Gone Forth. Going Urban.

31 July 2018

Were you there?

Did you stand among the over 2,300 participants, as well as hundreds upon hundreds of volunteers and speakers, representing more than 200 churches and Christian organisations?

Did you attend the Leader’s Track, where over 350 church leaders gathered to hear wisdom from the line-up of distinguished speakers?

Or were you at the Morning Plenaries or at the Night Rallies, where you engaged deeply with the Word, and heard the clarion call to go forth into the cities of Asia and beyond with the love of Christ?

Were you at the Chinese Track—the largest in GoForth’s history—where over 300 people were equipped at the main conference and 180 attended the Chinese Leader’s Track?

Did you swing by the Children’s Programme, or spot the 400 children striding down the red brick road, energised by two full days of worship and equipping, raring to share the gospel with their friends?

Did you visit the Exhibition, which had the atmosphere of a festive marketplace, where representatives from over 40 organisations shared about how they are plugged into God’s missional story?

Did you drop by one of the 55 afternoon TED-style workshops or 12 lunchtime Circles of Passion talks, each one covering a niche area of urban ministry where folks have been making an impact, but more can come on board?

Were you inspired by the stories, told at the Night Rallies, of men and women of God who have come to sow into Singapore, have gone forth from Singapore to serve long-term in a distant land, or who have played major roles in bringing about transformation in our city?

Were you there?

But even if you were unable to be there, will you join us in giving thanks to our Father above? Through the GoForth 2018 National Missions Conference, we have caught a glimpse of the Church united for the mission of God. All glory be to His name!

Testimonies from some participants:

“I believe God is telling me not to be afraid that if one day, He were to call me, He would surely equip me. I should never think I am not good enough. I attended the workshop titled ‘Improving the Living Conditions of the Urban Poor’. I realised that bearing witness for Christ has to start with me wanting to know God more deeply. It is only then that I can bear effective witness for Him when opportunity comes for me to share Christ with the needy, who are curious as to why we have peace and joy in the midst of chaos. I also learnt not to rush—to reach one person at a time. We will not always see mass evangelism or conversion, and it is important to build trustworthy interpersonal relationships first.”
—Shirley Yeng, 50, from Wesley Methodist Church

“[GoForth 2018 was] an inspiring two days of learning. I enjoyed the wide variety of workshops. The speakers, with their wealth of experience and knowledge, were inspiring. I think God is leading me with ideas on how I can relook and reshape my current ministries.”
—Lee En Li, 29, from Bukit Panjang Methodist Church

“God really opened my eyes to His amazing work. I gained a clearer view of the issues, needs and some possible strategies encircling missions. Most importantly, I heard personally from the Lord, and gained a better understanding of His heart.”
—Jane Zhou, 19, from Renewal Christian Church

About the GoForth National Missions Movement
The GoForth national missions movement is a collaborative platform to mobilise the whole Church (not just fulltime clergy or missionaries) to take the whole gospel to the whole world. The GoForth national missions movement seeks to mobilise hearts and minds, body and spirit, hands, feet and resources to respond in obedience to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. The movement seeks to do this in various ways, including holding national missions conferences once every three to four years, facilitating the sharing of resources, as well as catalysing collaborations between different ones in the Body of Christ to encourage conversations, engagement and empowerment to make a positive impact and bring hope. Website: www.goforth.org.sg

Ng Zhiwen oversaw the area of mobilisation in the GoForth National Missions Conference 2018 organising committee. He serves as a Project Coordinator at Singapore Centre for Global Missions.