“Your faithfulness endures to all generations” Psalm 119:90
In every aspect of our lives, change is inevitable. The same can be said of missions. People will change and how we do things to achieve our missional objectives may change due to context and circumstances. But what never changes is the message of salvation, God’s faithfulness and love for each of us, and the blessings He desires to bestow on us.
Throughout the Old Testament from the time of Abraham, God promised to bless every nation because we belong to Him, the Maker of heaven and earth. This same Gospel message continues through the New Testament with Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer, giving us the Great Commission as recorded in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”.
This is the message of God’s redeeming love and faithfulness and His abundant grace; a message for all nations! His desire is for us to worship Him and give all glory and honour to Him, and in the process, be blessed by Him.
The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS), recognising the need for an agency to spearhead missions, established the Methodist Missions Society (MMS) as its missions agency on 30 Sep 1991. MMS was given the mandate to fulfil the Great Commission, to bring the Gospel to the unreached, and to establish disciple-making/multiplying indigenous churches in our designated mission fields.
As the first home-grown missionary sending agency, MMS is required to “work with local churches as its partners to promote the service opportunities and needs of mission fields selected by the Society” (The Book of Discipline, ¶371.3).
Over the last 25 years, MMS’ objectives have been achieved in part through committed and able leadership, both in the Home Office and the mission fields. Partnership with our local churches has also contributed significantly to MMS’ integrated approach in church planting and community development.
Today, MMS is present in seven mission fields, with 31 missionaries and three associate missionaries. There is a positive trend of younger missionaries with families joining MMS and are now working in our mission fields in Timor-Leste (pic above right), Cambodia, Thailand (above), and Nepal. The work of MMS in the mission fields is about transforming lives and the communities through Christ.
MMS missionaries focus on building their personal and spiritual character, living Christ-centred lives, and mentoring and building life-long relationships with new believers.
We celebrate and give thanks to God for His faithfulness as lives are being transformed through the work of the Holy Spirit. This generation of believers will contribute significantly to their communities and societies and become effective witnesses for Christ.
As a new season dawns upon MMS, there will be challenges that come along the way.
Leadership Transition and Renewal
With the commencement of the new quadrennium (2017-2020), MMS has a new Executive Committee and Chairman. Now attention must turn to developing an effective succession plan to replace the Executive Director and Area Directors who will be leaving MMS in the next two to three years. Equally challenging is the need to identify and prepare new Country Directors for leadership in our mission fields. MMS is confident that God is faithful and He will provide, but we will exercise due diligence to prepare for this.
New complexion of our mission fields
The rapidly-changing political and economic situations in our mission fields will require MMS to review our approach and strategies in each country. This process is underway to ensure that our ministries are relevant, effective, and financially sustainable.
Building a cohesive and Christ-centred team of missionaries
MMS will be focusing on developing our present pool of missionaries as well as recruiting new ones. As they seek to become imitators of Christ, and work together to witness in local communities, they will reflect and embody the Wesleyan Principles of Social and Personal Holiness.
Engaging our Methodist community
MMS is fortunate to have some of our Methodist churches partner and support our ministries in the mission fields. But many more are needed as the Lord leads us into new ministries and new mission fields. MMS will focus on working with Methodist churches to promote the service opportunities and needs of the mission fields. We pray for more local churches to partner and support MMS.
Whilst people and methods may change, God’s redeeming love remains unconditional and unchanged. As lives are touched and transformed, we pray that they will bear greater fruits in their local environment and even beyond as they witness for Christ.
We are assured of God’s faithfulness, and His unchanging love and grace from everlasting to everlasting. That is the message that we bring to our mission fields.
To God be the glory!
Lives touched in the mission fields
In Cambodia, Helen Sakhan benefitted from the excellent education she received in our Methodist School of Cambodia. She learnt about the importance of developing good character and values. More importantly, she now knows God in a personal and intimate way. After she graduated from school, she started to work in a Non-Governmental Organisation where she is giving back to society and helping the poor and destitute.
In Nepal, Rojina was only nine years old when she moved to Sophia’s Home where she grew up in a Christian environment, learning about God’s love whilst receiving her education. After completing her education she worked as a pre-school teacher. She is now married to a young Pastor serving in the Methodist Church in Nepal and has a four-year-old son. Both she and her husband are serving in the church and the community, where they share God’s love and faithfulness to the people around them
In Thailand, Jack Resachai Yoseh was in the first batch of boarders who came to our Mettakij Hostel in 2004 to seek shelter and a chance to continue his secondary school education. After his graduation, he returned to serve as an Administrative Assistant in our Vineyard Methodist School. He is married to a teacher and they have a son.
In Timor-Leste, Olinda Madeira joined Sundermeier Home in 2016 and will be graduating from high school soon. She intends to continue her studies in the university, so that she can contribute to her family and community. She is developing well in a Christian environment, mentored by loving house-parents. She, like other hostelites, appreciates the opportunities provided during her stay in the Home and looks forward to be of service to the community.
Noel Tam –
is the Methodist Missions Society’s Home Director and the Country Coordinating Officer for Nepal. He worships at Pentecost Methodist Church.