explained patiently to me about the rationale of raising support – raising faith in God within ourselves.

The situation was bleak as I had only one day to raise two thousand odd dollars. I decided to submit to the authorities as reminded by Rom 13:1 ‘Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.’

I prayed frantically, telling God that the whole situation was in His hands and that I had no control over it. I started to contact my friends, while trusting that God will work in their hearts.

In retrospect, this was an important lesson that God taught me. Before this, the concept of reliance in God and grace lived only in the Bible, and not in my life. God also taught me a lesson of humility, by which my pride and self-reliance was overthrown.

Indeed God is abundant. He continued to change my perception of Him through His provision during the mission trip. Part of our work in Japan was to distribute gospels CDs on the streets of Tokyo. We were frequently unable to distribute the last few CDs as people avoided us when there were a few discs left in our hands. Standing out in the cold and being rejected by people was not a pleasant experience. However, I soon discovered a solution to this problem. After we closed the distribution session with a short prayer, we were able to give out the poisonous discs immediately. This was surely an immediate answer to our prayers.

On one particularly freezing night, I was trying hard to encourage myself and put on my best smile while distributing. I guess God saw my efforts and soon after, a choir started singing nearby. My heart was uplifted by the familiar Christmas songs and it reminded me of the eternal gift that we received in Christ.

Throughout the mission trip, I saw God fighting for the lost and bringing His children into the Kingdom. I still savor the joy of welcoming a new brother or sister into the family of God. It is the next best thing to seeing the Red Sea being divided.

I witnessed how God brought the Japanese to believe in Him through the efforts of my team mates. This is amazing because Japan is known to be hard ground spiritually. Furthermore, we were able to share the gospel with the Japanese who hardly speak English, even though we could not speak Japanese.

One of my teammates was overwhelmed when a Japanese girl agreed to receive Christ that she asked her to reread the sinner’s prayer just to ensure that she was sincere. It was particularly fascinating because we befriended her only a few days ago while visiting the universities in Tokyo and saw her transform from a stranger to a fellow sister-in-Christ. Indeed, God orchestrated this situation and we knew that it was impossible for us to achieve such a feat.

Such are the numerous experiences of God changing me and my fellow team members. To me, this mission trip was not “How Jeremy works for God on his first mission trip” but “How Jesus graciously transformed Jeremy in spite of his limitations and microscopic view of God”. The mission trip was truly a spiritual milestone in my walk with the Lord.

Therefore, I implore you to take part the Great Harvest that the Lord instructed us to reap. ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’ Mat 28:19 Surely you will enjoy the abundant blessings of God even after the trip.

Found! Someone seeking God!

JESUS minimag and gospel tractsAeron Leong relates his disappointing, yet encouraging evangelism experience.

When I met my Disciple Group (DG) last month, I was surprised that my Spiritual Multiplier, Shao Hong, did not bring his DG material but said that we were doing something special - we were to evangelise.

Oh, no! I was so afraid. I had not done it before. But there was nothing I could do except to take up the challenge. We started off with prayer, after which Shao Hong gave us two Jesus mini-magazines to give out. I wandered around Canteen A for five minutes, and saw my friend. I approached her expecting that she would take the mini-magazine. But she rejected me harshly. Though I was very discouraged, I carried on, approached a guy and gave him the first mini-magazine. The second one was given to another girl.

I re-joined my DG mates discouraged because the feel of rejection was not easy to swallow. But I felt better through comforting words from Shao Hong and my DG members, though I was still concerned that the relationship with my friend would be affected.

However, something surprising happened. The guy whom I approached, Francis, messaged to say that he was very interested in Christianity and needed a guide in his faith. He asked if I could show him more about Christianity and justify Jesus's deity. This was God's answer to the discouragement and rejection that I had experienced earlier. Francis currently meets me for a Group Investigating God (GIG) study, where I share more about God.

Now that I've seen God work, I feel that this evangelism thing also known as Blitz is fun and exciting.

Aeron Leong (Year 1/ MAE)

For the North region, Blitz is carried out through distributing Jesus mini-magazines and sharing the gospel later.

God's Hand at Work

Rena Wong went to East Asia for a mission trip in June this year. She shares her testimony of how God worked through the Gen12ii mission.

Rena in East AsiaWe invited two girls, TW & WH*, to our room to 'teach them to play the guitar'. Using Christian songs as 'teaching materials', we tried to use the session as a platform to share. However, they soon got distracted by other things, making it difficult for us to continue.

While I was lamenting to myself, WH suddenly received a call from her sister who wanted to visit her. WH's sister was working in a neighbouring city, but had decided to drop by our city to visit her sister that afternoon.

When WH's sister came to our room, she saw the Christian songbook that we had. She turned to WH and said, "This is good for you. Read more about it, it is beneficial to you."

Wow! I was taken aback.

It turned out that WH's sister worked at a company headed by a Christian. She expressed her admiration for Christians, whom she felt dealt with life's trials very calmly; which was very different from others.

As we talked and shared with the sister, TW and WH's attention were slowly drawn back to us and our conversation about God.

After the session, WH messaged me to thank us for the time spent together, and said, "I will slowly grow to love God."

WH eventually prayed to receive Christ towards the end of our trip, while TW said that she will actively seek and find out more before making the decision.

Praise God! Till now, I am still amazed at how God-sent WH's sister was (she magically appeared out of nowhere!).

God is amazing!

*Names have been changed for security reasons.

Harvest Week

Janice (middle)Held once every semester, Harvest Week is a time for DGs to reach out to pre-believers by holding GIG sessions, doing Blitz, or inviting friends for fun activities. Janice shares her surprising harvest experience.

For harvest week, my DG decided to have a seeker-friendly picnic atop the ADM hill. I excitedly invited my room-mate along, whom I have known and tried to reach out to since we were in primary school.

Right before the picnic, however, my room-mate suddenly backed out because of a project meeting. Sadly, the friend my DG mate was supposed to bring could not join us either. We were really disappointed as the whole purpose of this picnic was to reach out to our non-Christian friends.

To make the situation worse, it started to storm. We moved the picnic to my room, not knowing that God had made the rain for a purpose. There in my room was my room-mate, because the rain had caused her project meeting to be cancelled!

She joined us and played some games, and my SM was able to subtly weave in questions about our purpose in life and having God in our lives. Through the game I learnt that my room-mate believes God exists and created her for a purpose, but that all gods are good.

She does not see the need to know her creator, however, as she thinks it does not concern her life. The next step is to pray that she will realize her need for God.

The most encouraging thing she said was that I have a positive outlook on life, and that I manage to go through life smoothly despite its ups and downs. When my SM asked why she said so, she responded that I have a strong faith and dependence on God to guide my life.

Have you ever wondered if people around you see the difference God makes in your life? I am indeed encouraged to continue consciously living a life that displays God's existence.

I want to encourage all of you to persevere in reaching out to that long-time friend who has yet to know Christ. Pray for opportunities and He will give them to you. Grab every occasion! Your friend may not receive Christ immediately.

Just remember that God's plans are bigger than yours, and He will make things happen in His own time and way. Trust Him!

Help! I'm scared to tell others about Jesus.

Mah Way Champ, a second-year Bio- Science student, shares how he overcame his fear of evangelism.

Initially, you will be anxious or be afraid of rejection, but that's only the initial part. When you realize that you are actually sharing the gospel to pre-believers and remember that the task to evangelize is a privilege given by God, your fear seems nothing compared to the task given to you. Furthermore, as you communicate with pre-believers about God, it becomes so interesting that you will forget your initial fear of rejection. The whole point is that street- evangelism is fun and exciting.

Easy and fun- that's evangelism!

I didn't know what to say, but I trusted Him

Grace WongGrace Wong shares what she learnt during her Gen 12ii mission trip to Nagoya, Japan. The second-year Economics student reached out to tertiary students in June.

I have always feared what to say when evangelizing, but God taught me that all I had to do was to rely on Him. I met this Japanese student, Marie, in Meigaidai University. During the first few times we interacted, she was pretty quiet. I thought that it would be difficult for me to sustain a conversation, much less bring Christ into the picture. But God was the one who enabled us to share our lives, and as we got to know each other better, He provided me with opportunities to share God’s love with her!

Through this, God showed me that He is the one who makes people open up their heart. Worrying about how to share Christ can be inevitable at times, but evangelism is about trusting God and knowing that He is our strength. So why worry? Simply go and take initiative! Let God amaze you!

Is Street Evangelism useless today?

Daniel Leow shares his views. When I received Christ into my life six years ago, I was highly unconvinced of using street witnessing to spread the gospel. I felt that it was inappropriate, pushy, and repelled non-Christians away from Christ. My view did not change despite regularly discussing with students on campus about their views towards Christianity during Blitz. I continued to think that these methods would never work in this age where people had no use for God.

Daniel Leow, left, with Edwin, partners during Project X

However, I was unexpectedly proven wrong during an outreach project at the annual Metamorphosis camp. During Project X, my partner and I approached two teenage boys. I asked for only five minutes of their time as I expected them to reject me. However, after asking several questions, I realized that the elder boy was very interested in Christianity though he is a Buddhist. After some discussion and with God's help, he accepted Christ on the spot. We were so amazed that we could almost drop down on our knees and praise God.

My First Blitz

We ask some freshies about their first campus witnessing experience.

Janice's DG (Lam Kuen Kay, Vania Yip, Yvonne Lee)

"I found it a meaningful time of sharing God’s love and learnt a lot about campus evangelism. Although there may be obstacles, God is always here to grant us strength to overcome them all."
Lam Yuen Kay, Chinese/1

"It dawned upon me how much people need the Lord but don’t get to hear about Him. My heart goes out to them."
Vania Yip, Psych/1

"I was a bit afraid when approaching strangers. I had to calm myself down so as not to appear unconfident to those people."
Lee Chee Siang, MSE/1

"It’s certainly something I would do again. In fact, it should be done often!"
Yvonne Lee, Econs/1

My first Blitz experience

Kelvin NgKelvin Ng, final year accountancy student, talks about his first school evangelism experience.

Being 23 years old, I feel embarrassed to be evangelizing for the first time. But it is better late than never. As my parents are non-Christians, the need to evangelize to them is a continual burden on my heart.

Despite praying for them, being a good testimony and having faith in God's providence, it is still essential that I act upon being a messenger of God's love. Before joining Campus Crusade, I was stubborn and selfish because I wanted to save my parents first before saving others. This meant that I would only evangelize to others at a ripe old age.

Before doing street evangelism, I was excited but fearful because I didn't know what to expect. But I knew that this experience would bring me one step closer to saving my parents, be a good messenger and to be accountable to God to tell others about Him.

God answered my prayers by removing my fear and giving me the joy of serving. There was an extra skip in my step when I went to the tutorial room where everybody was gathered. Kris, a staff with Campus Crusade, explained the witnessing process. She shared about God's perspective on the fear of witnessing, which gave me courage. We prayed for guidance and Holy Spirit to fill us before setting off to be a witness!

The first person Derek and I approached was a Christian, so we chatted a bit before looking for someone else. While walking along S4, we saw a guy studying alone. Derek prompted me to approach him. I asked him to do a survey regarding his worldview and he agreed without hesitation. Praise the Lord. Through the survey, we discussed his views about Christianity and other life issues. Although he is a foreigner with a poor command of English, I thank God that we could understand each other and that he shared his thoughts freely. His next lesson was about to start, so Derek summarized the Four Spiritual Laws and gave him our contact numbers so that he could call us if he had queries.

We approached another student and went through the survey. God blessed us another one who talked with us freely. He surprised us with his extensive knowledge of the various religions. I shared the gospel with him and told him about God's love and Jesus Christ. This reminded me about God's love and I was filled with a joy that could not be expressed by words alone. Although he did not want to receive Christ, I have faith that God will work in his live. I will leave the salvation of the two pre-believers into God's hands. I have delivered the gospel message and now pray that God will reveal Himself to them and that they will choose to receive Jesus Christ.

After evangelizing, Derek and I had a time of reflection so that I could be more prepared to share the next time. I felt that I did not prepare enough as I did not read the Four Spiritual Laws booklet and did not transit between the different pages properly. I also very thankful for Derek who helped me deal with the difficult questions posed by the pre-believers. He reminded me to continually give thanks to God for working in my life and the lives I was reaching.

This is my first witnessing experience, but it definitely will not be my last! As Christians, we should be witnessing everyday in one way or another and glorifying God with the gifts he has blessed us with!

For the South region, school witnessing (Blitz) is carried out through first doing a survey about one's worldview with the pre-believer and sharing the gospel later.

Part of the Family

Paul WongEver wondered how God could work through a seemingly ordinary Crossroads session? Sometimes what we fail to notice, or come to know about are the miracles God works in the hearts of crusaders through what seems to be so normal.

About half a year ago, God did just that. You know how He works in mysterious ways, and by no coincidence, He worked in the lives of two crusaders, Paul Wong and Robson Tseu.

Robson found out about Crossroads and appeared at a South Crossroads meeting one night. By a simple turn of events, he ended up right next to Paul who helped to reaffirm Robson's faith in God.

Paul and Robson did not sit next to each other initially, but because of an ice-breaker game they ended up sitting next to each other.

After the speaker had shared, they paired up to pray. It was then that Robson revealed that he had been going to church with his friend and that he had prayed to receive Christ.

Paul felt compelled to reaffirm Robson's faith in God and talked to him about what it meant to really be a Christian.

Eventually Paul prayed the sinner's prayer with Robson as an assurance of salvation. Robson is now assimilated into a discipleship group.

In Paul's words, "It was amazing how God was able to put in me the words to say, and how all those thinking cells of mine were suddenly working at 101 percent! I believed He'd prepared the way somehow."

This reminds me of how so very often God uses insignificant people or moments to accomplish big things. So do not let anything hinder you from sharing God's word and God's love with anyone, because you don't know what He could accomplish through you.

By Daena Ch'ng

Telling my Hall Committee about God

Have you ever wondered how to evangelize to your hall friends? Let Teo Huimin tell you how she used little opportunities to be God's salt and light.

Huimin (bottom, centre) and her hall committeeDoes evangelism only happen when you (1) present the 4 Spiritual Laws, (2) show a few passages from the Bible, (3) share the full story of Jesus and how He died on the cross for our sins?

Is evangelism successful only when someone prays to receive Christ immediately after your sharing?

After working in a hall committee as the chairperson, I realized that there are many other ways to evangelize, and share more about your faith as a Christian.

In my hall's charity project, a committee of 21 people work together to plan a charity carnival for a beneficiary. The aim of the charity carnival is to raise funds and public awareness of the Children's Cancer Foundation.

Tickets sold to raise funds for the beneficiaryWhen I started off, I had this burden for the committee, as I realized that all 20 of them are non-Christians, except for this girl who is a Catholic. I wanted to sow some seeds in this committee by the end of my term, so I prayed and asked "How?" The workload is very high, such that usually we'll either just discuss work or joke around, and there is no time for anything else.

However, I realized that evangelism can be done in simple and small ways.

There was trouble in the committee once, and I was quite angry with a few of them. I was so tempted to scold them over msn, because their work was not properly done. However, before I could lash out any of my anger, the verse Ephesians 4:26-28 came to mind: In your anger do not sin; Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

The verse spoke to me and I calmed down immediately. I decided to put the verse up on my MSN nick. My committee members saw it and some started to ask me whether it was from the Bible, and what the Bible teaches.

Hence, there was a small chance just to elaborate a bit more on the Bible and explain the verse, and for me to tell them directly about why I was feeling angry, yet without being cutting or mean.

There was another instance of problems with getting sponsors, and discouraged some of them. To encourage them, I wrote an email and threw in Romans 5:3 "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope". I managed to share through the email my testimony of how I can hang on even when troubles arise, for it is part of my Christian belief that times of crisis are times to mould and build my faith.

More recently, we celebrated the last day of our charity carnival with supper, which happened to be the 15th day of the Lunar Seventh Month. Hence, ghosts were quite a hot topic. I managed to share about my faith, and why I was not afraid of ghosts, and walking around at wee hours (it was around 2 am that time, and it was believed that ghosts were the fiercest and most energetic at that hour). I made my stand that my God was sovereign and has conquered all evil forces, so there was nothing for me to fear.

At the end of the day, though I didn't see anyone pray to receive Christ, or asking to go to church with me, but I believe these small acts have impacted them in some way or other. Hopefully