The City SG Podcast

523. Knowing the Father's Heart and Love // John Snelgrove by The City, Singapore

522. From Fear To Rest - The Journey Of A Redeemed People // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

521. The Model Church: How Should I Live In Light Of Jesus' Return? (Week 6) // Andre Tan by The City, Singapore

520. The Model Church: What Does It Mean to Live Differently? (Week 5) // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

519. The Model Church: How Do I Stand Fast In Suffering? (Week 4) // Christine Indrali by The City, Singapore

518. The Model Church: Why Should I Invest In Building Relationships Within The Church (Week 3) // Andre Tan by The City, Singapore

517. The Model Church: How Can My Friends Find God Here (Week 2) // Timothy Seow by The City, Singapore

516. The Model Church: What Makes a Church Worth Imitating (Week 1) // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

515. Compassion Sunday // Andre Tan by The City, Singapore

514. When No One is Watching // Daniel Chua by The City, Singapore

513. The Commander Before The Conquest // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

512. The Companionship of the Holy Spirit // Christine Indrali by The City, Singapore

511. When the Manna Stopped Falling // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

510. Paradoxology: Truths that Make Us Sing - The Tragedy of Familiarity (Week 8) // Andre Tan by The City, Singapore

509. Paradoxology: Truths that Make Us Sing - The Prodigal Son (Week 7) // Wayne Sim by The City, Singapore

508. Paradoxology: Truths that Make Us Sing - The Hidden Treasure and The Pearl (Week 6) // Timothy Seow by The City, Singapore

507. Paradoxology: Truths that Make Us Sing - The Wise And Foolish Virgins (Week 5) // Janice Chiern by The City, Singapore

506. Paradoxology: Truths that Make Us Sing - The Wise and Foolish Builders (Week 4) // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

505. Paradoxology: Truths that Make Us Sing - The Wheat and the Weeds (Week 3) // Janice Chiern by The City, Singapore

504. Paradoxology: Truths that Make Us Sing - A Mustard Seed (Week 2) // Andre Tan by The City, Singapore

503. Paradoxology: Truths that Make Us Sing - The Soil of the Heart (Week 1) // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

502. Sabbatical Reflections: Recovering Awe, Wonder & Mystery // Andre Tan by The City, Singapore

501. When Fear Meets The Risen Christ // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

500. What Is A Pastor Even Supposed To Be?// Andre Tan by The City, Singapore

499. Learning To Be With God Again // Andre Tan by The City, Singapore

498. Ecclesiastes: Before His Face - A Life That Holds Weight // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

497. Ecclesiastes: Ancient Wisdom for a World Losing its Way - Guarding the Threshold // Janice Chiern by The City, Singapore

496. Ecclesiastes: Ancient Wisdom for a World Losing its Way - The Gift Hidden in the Ordinary // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

495. Ecclesiastes: Ancient Wisdom for a World Losing its Way - When Wisdom Isn't Enough // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

494. Ecclesiastes: Ancient Wisdom for a World Losing its Way- The Hustle That Doesn't Heal // Christine Indrali by The City, Singapore

493. Ecclesiastes: Ancient Wisdom for a World Losing its Way - Something Feels Off // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

492. Dear Church: The Heart of a Son // Wu Xianyi by The City, Singapore

491. Dear Church: Love the Word // Jonathan Tong by The City, Singapore

490. Dear Church: Ask Holy Spirit // David Tan by The City, Singapore

489. Jesus: In Scripture and Song - Longing For Home // Timothy Seow by The City, Singapore

488. The Ache for Home // Janice Chern by The City, Singapore

487. The Life of a Disciple: Open Tables, Open Hearts (Week 15) // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

486. The Life of a Disciple: Sharing Your Faith (with the Power of the Holy Spirit) (Week 14) // David Loh by The City, Singapore

485. The Life of a Disciple: Love that Speaks (Week 13) // Timothy Seow by The City, Singapore

484. The Life of a Disciple: The Witness of a Changed Life (Week 12) // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

483. From Dead Works to Living Hope // Christine Indrali by The City, Singapore

482. The Life of a Disciple: Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted for Righteousness' Sake (Week 11) // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

481. The Life of a Disciple: Blessed Are the Pure in Heart (Week 10) // Andre Tan by The City, Singapore

480. The Life of a Disciple: Blessed Are the Merciful (Week 9) // Andre Tan by The City, Singapore

479. The Life of a Disciple: Blessed Are The Peacemakers (Week 8) // Don Wong by The City, Singapore

478. The Life of a Disciple: Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness (Week 7) // Sng Peh Han by The City, Singapore

477. The Life of a Disciple: Blessed are the Meek (Week 6) // Timothy Seow by The City, Singapore

476. The Life of a Disciple: Blessed are Those Who Mourn (Week 5) // Janice Chern by The City, Singapore

475. The Life of a Disciple: Blessed are the Poor in Spirit (Week 4) // Andre Tan by The City, Singapore

474. The Life of a Disciple: What God Sounds Like (Week 3) // Timothy Seow by The City, Singapore

“We’re not chasing something new for the sake of novelty — we’re reclaiming what has always been ours: a living, mystical and transformative relationship with the God who speaks, acts, and makes Himself known.” - @pehhan82 Ps. Peh Han brought a word titled Hearing God in a Disenchanted World, as part of our Hearing the Voice of God sermon series. In our pursuit of what’s practical, efficient, and logical, we often leave little room for the supernatural voice of God. We build our lives on culture and media, rather than on the Word. He reminded us to remember our spiritual heritage — we are a people shaped by God’s story, not the world’s. He called us to root our lives in Scripture, to rediscover the art of deep listening, and to lean into communion with God — not just as a discipline, but as a relationship marked by intimacy, trust, and revelation. There is an invitation to lean in and listen again, because God is deeply relational and still speaks. And to those who listen, He longs to reveal Himself, to guide, and to teach His ways.

“Discipleship begins not with doing, but with listening.”- @janicechinchern Janice kicked off our new sermon series, Hearing the Voice of God with a sharing on The Primacy of Hearing God. Sharing from John 10:1–5, she reminded us that God doesn’t first call us to a task, but He calls us to Himself. In a world full of noise, the question is not “Is God speaking?” but “Are we listening?” How then can we grow attentive to God? It starts with slowing down, silencing the noise, and cultivating space to be with and to hear God’s voice.

“Too often, we reduce scripture to the level of our experience. Instead, we are called to raise our expectation to the level of scripture.” - @andrejosiah Last Sunday, Ps. Andre kicked off the ‘Life of a Disciple’ sermon series, challenging us to align our lives with God’s heart, not as an exception, but as the standard. He cast a compelling vision of what it truly means to live for Jesus, becoming Spirit-formed disciples who are faithful in private and public—answering the call to raise our expectations to the level of Scripture. He left us with a powerful question to reflect on: Do you have a minimum standard for your discipleship? Our prayer is that we will be stirred to not settle for spiritual maintenance, but instead, to earnestly pursue growth and transformation, seeking to live with the radical obedience and faithful commitment that reflects the fullness of Christ in our lives.

“What are we giving our lives to and labouring toward? How we view the end determines how we live our lives.” - @jasonchua.sg Jason shared from Psalm 1 and 2 and called us to rediscover discipleship- living with God’s mission and the end in view, that we might give our lives wholly to His purpose. When we see the end through the lens of Scripture, we gain the wisdom to remain anchored, align with God’s will to glorify His Son, and stay faithful in a culture of compromise. May our response be to return to the place of prayer and giving ourselves fully to our calling to proclaim the worth of Jesus to the nations.

“If you do not fear God above all, you will end up fearing something else, and that fear will quietly become your god.” - @andrejosiah Ps. Andre brought us a word on fear and faith. In life, there will be moments where we are afraid and it will often times stand between us and action. Speaking from the book of Judges, we see how God led Gideon out of fear and into faith. Stepping out of fear is a journey of faith and trust - trusting in how God sees us, even though our surroundings and self-perception say otherwise; trusting that God is with us, even in the ordinary and everyday; and trusting that God will use us, even if our “yes” is weak and our step of faith is small. We pray that in the moments where we are fearful, we will know and remember that we do not need to be afraid because God is with us. We can have faith and draw strength from God’s presence, who is our courage. #wearethecitysg #sundaysatthecitysg

“When the church lives in unity, the world sees the Gospel embodied, and Jesus is glorified.” - @chrisvonne In week 4 of our series on the book of Titus, Ps. Christine brought us a word on Persevering Unity. Referencing Titus 3:9-11 and 14-15, we are shown how to build and guard unity among ourselves: by avoiding distractions, dealing with division and dissension, practicing gentleness with one another, and devoting ourselves to good works. May we continuously persevere towards unity, modeling what a missionally fruitful community can look like.

“God’s grace doesn’t just save us—it trains, humbles, renews, and forms us into a people who reflect the goodness of God in every season of life.” - @janicechinchern In week 3 of our sermon series, Ready For Every Good Work, Janice shared on Grace-Filled Works, anchored on Titus 2:11–14. She reminded us that grace is not passive—it is active and transformative in training us - teaching us to reject what is ungodly, and wait in hope for Christ’s return. Grace forms us not through striving, but through surrender. As we navigate life between the two appearings of Christ—His first coming and His return—may we remain steadfast, open-handed, and dependent. As we embark on a new week, may we continue to seek the Lord and pray into ways that we can - in our individual and life as a church community - be trained, humbled and renewed by God’s grace, that we may be ready for every good work.

Camp Pilgrim - The Commission by The City, Singapore

Camp Pilgrim - The Company by The City, Singapore

Camp Pilgrim - The Conclusion by The City, Singapore

“Being an intergenerational church is ultimately about building deep discipling relationships across generations that will mature the Body of Christ and embody the Gospel to our family, our children and all those afar off.” - @timothyshaun In week 2 of the sermon series on Titus, Ready For Every Good Work, Timothy brought us a message titled “Intergenerational Relationships” anchored on Titus 2:1-5. He reminded us of the value of building meaningful relationships across generations—where discipleship goes beyond programmes and becomes deeply personal. True discipleship is cultivated through modelling, accountability, and encouragement. It’s how we care for one another’s spiritual growth, reflect God’s heart for His Church, and ultimately reach the lost. As we seek to be a church that is fruitful, may the Holy Spirit stir within us a deeper desire to walk closely with one another—expanding our hearts to include the wider community and investing in relationships marked by wisdom, transparency, and love.

“Biblical leadership comes from divine calling and its purpose is to help God’s people grow in faith and the knowledge of the truth, which should lead to godliness.” - @pehhan82 Ps. Peh Han kicked off our new sermon series, Ready For Every Good Work, sharing from the book of Titus. He reminded us that godly leadership is key to building a fruitful, Christ-centered community. Just as Titus brought order to the chaos in Crete, God uses leaders of character to bring healing and restoration to our broken world. But for many, past hurts from leadership make it difficult to embrace God’s call. Ps. Peh Han reminded us that we can take heart in the knowledge that God can use us as vessels of redemption, if we would let Him do a new work in and through us. We pray you were blessed by the word and encouraged to step into God’s call as we continue to pursue intimacy in our walk with Christ.

“The greatest spiritual danger is not just that we might fall into sin, but that we might simply stop caring. That we might live our lives in quiet despair and call it maturity.” - @andrejosiah Ps. Andre anchored his message in 2 Peter 1:3-11, reminding us not to settle for spiritual laziness or mediocre faith. Familiarity can easily lead to complacency—our passion fades, Scripture feels dry, and church becomes routine. But this weariness isn’t the absence of God; it’s a deeper longing to pursue Him more intentionality and move into deeper connection. He also warned that all sin leads to death, especially sloth—a spiritual sin that narrows our vision, dulls our hunger for God and breeds indifference. May we examine our lives and reflect where we have settled into cruise control, to pray for empowerment by the Spirit to refuse spiritual passivity and be encouraged that it’s never too late to start again in our pursuit of God.

“Victories and deliverance reveal who God is—but it’s in the valleys and testing that we’re shaped to pursue holiness.” – @jonathantwl This morning, Jonathan shared on The Testing, The Valleys, and The Waiting—deeply formative seasons where God refines and sanctifies us. In the testing, may we lay down our pride and weakness before Him. In the valley, may we allow God to reveal and reshape what needs surrender. In the waiting, may we commit our steps to God, that He may take preeminence. Through every season, may we trust in God’s heart and embrace His desire to make us more like Him.

“Where do your identity, power and strength come from? God invites us to move away from self-reliance to reliance on Him, knowing that His power is made perfect in our weakness.” - @xianyi Speaking from the life of Moses, Xianyi shared how God’s power was made perfect in Moses’ weakness. Moses went from a powerful, self-sufficient prince, to a powerless peasant, to a prophet whose power and strength came from God. As followers of Christ, we are called to come to God with an open-hand posture of surrender, laying down our pride and acknowledging our weakness. In that place, God meets us where we are, giving us His power that we can rely on. Are there areas in your life - the things that you draw your identity, power and strength from - that God wants you to lay down, so that He may display His all-sufficient grace in your life?

“A nurturing community is one where every member brings life to another, helping each other grow through mutual care.” - @chrisvonne Ps. Christine encouraged us to be a nurturing church. Speaking from Romans 12:9-21, we learnt what love in action looks like, and how we are called to behave as followers of Christ. She emphasised 3 key points on what a nurturing community should be: 1. One with the right heart posture, expressing love that is sincere and honouring, not self-serving. 2. One that is present and shows up through seasons, holding space for people to open up. 3. One that is patient and shows grace even through conflict, focusing on forgiveness and restoration. In a world where people are spiritually neglected, may we be a spiritually nurturing church where those who are hurting can heal. May we also experience God’s nuture first so that we can be the physical expression of His love and care to the people around us.

“As Christians, we were never meant to live a life bound by unforgiveness.” - David Tan This morning, David spoke to us on “The Freedom to Forgive”. Drawing from the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:23-35, we learn that God, in His grace and mercy, forgives us of our debts. Likewise, we are called to forgive others, which is to release any further feelings and anger towards the person or people who have wronged us. When we forgive and repent, it allows us to live in freedom in spirit, soul and body by letting go of everything else and aligning ourselves to Christ. We pray that God will reveal the depths of His forgiveness to us, that we would receive it and learn to forgive ourselves and others quickly.

Christianity doesn’t leave us to face death alone. Instead, it gives us a Champion who has defeated death, and who pardons and covers us with His love.” - @andrejosiah At our Resurrection Sunday service, Pastor Andre concluded our series on the Seven "I Am"s of Jesus - with a sharing on Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life. Many of us fear death, and are reluctant to face our own mortality. We find it hard to comprehend a life beyond this present world, and think that this is all we will ever experience and enjoy. However, as we reflect on Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are reminded that our Saviour has conquered death for us. Because He is risen, we are raised to new life in Him. We can now have hope, even through loss, and can live with resurrection courage because nothing, not even death, can separate us from the love of God. Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed!

“Jesus is the way to the Father, manifests the truth of the Father, and gives us the life of the Father.” - Peh Han On week 6 of our Lent series, The Seven “I Am”s of Jesus, and Ps. Peh Han brought us a word on Jesus being the way, the truth and the life. Speaking from John 14:1-6, Jesus declares Himself as the way - the bridge between us and the Father, the truth - the anchor and answer to every chain of life’s questions, and the life - who authors, gives and sustains life. Through Jesus, we are invited to come home to the Father and commune with Him the way we were created to. Amidst the doubt and confusion that life throws at us, may we continue being anchored in Jesus by walking the narrow way towards the life we were called to in Christ, and recognise that Jesus is the only truth that we should believe.

“Our security lies in our proximity to the Good shepherd. We can trust Jesus the good shepherd to lead and care for us.” - @pehhan82 Pst Peh Han continued our Lent series on the Seven “I Ams” of Jesus, with a sharing on Jesus as our shepherd. Jesus’ leadership of His flock is the antithesis of today’s ideas strong leadership - self sacrificial and meek, He watches over His sheep with deep concern and care because we are His own. The question for us today is: do we know His voice, just as He knows us intimately? May we desire to cultivate a deep and personal relationship with our shepherd, and answer His call to hand our lives completely to Him as He leads us into the future we long for.

“Living a vibrant life in the Lord involves going in and out of the gate - not staying safe on the inside of pasture, but taking up the call to follow Him in laying down our lives for a cause that he has called us to.” - @janicechinchern Janice continued our Lent series with a sharing on Jesus’ saying: I am the gate. While we go through many different paths to find fulfilment and purpose, we discover that there is no other way to deliverance from sin, disordered desires and salvation but through Jesus. As the gate, He protects, saves and restores us. Yet, the invitation isn’t just to experience Jesus for ourselves but to follow in His footsteps and be a gate that others may come to know Him. As we reflect on the word, may we rediscover Jesus as our gate that we may rest and live secure in Him. At the same time, pray into how we may serve others around us just as Jesus did.

“To abide is to draw life from something - to stay close and long enough so that whatever you’re abiding in begins to shape, nourish and form you.” - @andrejosiah In week 5 of our Lent series on the seven “I Am”s of Jesus, we dive into Jesus being the vine. Focusing on John 15:1-11, Ps. Andre shares that because Jesus is the true vine, we now have direct access to God through abiding in Jesus. To abide is to make your home in something or somewhere. When Jesus calls us to abide in Him, He is saying to us to make our home in Him, as He makes His home in us. Just like a branch draws life from a vine, as we remain in Jesus, we draw life from Him and are shaped into His likeness. And just as a gardener prunes the branches that bear fruit so that it can be even more fruitful, we face seasons of trials and tribulations that test our faith to purify and prepare us to receive more of what God has promised us. As we learn to continually abide in the true vine and root our lives in Him, we pray that we would not rush through life, strive to prove ourselves or shy away from suffering, but to recognise that we are already loved and chosen by God, and that our joy is complete in Him.

“Jesus came to change our desires at the core so that He becomes the main one, the central desire.” - @pehhan82 Kicking off the Lenten sermon series ‘The Seven ‘I am’s’ Of Jesus’, Ps. Peh Han taught from John 6:26-35, where Jesus declared Himself to be the bread of life. He promised that those who put their faith in Him would never hunger and would receive eternal life. The miraculous act of Jesus feeding the multitude with just five loaves and two fish was intended to reveal His divine nature, inviting people to place their faith in Him as the provider of eternal treasures, far beyond the fleeting satisfactions of this world. It reminds us that when we focus on temporary things, we lose sight of what truly matters. God knows our needs and will provide, though not always in the way we expect. Jesus came to redirect our desires, urging us to focus on the eternal, making Him the central and lasting desire of our hearts. Let’s reflect on Jesus as the Bread of Life, and examine areas where we may be focused on the temporary and shift our focus to what is eternal. May we trust in God’s provision, even when it doesn’t align with our expectations, and let this deepen our desire for Jesus and setting our hearts on the eternal treasures He provides.

“The world will not be impressed by a church that mirrors society’s divisions, but it will be astonished by a church where people who have nothing in common except Jesus — love one another as family.” - @andrejosiah In week 2 of our Vision Series, Ps. Andre shared his heart for The City to have a missional unity which transcends personal preference, affinity, and cultural similarities, and binds the church together for the shared purpose of advancing the gospel. He talked about how missional unity can be expressed through being a category-defying community, one that guards against division, and captures a shared mission. In a world that teaches us to narrow our circle - to align ourselves with people who think like us, act like us, live like us and benefit us, may we be the church that does the opposite: widen the circle to welcome those whom the world would never put together.

“To fall in God’s kingdom is to be about good deeds without great love. It is giving up the better part.” – @andrejosiah Pst Andre kicked off our Vision Series today with a message on Fending Off Lukewarmness. Sharing from the story of the church of Ephesus that started with passionate love for Jesus but eventually settled for routine faithfulness, it was a stark reminder of how easily we too can lose our zeal and fall into compromise. Jesus shows us the way back—by remembering what we’ve lost, repenting from the seriousness of sin, and returning to the works of first love. Let’s rededicate ourselves to a rhythm of renewal, and rediscover a desire for God’s love and life to fill our lives and community.

“Jesus did not promise that everything will work out in this life, even if we were fully obedient. However, he promised that it will be worth it, because He is worth it all.” - @andoryuutam Speaking from the book of Malachi and the life of John the Baptist, we learn what our priestly calling is, which is primarily to revere God, and stand in front of Him in awe and trembling. We are called to live faithfully, putting the first things first and letting everything else apart from God fade away. May we be like John the Baptist and be a people who see God rightly, who are willing to say 1000 ‘no’s to the world for the 1 ‘yes’ to God, who will not be preoccupied by what our own dreams are, but stop to consider what God’s dreams are - not just for us but our families, our friends, our community, our society - and make space in our hearts to carry and partner with Him to fulfil those dreams.

“When we don’t have everything figured out and when we are overwhelmed, that’s where God’s grace unfolds.” - @pehhan82 Pst Peh Han shared on The Sacred Rhythms of Grace as we kicked off our first service for the year. Has the new year already started to feel like the same cycle of exhaustion, and are we already starting to question where we are headed? Therein lies an opportunity for renewal and hope amid such circumstances by forging deeper connections and rediscovering practices of healing and unity. God has not called us to bear the weight of life’s struggles alone. Instead, He calls us to be in community as a body of Christ, and wants to meet us with His grace in moments of uncertainty. As we enter a new week, may it be our prayer for God to help us embrace the uncertainties of life with faith and hope, as we fix our eyes on Him.

“Control turns the very thing that God sends to bring us life and freedom into a perceived threat to our sense of security. We end up trading the peace of His provision for the anxiety of our own striving.” - @andrejosiah Pst Andre kicked off our advent series, Missing Jesus, as we enter a season of contemplation as a church family, and collectively ponder on the wonder of Jesus’ birth. Sharing from the life of king Herod, who grappled with an excessive need for control, Pst Andre asked us to consider if there are areas in our lives where we too cling to our desire for control, and as a result, experience exhaustion and spiritual emptiness. While the illusion of control enslaves us, we can have hope in Jesus. As we let go of control, and a choose a posture of surrender, He grants us His peace and rest. As we enter the new week and reflect on the word, let us reflect on the areas that we are clinging to control that God is prompting us to release. As we prayerfully surrender them to Him, that we can rediscover life in Christ and His resurrection power.

“What if all this was so that your life would create a context for someone else to come into his destiny? Would you still do it?” - @yeohjo In the final week of “Caught up in God’s story” series, we had the honour of having Josh Yeoh, who shared his journey of how God gave him a word to sow seeds of prayer movement into the local church, yet challenged and remade him into a man that will lay down his dreams and step away from self-actualisation and help others come into their destinies. Sharing from the relationship of Jonathan and David, Barnabas and Paul, where the former had godly contentment in taking the backseat and fully investing in the interest and the assignment of the latter, brought God’s purpose to pass and the Antioch Church was established. He left us with this question: Who are the people, ‘David’s’ and ‘Pauls’ in our lives that we would step aside to, give our resources, time and energy and lay down our lives for so we could build them up for success? Ultimately, the Antioch church can only be build through: 1. A diverse body with different gifts and talents and we are not to dismiss those whom we think are less. 2. A culture of fasting and praying, where we are filled with a holy discontent and be awakened to things in God we would otherwise go without. 3. Identities found not in the sending but in being set apart for the Lord. As we close this sermon series, may we pray for the desire to be set apart for His kingdom and live out God’s story in our lives.

“Prayer is key to developing a heart of compassion.” - @eugeneseow12 We had the privilege of having Eugene Seow with us at service, for week three of the “Caught Up in God’s Story” series. Sharing from Matthew 9:36, Eugene spoke about the compassion Jesus had for the multitudes, and Jesus’ call for harvesters even as the harvest is plentiful. Yet, the biggest hurdle holding the church back from reaching out to the lost is compassion. Developing Jesus’ heart of compassion requires us to: 1. Open our eyes to see the crowd 2. Open our hands to meet their needs and 3. Open our hearts to ask God to grant us His heart for the lost We hope you were blessed and inspired by the word to take decisive action and pray into how we may meet the needs of the communities around us as the body of Christ.

“Our call as Christians is ultimately to equip & disciple nations, no matter our vocation. Our jobs themselves do not really matter that much; what truly matters is what we are doing our jobs and our tasks unto.” - @soykang_ In week 2 of “Caught Up in God’s Story”, we had one of our very own, So-Young, to share with us on how God moved in her life, turned ashes into beauty, and ultimately led her to her life’s calling with the founding of Awaken Group and Gnowbe. When we consider what our calling is in life, we usually think it is tied to a certain job or vocation. But, So-Young reminded us that each person’s calling is their unique talent that God has given, and how we can use that unique talent and serve together with others as one Body with one shared mission. As she shared her story, she also spoke on how everything that we have been through has been deposited in our lives for a reason. In her life, out of pain, purpose was birthed. God does not waste anything. When we go through painful experiences and difficulties, God does not want us to just go through them, but rather what He does is to redeem our pain and transform it into our gift, turning ashes into beauty. Ultimately, what God is after is us and our hearts. In our lives, may we do every task and job we are given with excellence unto God, seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness in everything we do.

Kicking off the “Caught Up in God’s Story” series, we had the honour of having Heidi Tan share with us on the work she does at Habibi International, a humanitarian organisation in Iraq, and her life story on how she felt called to be in the mission field to serve communities on the margins. In her sharing, she spoke on how as she waited to be out in the mission field, she learnt what it truly meant to “delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give your the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4), where as we spend time with the Lord and delight ourselves with Him, we become more aware of His heart’s desires, and that shapes our heart’s desires to align with His. She also spoke from John 1:35-42, where we read that John’s disciples, Andrew and Simon Peter, followed Jesus. In that passage, the conversation between Jesus, Andrew and Simon Peter captures some key questions that still hold true to this day as we search for a deeper purpose in our lives and our walk with God: 1. What are we looking for when we decide to follow Jesus? 2. Do we know where God is moving, and where His heart is? 3. How can we be a part of what God is showing us? No matter where you are in your walk with God today, we pray that we will be willing vessels, ones who know God’s heart and make all of our lives available for God to move in and through us for His good works.

“The mark of a spirit-filled life is the ability to submit to one another.” - @pehhan82 Pst Peh Han continued our sermon series with a sharing on how we are Immeasurably Filled to live a spirit-filled life. This influences the dynamics of our relationships, especially in the household when we relate to our spouses, parents and children. Christ’s love for the church is to be our model of authority - lordship that is expressed in meekness and self-sacrificial humility. Likewise, we are to adopt the model of honour that serves with sincerity of heart and goodwill when we submit to others in authority. As we reflect on the word, let it be our prayer that God transforms us and shapes us to be the spirit-filled community He has intended, that we will be able to submit to each other in the fear of the Lord.

“We get to participate in God’s eternal purpose by growing and helping others grow in discipleship to Jesus.” - @timothyshaun Continuing with our series “Immeasurably More” where we explore the book of Ephesians, Tim spoke from Ephesians 4 today and how we are immeasurably called by God to do good works in His redemptive plan. Despite knowing this truth, sometimes we feel it’s hard for us to grasp or experience that glorious reality because everything outside of Christ is and can be influenced by the powers. But the good news is that Christ has paid the price for us to be free, and given us grace to walk worthy of our calling. Where church has been marked by programmatic consumption, God has given us the grace to overcome it by maturing in relationship through truth in love. Where there is performative burnout, God has given us grace to be secure in who we are as we grow into our gifts. Where there is purposeless stagnation, God has given us grace to live on mission for others. And with God’s grace, may we be a people that will make disciples of all nations, until we attain the fullness of Christ.

“We are immeasurably empowered to be the means and embodiment of the fullness of Christ.” - @janicechinchern In week 3 of our series Immeasurably More, Janice brought us a word based on Ephesians 1:15-23, where Paul prays for the Ephesian church to grow in wisdom and revelation of God, and for the following three points to be realities for them: 1. The hope of God’s calling - the knowledge that their hope in God is an eternal one, and it is a living, blessed and sure hope 2. The riches of God’s inheritance - the knowledge that they have received spiritual blessings which are not earned, but that they were given access to. They are God’s possession, and are thus of immense value. 3. The greatness of God's power toward them - the knowledge that they are immeasurably empowered to be the means and embodiment of the fullness of Christ. It is our prayer that the eyes of our hearts will be enlightened to see Jesus for who He really is, so that we know God not just in our heads but in our hearts. As we pray to increase in the knowledge of God, may we live out our identity of being a people who are immeasurably empowered with the hope, riches and power we receive from Him.

“In a world where culture tries to define us, or we struggle to carve out our own identity amid chaos and confusion, we have a gift—a God-given identity.” - @andrejosiah Ps. Andre continues our sermon series, Immeasurably More, with a sharing on how we are Immeasurably Rich in Christ. Our identity is deeply connected to what we believe gives our life meaning and significance. When we fall short of our ideal selves that we aspire to live up to, we feel guilt and shame. Yet, we can find hope in our God given identity through the gift of salvation we receive through Christ. As the One who fashioned humanity, God alone holds the key to our true identity and purpose. Without the light of His revelation, we are left stumbling through the darkness of confusion, unsure of who we are or why we exist. We can take heart in knowing that God has chosen and redeemed us - an irrefutable truth no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in.

“Ephesians, more than any other epistle, demonstrates how important and central the church is to God’s plan and His purpose for mankind.” - @pehhan82 We are starting a new sermon series titled “Immeasurably More”, which aims to uncover a biblical vision for the Church through the book of Ephesians. Over the next 10 weeks, we will dive into what God has designed and intended for the church in our world, and how it is immeasurably more than what we can conceive or imagine. Kicking off week 1 of the series, Ps. Peh Han brought us through a historical background of the founding of the Ephesian church, as well as Paul and the Lord’s heart for the Ephesian church through the letters written to them. In Acts 20:17-35, Paul wrote his parting words to the elders of the Ephesians church, which included his instructions to them like serving the Lord with all humility, telling the body of Christ everything that is helpful, shepherding the church of God, and finally reminding them of the words of Jesus, that “it is more blessed to give than to receive”. Revelations 2:1-7 is the second letter addressed to the Ephesians in the Bible, which is Jesus’ letter to the Ephesians through John the Apostle. In particular, in Revelations 2:5, Jesus writes “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works” - in our lives, in areas where we may have fallen away from God, we pray that God will help us remember our history with Him, and keep in mind that true repentance is always accompanied by corresponding actions.

“When we are covenanted in marriage, we are to die to our old selves, taking on the new identity of “we”, where all that we have and all that we are now belong to each other. And as we begin to operate as one in prayer, there is power and synergy because we are one in the Spirit.” - Tim & Patsy Continuing on with our series on ‘Family’, Tim & Patsy spoke on the topic of “Unleashing the Power of Marriage”. They reminded us that when God wants to bless us, He cuts a covenant, and the covenantal love of God is a love that is unconditional, that never fails, and never leaves us. In covenant, couples are yoked together, to walk together in humility and work together to fulfil God’s purpose that does not just bless the couple themselves, but for the generations to come.

“The truth is that we desperately need others to lead us closer to Christ. The call to honour leaders isn’t about inflating their pride, but diminishing our own.” - @andrejosiah Today, Ps. Andre shared on Rediscovering Spiritual Leadership, and unpacked what the Bible intended for spiritual leadership, as well as how we should respond as a community. The prevailing culture of our day resists and rejects the concept of submission, especially given widespread disillusionment concerning church leadership. Yet, Ps. Andre reminded us that the response to failures in leadership shouldn’t be to dismantle the entire structure or for the people of God to be left to their own devices. Instead, we are to pray for our leaders as they are given a charge to shepherd God’s people, and are accountable to God to see souls prosper under their care. Let us continue to pray for the leaders of our church, including the new Elders we commissioned as a community today. May our testimony as a faith community be that of joy, as leaders and as a congregation.

“In the face of rampant immaturity, God calls us to conduct ourselves for unity and serve one another with our gifts — building up the Body in Love, unto the fullness of Christ” - @timothyshaun Speaking from Ephesians 4:1-13, Tim brought us a word titled “Built Up In Love”, encouraging us to walk in the manner worthy of God’s calling on our lives to fulfil His mission. In Ephesians 4:7, Paul mentions that each one of us has been given grace, as Christ apportioned it, which refers to the ways that God has gifted each of us unique callings and abilities for His mission. What is the unique grace or gifting that God has gifted you for His mission through the church? As we discover what our giftings are, we pray that God will also reveal how you can come fully alive in the way you serve with your gifts, allowing God to mature it so that as a church and a community, we can build one another up in love and help others mature too.

“Speaking the truth in love to one another, while difficult to do, is essential for our growth as individuals and collectively as the body of Christ, as we grow to become the mature church under the headship of Christ.” - @xianyi Xianyi shared on “Speaking (and Hearing) the Truth in Love”, focusing on the verses in Ephesians 4:1-6 and 11-16. It’s important for us to speak the truth with love, because if either one is missing, we could fall into being too critical or being condoning. The most loving thing we can do for others is not to prescribe our opinions or to use our human wisdom, but to point them to the truth that is in Christ Jesus. In order for us to speak the truth in love, we have to start with letting the Lord speak the truth in love into our hearts first - that He would heal our hurts and our brokenness, and that we would be transformed into His likeness.

“Understanding that we are known deepens our grasp of our identity. Only God satisfies the innate desire we all have to be known.” - @janicechinchern Janice brought a sermon titled “Known by God” where she spoke life into the area of our identity as children of God. In a time of much uncertainty and instability concerning this matter, there is utmost importance for the revelation that we are deeply loved and known by God. She illustrated with the faith accounts woven throughout the Bible that God knows us personally and intimately and how paramount that is for our spiritual formation. She invited us to gently ponder “Would we allow ourselves to be known?” As we contemplate and reflect on His relentless love for us that is not contingent on what we can or cannot do, may we be deeply rooted in our identities as children of God and confident that He shall surely be faithful to perfect what He started in us.

“Anger is not the problem; it tells us something is wrong under the emotional, spiritual, or relational hood of our lives. We use anger to express our hurt or frustration, and to protect and preserve ourselves.” - @andrejosiah In week seven of our sermon series, The Freedom You Long For, Pastor Andre shared about Anger and Patience. A common fallacy in our approach to anger is thinking that we should never ever be angry as Christians, and that it is an emotion that we should repress. Yet, to be human is to feel, just as Jesus Himself felt the full extent of human emotions. While the feelings of anger are not a sin, what we do with anger can become dysfunctional and destructive. Where then can we take our anger? When we go to God in repentance, He restores us, and we can seek His strength for divine patience as we abide in His love. As we go about the week, may we seek God’s grace for the areas of unresolved anger and bitterness in our lives, and trust that He can transform us as we surrender to Him.

“Envy exposes the idols of your heart, the sources of your identity, and where you derive your sense of worth; learn what you envy and you will know who you are.” - @andrejosiah We are on week 4 of our sermon series “The Freedom You Long For”, Ps. Andre spoke on the topic of Envy & Contentment. We often hear the saying that “comparison is the thief of joy”, and envy sets in when we compare others’ blessings with our own and it makes us feel inadequate. But as followers of Christ, we can find contentment in God by abdicating the throne of our own lives and letting God take His rightful place. Christian contentment is not about minimalism or simplicity - it is about contentment in Christ, because of Christ, and empowered by Christ. May we take some time to reflect on the following 3 questions, and invite God in to free us from the sin of envy: 1. Is there a disappointing or even painful situation in my life that’s leading to feelings of grief or injustice or longing? 2. Is there anyone whose happiness brings me sadness because I want the happiness they are receiving? 3. Is there anyone I’ve allowed to harbour feelings of bitterness or anger towards?

"Sometimes Jesus just needs us to go, pray and trust. Jesus will do the rest." - @dpma Derek Ma challenged us by sharing his testimony of what God has done in his life over the years through the story of Ananias in Acts 9 He expounds from the view of Ananias, who might not have understood God’s assignment initially, but acted in faith and trusted in God command and was used as an instrument in Saul’s conversion. May we all enter our week learning to trust in God and availing ourselves as instruments of God!

“Obedience is not just one aspect of a believer’s life. It is the central guiding principle that shapes our identity, purpose and relationship with God.” - @chrisvonne Christine shared on The Priority Of Obedience, gleaning from the lives of Saul and Abraham, one whose selective obedience ultimately led to his demise, and another who demonstrated wholehearted obedience, without question, despite the personal sacrifice he was called to make. Complete obedience to God may seem like the antithesis to today’s prevailing culture that champions self determination and personal freedom. Within this tension, Christine encouraged us to rediscover the importance of complete obedience to God as a response to His love, a pathway to our freedom and fulfilment, and ultimately, to be His counter-cultural witnesses here on earth. May we desire to walk in a deeper level of wholehearted surrender and obedience to God, and take heart that we can ultimately do so by leaning on His empowerment and grace as we continue to walk with Him.

“The message of Jesus is not to maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses; rather, it is in your weakness that God’s strength is made perfect within you.“ - @andrejosiah We started on our Vision Series, with an overarching theme of A Holy Discontent, challenging us to confront the shallowness of our spiritual discontent in a culture that craves immediacy and the temporary. Ps. Andre spoke on the very heart of discipleship today, which is to take our spiritual formation seriously. A dangerous fallacy in our approach to life with God occurs when we believe that being strong in one area will somehow compensate for weakness in another, but God wants us be like Christ in all aspects of our lives. Let us take some time to reflect on this question: “Where am I unlike Jesus?”Our formation must address the areas where we are not formed in Christ. We pray that we will approach our spiritual growth with intention, taking active steps to be molded into the image of Christ and live out our faith daily.

“A large part of our discipleship rests on fending off cynicism and pursuing wonder; keeping our hearts anchored in hope, joy, and faith in God despite life’s setbacks.“ - @andrejosiah Pst Andre shared about Small Beginnings at our first service of 2024, where we celebrated a new milestone in our journey as a church family with our official move to Nexus. Sharing from the life of Caleb, and his different response, in contrast to the doubt, despair and contempt that others had for God’s promised land, Pst Andre reminded us that God often chooses the small, weak, and unseen for His purposes. Insignificant as they may appear to us, they often are how God shows His power and goodness in our lives. As we enter into a new week, may we think about how we may see as God sees, and how we may rejoice in the small beginnings that He wants to use in our lives. Be blessed!

“The joy that God calls us to is one that is bold and courageous - one that is able to look at death and suffering as temporary.” - @timothyshaun Tim concluded our Advent series, Rumours of God, with a sermon on Joy. A condition of the heart and a posture of the soul, Tim shared about how the eternal joy that we have because of the good news of the gospel: Jesus’ birth, and the promise of His second coming. Even in the midst of sorrow and disappointments that we navigate in this life, may we seek to cultivate the fruit of Joy through drawing from God’s presence, plugging into community and embracing the discipline of celebration.