What an honor to be here! I left Chicago Monday 500pm and arrived in Singapore on Wednesday at 1230pm. God is doing amazing things here in giving churches a vision for family ministry. I was invited to join an amazing team led by Ben and Jennifer Freudenberg, along with their daughter Cori, and am here also with Kirk Weaver and Mike Heinz from Family Time Training and Faith Legacy, respectively.
We have been invited to host a conference this weekend at Elim Church. The conference is designed to be a time of equipping and inspiration for parents and church leaders to live out their faith in their homes, to disciple their children, and serve their family members.
Singapore is an incredible place. The whole country, an island, is roughly 25×25 miles, and is almost entirely urban. The population is 5 million, with everyone living on top of each other in high rise apartment buildings. In most places, it is ultra-modern city.
70% of the population has a Chinese background, so Buddhism is the most common religion. The vast majority of Christians are the first generation believers in their families. Many of them, when they trusted Christ, were shunned by their families. One of the pastors at the church we are serving had no contact with his father for seven years after he trusted Christ, because his father would not speak to him. Now, as he told me, God is using his children, to slowly soften his father’s heart to Christ!
It is so humbling to be here and have the opportunity to teach the Bible this weekend, both at the conference, and then preaching Sunday morning. Because the church is made up of first generation Christians, they have the marvelous opportunity to build a theological foundation for family ministry right from the start! In the states, we have to repair the broken foundations of delegation parenting, age-segregation, and the absence of the biblical model for discipleship in and through families.
It is always best to build the foundation right from the start, and that is the blessed opportunity God has given to the church here in Singapore. Please keep our team in our prayers.
Rob, thank for your blog. I will continue to read it with interest and prayer. I think of your family here often. Our prayer follows you. mb
We are praying for you each day and will follow your progress. Take care and God bless. The kids were over yesterday to swim and play with Sarah.
We are praying this morning for you Rob and your whole team. God’s plan is far greater than ours, His ways are far above ours. Praying you will walk each moment in His will. Praying for strength for you but also for Amy. Praying for spiritual protection. -Mark and Julie
Family back home is praying with you as God roots himself in the families in Singapore thru generations of faithfulness. What a beautiful thing to see!
Thanks for the update, Rob! We are praying for the whole team and all that it will do to encourage and equip or fellow believers there. Be blessed today!
AWESOME! I will be praying for you! God will do a mighty work through this conference.
Exciting to hear!! Praying for you!
Rob,
Here’s praying your time in Singapore is richly blessed of God to make your impact the greatest it can possibly be.
On another front: I was looking through your store and the resources you offer. I’m looking for something specifically geared to “grand-parents role with their children and grand-children”. What do you recommend as the most appropriate to that subject?
Blessings,
Harry 4mars2