The Pervasive Effects of Globalisation on Youth Drop Outs in Singapore - Tan Ting Yu

Introduction

To many, globalisation appears to be a modern phenomenon unique to this day and age. Yet contrary to general public opinion, the meteoric rise of globalisation dates back to the past – in fact, as Retief Müller and Jose Casanova have pointed out, the apostle Paul, having travelled the empire of Rome repeatedly, can be regarded as one of the earliest agents of globalisation. To use a more precise definition of what it means to be a globaliser – a globaliser is one that actively engages in the micro and macro interactions and processes, and in the course of which bringing about an interconnected world. This is not limited to trade and economics; it is inclusive of the flow of ideas, modern science and technology, politics, human capital as well as other resources over increasingly porous barriers. Some might perceive globalisation as a largely secular process, but it may come as a surprise to them that Christianity has long been a potent influencer of globalisers all over the world. Most notably, Christianity in the 16th century sparked off the first contemporary missionary movement during the period of intensive European exploration and colonization, leading to the spread of Christianity worldwide. 

Consider then the local context – what does globalisation have to do with Singapore? A nation-state plagued by the unfortunate lack of natural hinterland and antagonistic geopolitics, Singapore enterprisingly turned global in an attempt to ensure survival. 50 years from Independence, Singapore’s status as the region’s leading Global City and thriving hub is unparalleled; its economic successes acknowledged by political giants such as Henry Kissinger; its political successes raising ripples in its sphere of influence (Asian values debate). Admittedly, globalisation has and will always be the linchpin to keeping Singapore afloat – yet these seemingly overwhelming benefits derived from the global community seem small in comparison to the pervasive effects on local Christians, in particular, the Singapore youths. 

In the following sections, this paper will explore the endemic side effects of globalisation on Christian youths in Singapore, as well as suggest an overarching framework for discipleship that will ideally keep these youths securely anchored to their faith. 

Simply, the effects of globalisation can be broken down into the following: ease of access, consumerism, corporatization, postmodernism and skepticism of authority. Admittedly, this analysis is lacking, but for the purposes of the paper, these factors are sufficient. 

Ease Of Access

As Singapore steps into its 50th year of independence, she has been observed to have grown into its role as the key trading hub for the region. Singapore is exceedingly well connected. In 2013, IDA statistics show that a stunning 88% of all households had access to Internet. According to the same source, 21% of households owned a computer at home, while a surprising 66% owned 2 or more computers. 

With multiple sources of information consumption, the Church has little room but to acknowledge that they are no longer the sole arbiters of spiritual content. Increasingly, homegrown online magazines are providing their own take on Christian spirituality; parachurch organisations have extended their reach to within schools and universities – all while the traditional church passively takes a backseat. 

Today, many youth leaders realize the distressing fact that youths now perceive and interpret reality through unfiltered media and screens. Unfortunately, a key source of worry lies in that while youths may be tech savvy, few are truth savvy. Postman (1995) goes as far as to argue that they have become ‘passive recepients’ of information. This is made ever more so pressing since the key purveyor of media content cannot be pinpointed to one authority. Youths are thus exposed to increasingly liberal tastes that have long since compromised traditional religious authority. Compounded by the lack of sound theological foundations and church-based virtual watchdogs, technological globalisation threatens to dismantle current stability and undermine the effects and teachings of Christianity. 

Though technological globalisation has yet to affect Christianity directly, there are instances of other religions being impacted adversely. Take a long look at the current situation on the War on Terror against ISIS. Youths all over the world – most recently 2 youths aged 19 and 17 in Singapore – were self-radicalized simply through the internet. Technological globalisation thus has the potential to dilute true teachings of the Bible and thus, in doing so, lead the youth away from the true churches they should worship at. 

Consumerism

Affluent and prosperous, it is hard to live in Singapore and not be swayed by the power of consumerism. Defined in the Merriam Webster dictionary as the ‘increased consumption and preoccupation with consumer goods’, consumerism promotes a sense of instant gratification and urge for immediacy. Consumerism and materialism are undeniably the two greatest capitalist driving force of global culture. Dr Alex Tang puts forth the argument that Singapore has been assimilating this culture uncritically in our tunnel-vision for economic success. This has the unintended effect of pushing the youth towards perceived autonomy, self-entitlement as well as aforementioned instant gratification. This has the deplorable consequence of leading the youth to pursue what is worldly – when they should instead be pursuing a Christ-like life and God. 

Extensions of consumerism and materialism find themselves in the importation of the prosperity gospel. A heavily misconstrued perception of the Word, the prosperity gospel is not centered on the Trinitarian God but rather on the individual. It reeks of human selfishness and greed; yet it has been able to gain traction locally. The fact that these gospels find refuge within mega churches is all the more appalling – with such a massive reach over mega-church goers, it seems inevitable that impressionable youths may find themselves being spoon-fed falsified truths. This then leads to shaky foundations of their faith, leaving them skeptical and ever more so susceptible to external distractions and doubt, and eventually - increases the possibility of them leaving the church. 

Corporation

In Singapore’s pursuit of being more business friendly, corporate values such as efficiency and pragmatism has taken centerstage in recent years – extending its hegemony past the corporate world and into the church. In the name of well-intentioned efficiency, pastors have begun to simplify sermons – ‘dumbing down’ sermons, in the words of Marva Dawn (1995) – to that of ‘sound bites’, whose concise delivery caterr to audiences with short attention spans. Furthermore, churches have taken to importing ‘best practices’ from other countries, regardless of their relevance (or lack therof). Easily reproduced education programmes from the global community appear to be shortcuts by which the local pragmatic church should take. For instance, some of these courses are the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, or the Alpha Course – all of which are standardized and have yet to be adapted to the local Singaporean context. As Dr Alex Tang reiterates, the consequence of such ‘one-size-fits-all’ programmes forces the church into a position of irrelevance. Predictable, arguably shallow and irrelevant, pastors and teachers thus lose credibility amongst their congregation. This is extremely detrimental in disciple making, which is key to training up youths in the ways of Christian living. 

Scepticism Towards Authority

Highly linked to the previous point is the issue of a breakdown of trust between youths and the authority. By authority I mean to say youth pastors, mentors, coaches, etc. As aforementioned, the digital age produces a whole new environment whereby the church is subject to scrutiny – both internally by the youths and externally, by secular watchdogs such as the Law. The current situation in Singapore hints at a disturbing undercurrent of mistrust and doubt at leaders of the church, especially so for those in charismatic mega-churches. This stems from the ongoing lawsuit about the City Harvest Church. This high profile case has not only broken the trust between the congregation and the church, It has the unfortunate effect of damaging and tarnishing the reputation of Christianity in the eyes of the general public. Arguably, this could cause a loss in potential Christians, as they would be deterred by the hypocrisy of the church. 

Postmodernism

As the late As the late Lee Kuan Yew once said, with reference to the topless cabaret show Crazy Horse, ‘Let the show in. It does not make sense to keep things out in this globalised age’. Indeed, as Singapore reaches our 50th year of Independence, LKY’s words seem to have rung true on many levels. With their economic needs suitably well-met, Singaporeans have grown increasingly concerned over issues of social justice and freedoms, or as some might claim, universal human rights. What we see instead is an increasingly tolerant society that has welcomed vice – physically manifested in the two casinos built in Marina Bay Sands and in Sentosa; a society that seeked to overthrow seemingly archaic laws such as 377A; a society that celebrated the normalization of homosexuality by the Health Promotion Board. As Christians, these practices are not in line with our faith and beliefs – and thus pose a huge cause for worry. As David Kinnaman observes in his book You Lost Me (Baker Books, 2011), youths of today are overprotected and easily swayed by public opinion. They perceive Christianity as rigid, archaic, inflexible and irrelevant – turning instead to supporting these causes. Examples of which include the observable exponential increase in supporters for Pink Dot, an event that supports and celebrates homosexuality. 

Viewing this, we can conclude that the Singaporean youth appear to be interested in spirituality only on their own terms. 

Considering the rapid changes made in a mere decade, the church has yet to adequately prepare for the next generation to follow Christ devotedly in this world full of complexity. There thus arises a necessity for the counter-cultural church – through which true discipleship is grounded in Christ’s likeness (1 John 2:6) 

As Proverbs 22:6 states: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Youths struggling with their faith can then return to their churches, back to the Word - and through the Bible, seek wisdom from God (Matthew 7:24-27). I would like to propose a two-pronged approach to disciple making. One aspect will be headed by the parents (Ephesians 6:4), and the other, by the church. 

Parents

In 1 Kings 2, on his deathbed, King David tells Solomon to ‘walk in obedience to Him and keep His decrees and commands, his laws and regulations’. This concept is mentioned repeatedly in the Bible, where parents are meant to ‘bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord’ (Ephesians 6:4). Given that parents are the key mentors in the child’s life, parents are able to shape the child’s worldview from young. By exhibiting spiritual leadership with the end goal of deepening maturity of the child, parents can play an instrumental role in encouraging their child to ‘live by faith and not by sight’ (2 Corinthians 5:7). 

 

Church

As Calvin reminded the medieval Church, God is the foundation of the Church. Dr Calvin Chong, an associate professor at the Singapore Bible College puts forth the following framework for discipleship. 

Values, Vision, Vehicles

First, the church should derive basic values from the bible, rooted in the Word. Through understanding God’s will, the church then submits in obedience and formulates a vision based on His plan. This vision can then be achieved through different vehicles – or plans. In Ephesians 4:11, we are told that Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and the teachers. In 2 Timothy 2:2, we are further told that ‘And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others’. Dr Jimmy Tan recommends that teachers and theologians educate and guide pastors, defending the church against corruption. Pastors then teach doctrines and scriptures to ordinary Christians. Notably, there are three pairs of mentor-mentee relationships that shed light on how these relationships should work. Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha as well as Paul and Timothy. All three mentors believed staunchly in the Word, whose mentees then followed in their footsteps (Joshua 24:15). There are elements of encouragement in times of distress (2 Timothy 3:14-15) and endurance in suffering (2 Timothy 2:3) which are strongly relevant today. Given the aforementioned aspects of globalisation, the current youth have grown opinionated and brash, unafraid of harsh or open criticism - teachers and pastors can possibly look to Proverbs 27:17 for encouragement. 

Scripture, Social, Self

On a more micro-perspective of lessons, Calvin recommends existential apprehension as a comprehensive way to go about our faith. Calvin points at a healthy balance between both heart (strengthened) and mind (illumined), where the theoretical can be backed up by experience – or ‘piety’. Meanwhile, Dean Borgman, author of Foundations for Youth Ministry (Baker Academic, 2013), recommends that pastors and mentors engage in disciple making through the exegesis of Scripture, Social and Self. One can argue that through experiencing the Holy Spirit, the exegesis of Self can be attained – through which the fruits of the Holy Spirit can be enjoyed (Galatians 5:22). 

The exegesis of Scripture can be further broken down into the analysis of the Bible through the historical, linguistic, literary context as well as its theological implications. Through critical reading of Scripture, youths can thus ‘present yourself (themselves) to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth’ (2 Timothy 2:15). 

Social exegesis, though constantly overlooked, is an essential part that helps pastors understand the culture in which the youths live in. The study of social sciences such as anthropology, sociology, political sciences etc are vital in helping pastors link biblical teachings to relevant life applications. 

Conclusion

The pervasive effects of globalisation while undeniable, does not mean that globalisation in itself is inherently detrimental. Rather, like how a sword is useless on its own, it is the person who wields it that controls and exhibits power over it. Similarly, as Joseph Koh mentioned in his thesis on hipster culture, globalisation can be to our advantage should youths harness its power for the right reasons. One method he mentioned was the reclamation of media – much like what he and his friends have done with their Christian online magazine, Selah. With strong foundations in the Christian faith, youths and their proficient use of technology can help create inroads to cultures that have yet to receive the good news. As Roland Chia argues, Christians can and should enter the public square proudly – a sentiment echoed in Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age”. 

Tan Ting Yu

STEP 2015

How to fulfil the great commission in a multi-cultural and multi-religious society amongst the youth in Singapore? - Tiffany Toh

“Therefore, go make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). 

Singapore is a young nation that is made up of 4 main races: Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasians. Main religions are Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Taoism and Hinduism, of which Buddhism makes up the greatest proportion. Singapore’s legal system can give a restraining order against a person in any religious group or institution if found to have committed or is attempting to commit any of the following acts: causing feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different religious groups; or promoting a political cause, carrying out subversive activities, or exciting disaffection against the president or the government under the guise of propagating or practicing a religious belief. 

The youths today are mostly made of people from the y generation. The y generation are known as the millennial generation (1980s to 2000s). They are shaped by the technological revolution that occurred throughout their youth, resulting them to be online and connected 24/7. They believe in the need for a work-life balance. 

We currently live in an age of post-modernism whereby radical changes has made institutions and social structures weaker, the religious message is no longer effective and family no longer a datum point. Social and cultural authorities collapse and individualism rises like never before. We have come to a point whereby everything is relative and everyone is perceived on the base of the context in which operates: physical aspect, emotions and desires are not priorities. 

With Singapore facing such changes amongst the youths living in this multi-religious and mutli-racial society today, it calls for a change in methods in reaching out to the lost while remain rooted to the Word of God. A study was done to examine key issues facing Singapore youth and whether social class status affected their perceptions of problems. The major problems reported include being pressured to keep up with schoolwork, worrying about the future, and needing help with schoolwork. 

A considerable degree of congruence was found in terms of how lower- and middle-class youths ranked their problems. The path for Singapore youth growing into adulthood is one that reflects the stress and pressure of a dynamic, modern society with changing social and cultural values. 

One effective way to address this issue would be by making use of education as a means to spread the Word to them. Another method would be to set up a Christian-based tuition centre that will provide extra help for those who come from low income families and cannot afford tuition fees. Fees will be 50% that of the average rate market place. Teachers will be church volunteers who are willing to encourage and teach youths who need direction and support. This will not only enable students to gain extra help academically, but it will also be a source of spiritual encouragement to those who feel left behind in this highly competitive system we live in. 

However the limitations would be that many may not come due to the lack of experience since the teachers are volunteers that could just be graduates after A or O levels. The ability to reach out is also dependent on the willingness of the parents to allow students to come to a tuition centre that is Christian based. 

Another method we can use to fulfil the great commission is through the use of social media. Social media can be a double edged sword that must be used carefully to bring people to Christ rather than to stumble them. Quoting Kuik Shiao Lin, co-founder of Food for thought and nominated Member of Parliament (MP), “Business Entrepreneurship is the way to go in reaching out to others.” With Singapore expanding the arts scene, by making use of mass media, we can reach out to the youths by setting up a business that deals with promotes the talents and gifts that youths from the girls and boys home have. 

Girls’ and Boys’ homes are places whereby juveniles are rehabilitated through casework and therapy, education and personal mastery. This business will deal more with the personal mastery aspect whereby sound habits, attitudes and values are built. All proceeds will go to supporting the Singapore Girls’ and Boys’ homes under MSF (Ministry of Social and Family development). In this way, it not only gives hope to these youths, but also a sense of ownership and desire to use their gifts for God’s glory. 

Through raising awareness of their talents to people online, it’ll be easier for them to integrate back into society once they come out of the homes. Talents could range from baking, singing, dancing, writing, drawing, playing an instrument etc. However the limitations are that these youths from girls’ and boys’ homes may not have the confidence to show their gifts/talents, or they could be unaware of their gifts. In this case, it may be unsustainable as well. 

In order to counter this, churches could send volunteers to organise classes that will not only be able to better identify and discover their gifts, but to also to teach them new skills that they can take ownership of. 

In conclusion, with the youth being the future of the nation, we should do whatever we can to reach out to them, to show them that “(God) has a plan for (them), declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give (them) a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV). 

Tiffany Toh

STEP 2015

Proposal to mobilize our own church's outreach to migrant workers - Koh Xiu Li

In our church, it has been a great challenge for the youth to step up and serve, let alone reaching out to the people outside of the church. 

Passion is the key in motivating people to serve. We, the younger generation of our church, often lack that passion for Christ. This might be due to the fact that we are the second or third generation Christians, and have not experience many ups and downs in our life as compared to our parents or grandparents. Hence, we do not experience God in our life and will not see the need in serving or reaching out to the community. 

As a third generation Christian who grew up in church, I used to think that the duty of preaching the word belongs to the pastors and the missionaries. This mindset changed when I started to experience him and see the urgent need in reaching out to those who have yet to hear about the gospel. 

The unwillingness in stepping out of our comfort zone is another obstacle that prevents us from reaching out to these people. We are so used to being in our comfort zone, that we are often not compelled to act out of it. It is only when we are willing to be exposed to the varying ministries out there, will we then have empathy on them and see the importance in reaching out to them. 

“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few.” How many truly understand and respond to the calling? 

We may often have a misconception about ‘responding to the calling’. We may think that this means we must be in full-time ministry serving the church as a pastor or being a missionary in another country preaching the word. These are definitely respectable actions and are good, but there are also a variety of other methods that we could employ to respond to the calling. For example, expressing God’s love through caring and showing concern to the needy is one such method. 

Sometimes, the gospel could be spread through our actions. Through the visitation to Healthserve clinic and listening to the stories of the migrant workers, I realised that there are many of them out there who need the gospel but not all of them have heard about the gospel. I was impressed by how the gospel is being spread amongst the migrant workers themselves even when the volunteers serving in Healthserve clinic did not explicitly present the gospel to them. It is through the help and care given to the migrant workers by the volunteers that arouses their curiosity in finding out the reason why the volunteers are helping them, which eventually lead them to know Christ. 

In similar way, we could reach out to the migrant workers by showing more care and concern to them. In my opinion, what migrant workers need the most is a listening ear. They left their family and travelled miles from their hometown to Singapore just to earn a living. They may be down and lonely, especially those who were injured badly from work and yet treated unfairly by their employers. They need people to listen to their stories, show care and concern to them. 

 

What we can do is to go down to Healthserve clinic with a group of youths occasionally to distribute welfare packs to them. They could contain necessities or something handmade by the youths in church. We could also include handwritten notes to encourage them. Besides distributing the welfare packs, we could spend some time chatting with them during dinner, listening to them and praying for them. During Christmas, we could sing Christmas carols to them outside Healthserve clinic. We could also go to some of their dormitories as a group for carolling. These may be small acts of kindness by us, but they could mean a lot to them. 

Prayer is essential component that we need in order to mobilize our youth in reaching out to the migrant workers. Without prayer, we cannot do anything. It is by the works of the Holy Spirit that ignite the passion in our hearts, placing willingness in our hearts to step out of our comfort zone. 

I believe we will be unable to understand the importance in reaching out to the migrant workers, unless we expose ourselves to the migrant workers and hear their stories first hand. It is then will we have empathy for them and are more willing to step up to care for them. Therefore, we can organise tour to the clinics with our youths to allow them to understand more about the migrant workers ministry. 

In addition, the youths might have little knowledge about the different ministries that their local church is serving. To inform them of the varying ministries, the local church can organise a one day tour for their youths to the community service centre or ministries that they are serving. In the case of our own church, Providence Presbyterian Church, we can bring our youths down to the Providence Care Centre to explore and know more about the works being done there.

In conclusion, to reach out to the people outside of church, we need the passion and the willingness to step out of our own comfort zone. To mobilize our youth in the ministry, prayer is essential and exposure to the ministry by the youth is needed. 

Koh Xiu Li

STEP 2015

Proposal to develop a sense of community in Living Praise Presbyterian Church: Volunteerism in a greying society - Adriel Seah

Living Praise Presbyterian Church (hereafter: LPPC) has a short and brief history. As the church grew, it became apparent that the church direction had to be strengthened and unified. From this, came the realisation of the three mission statements of LPPC — Building up, Reaching out, Passing down. As the church has been diligently building up its members through continued study of the Word, it is important to begin a transition into the second phase — Reaching out. 

The first phase entailed the development of members as well as leaders to be stewards of God’s Word and to have adequate knowledge. This could be done internally, provided with excellent teachers of the Word. However, the second phase has always been a weakness in LPPC. With such a short history, the church has not been able to develop a tradition and culture of spreading God’s Word through good works to the community around. Besides the administration to the partner school Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School, LPPC does not have any significant inroads into providing services for the communities around. 

It is with this backdrop that we can view a problem that the secular society currently faces — an ageing population. Singapore’s average life expectancy is ever increasing, sitting at 82 as of 2010. This number is only set to increase further as people start to lead healthier lives coupled with medical advances. It is therefore worth looking into solving both of these problems at the same time. I propose the encouragement of members of LPPC to develop a sense of community spirit by engaging in the silver sector.

A further elaboration of the reasons why this course of action is supported can be summarised as such — Demographics of LPPC, Ministries LPPC are already engaged in, and Opportunities to import lessons learnt.

Firstly, LPPC largely comprises families with middle-aged heads of family. There is a large and sizeable population of children and youth. However, it is readily apparent that the youth and children are segregated from the rest of the church, with little interaction between the young and the elderly. Efforts have been made to encourage intermingling and better communication, however, these efforts will not succeed without further action. For example, weekly lunches that are provided for members in order to encourage fellowship after service are unable to provide an extra push for members to mix around. It is important then, to foster a better sense of belonging in the church through activities that break through this barrier.

Secondly, LPPC is already heavily involved in ministry to the Kuo Chuan schools. As LPPC is situated within KCPPS, LPPC is tasked with ministry and chaplaincy for KCPPS. Through this work that LPPC is already involved in, we have gained experience in ministering to the younger demographic. This is extremely beneficial in our planning of children’s events and the carrying out of Sunday School. However, this has the added and hidden downside in causing us to neglect and overlook the older demographics. It is a common myth that only the young should be targeted when spreading the gospel, as the Grace of God is limitless — Jesus died for every single person on Earth. Hence, LPPC should also look into developing an elder ministry in order to ensure no one is neglected.

Thirdly, there are plenty of opportunities for us to import what we will learn from such an experience. Caring for the elderly and ministering to them will impart valuable lessons to young and old alike. It would encourage the youth to communicate more with the elderly and in turn, generate an empathy for the aged society in Singapore. It would also be useful in tackling the growing apathy amongst youth towards local community involvement — an ironic development as the number of youth embarking on overseas service trips are on the rise. The adults of LPPC would also gain an increased understanding of how to care for the elders, a useful lesson as their parents approach those ages themselves. Overall, there is a hope that the lessons that we can take back will enable LPPC to become a community oriented and more empathetic family.

Therefore, I propose a monthly programme where LPPC volunteers at a local home for a short period of time after service. It should be regular but not too frequent, in order for members to slowly warm up to the idea, without getting a burnout. A monthly programme would be a good method of introducing the idea to the congregation, without taking an overly committed step. It would also be best if the programme was conducted after service on Sundays. The rationale behind this, is that many people are unwelcome of the idea of spending an extra day outside, especially during the weekends. A short service and volunteering activity after service on Sunday would be more welcome as people would not be required to make an extra effort to get out of the house, reducing the barrier to acceptance of the programme.

The programme would entail a slow ramp up from easy to more advanced activities in order for the participants to gain experience first before developing themselves further. Simple activities in the beginning that do not require much training and foreknowledge include simple interactions with the elderly. Even a short yet sincere chat with the elderly can make a great impact on the elder’s wellbeing, improving their mood and benefitting their psychology.

In the future, as the participants gain more exposure, it would be hoped that they would partake in training to play a bigger role in eldercare, such as learning how to transport non-ambulant elders and even how to accompany them on their daily physical exercises. The eventual hope of this programme would be to encourage members of LPPC to be more sensitive to the plight of elders in the community, as well as within the congregation.

When the members are more attuned to the less visible members in society around them, they would be more willing to extend a helping hand where ever they deem fit. It would also be increasingly beneficial for members to understand elders and better equip ourselves with communication skills, even as our own congregation starts to age. Hopefully, this programme can serve as a bridge to close up the age schism in the congregation. As we are called to be salt and light of the Earth, it is paramount that we do not keep the Light hidden under a basket, but to actively seek to share our blessings. Through our works and a volunteering spirit, it could be possible to interest others in the Word of God and enable us to share the Gospel with the community around us.

Adriel Seah 

STEP 2015

The Difficulties Facing the Lower-Skilled Foreign Labour in Singapore: A Christian Response - Png Eng Keat

Singapore is a small country which is limited both in land area and domestic workforce. Due to its small geographic size of 718 square kilometres, she cannot rely on natural resources for her economy, unlike larger neighbours such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Thus, Singapore has to depend heavily on her human capital for growth and progress. Due to rapid economic expansion and the limited domestic workforce available, historically Singapore has always relied on foreign labour to augment her workforce. 

The reliance on foreign labour is further entrenched by the improving education level of Singaporeans. In order to have quality local human capital, quality local education is essential. As a result of her focus to achieve a world class education system, more Singaporeans are becoming better educated. In 2012, more than 70 per cent of Singapore residents aged 25-34 years (who were not currently formally studying) were tertiary educated, as compared to only less than 20 per cent among those above 60 years of age. With better education, less younger Singaporeans are taking up lower-skilled jobs with poorer remunerations. In order to continue filling the ranks of lower-skilled workers, Singapore has to draw from the pool of labour overseas. 

Singapore classifies its foreign workforce according to their skill set and are issued different employment documents accordingly. For foreign domestic workers and semi-skilled or unskilled foreign workers, they are issued work permits and are classified as work permit holders. As of December 2014, there were 991,300 work permit holders in Singapore, of which 222,500 were foreign domestic workers and 322,700 were construction workers. In total, work permit holders make up about 18% of the population residing in Singapore.

The Population White Paper of 2013 recognises that lower-skilled foreign workers complement the resident workforce by supporting higher-tier professional jobs held by Singaporeans. It also states that having foreign workers working in Singapore help create work opportunities for locals and provides them a cushion from unemployment during economic downturns. The Singapore Government's website states that the majority of foreign workers in Singapore are there to "help build our homes, keep our roads clean, and make [Singaporean] lives just a little more comfortable." The government portrays the ultimate role of the lower-skilled foreign workers as one of serving the interests of the locals. 

Many Singaporeans have expressed their dissatisfaction at the rapid increase in the number of foreign workers in Singapore over the recent years, due to inconveniences they experience as a result of a bloating population. This unhappiness has been made known through protest rallies held by those who oppose the government’s immigration policy. For the lower-skilled foreign workers, the unhappiness of the local population compounds the existing social prejudices against their ethnicity and low social standing. 

Apart from the negative sentiments of the locals, many lower-skilled foreign workers also need to face with less-than-ideal conditions of life. Foreign construction workers work in higher-risk environments with long working hours and poor remuneration. Many have to put up with errant employers refusing them proper work injury compensation, witholding them salary, and abusing them, because having paid exorbitant fees to their agents to be sent to Singapore, they need to keep working to recoup their initial financial losses and accumulate savings. 

Many cases of foreign domestic workers being physically abused by their employers have also regularly surfaced in the media, and these workers only seek help after repeated abuses because they are unsure of their rights and are afraid of being sent back home. The negativity of the locals towards them and their subserviency to the interests of the locals, as well as being strangers in a foreign land, lead to their vulnerability to exploitation by employers. Thus, being in a compromising circumstance, lower-skilled foreign workers in Singapore may be considered a vulnerable group in society. 

Christians in Singapore cannot commit to a negative, exploitative attitude toward the lower-skilled foreign workers. Rather they should view and treat lower-skilled foreign workers in a Biblical manner that is radically different from prevailing sentiments in society, that is to see them as fellow creatures created in the image of God, and to love them as their neighbour by being concerned at the unfair hardships and injusticies they face while seeking employment opportunities in Singapore. The Old Testament is full of injunctions and ruminations about foreign workers in the land of Israel, and God continues his concern for this vulnerable group in the New Testament through Jesus’ exhortations. 

In the injunctions of the Mosaic law, there are provisions being made for a seperate class of people living in Israel called the “sojourners” (ESV) or “ger” (Hebrew). God commands the Israelites not to opress or abhor sojourners but love them because they were once sojourners in the land of Egypt (Ex 23:9; Deut 10:18-19; 23:7). Most of these sojourners likely provided lower-skilled labour to Israel (1Chr22:2) and were among the vulnerable and needy groups in Israelite society (Lev 19:10; 23:22; Deut 10:18; 16:11, 14; 24:17). They are portrayed in the legal provisions as a minority group of people – along with the widows and the fatherless – likely to face discrimination and injustices from the rest of society. To be in a foreign land filled with apathetic people, and equipped with little understanding of the local language and laws renders a sojourner helpless when faced with trouble. This is not unlike the situation faced by the lower-skilled foreign workers in Singapore. 

While the sojourners in Israel are subject to the same laws as the Israelites (Num 15:15-16), special provisions are made for them in the legal statutes (Deut 24:19-21), and the Israelites are repeatedly reminded by God not to dispise or mistreat them. Such special provisions show that God recognizes the potential injustices these aliens might face in the land of Israel at the hand of the citizens, because he is omnisciently cognizant of the fact that the sinfulness of man and brokenness of human relationships will manifest itself in such a way. 

More importantly, these provisions show that he is a God of love, who loves both the Israelite and the sojourner, whose justice is impartial to both Jews and Gentile. It is significant that as Judah faced her final foreign invasion, one of the charges laid by God against her which incurred his wrath, was the ill-treatment of the sojourner (Eze 22:7). As the people of God, Christians in Singapore need to know that God loves the lower-skilled foreign workers in our midst, and be aware that the sinfulness of man as manifested in social prejudices will result in a dehumanising mistreatment of them. Thus, they should reject the prevailing prejudices and be spurred by the love of God to relate to and treat the lower-skilled foreign workers in a manner that is delightful to him. 

Jesus goes further in his proscription to his disciples and his audience in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke. When challenged by a Jewish religious expert on who is his neighbour that he should show love to, Jesus tells the famous parable of the good Samaritan. In the parable, a Samaritan goes out of his way to help a person, presumably a Jew, who was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho, but ended up being beaten, robbed, left for dead, and callously ignored by fellow Jews who were in the religious office. 

Samaritans were a people group descended from Israelites who intermarried with pagans after the northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians, and the king of Assyria resettled pagans amongst the Israelites who remained in Samaria. They were considered to be ethnically distinct from the Jews and disdained by them, and the two groups had often come into conflict with each other during the first century AD. 

However, Jesus tells an incredulous tale (to the Jews) of a much disdained Samaritan offering help to a Jew when other supposedly pious Jews refused to, so as to inform the audience that the love for the other is not constrained by religion and ethnicity, but transcends both. A Samaritan can show love to a Jew, and so should a Jew show love to a Samaritan. It is only when we love and show mercy to the other, that we prove ourselves to be a neighbour to the other. 

The recent news of two foreign construction workers risking their safety to rescue a toddler in danger of falling off a second storey apartment is a contemporary “good Samaritan” story set in a Singaporean context. This incident should be a rebuke to any Singaporean holding prejudices toward lower-skilled foreign workers. 

For Christians, the love of God has to compel them not only to change their attitudes toward them, but to seek for their justice and welfare in tangible means. It is not enough to merely ‘say to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body’ (Jas 2:16), but changes in attitudes should also be accompanied by deeds. Such deeds should be done even at the expense of our own comfort. In so doing, God’s love for the stranger in our midst is tangibly shared, and through these social action, a platform for the good news of Jesus Christ to be told is created. 

Despite social prejudices toward them, less-than-ideal work and living conditions and a meagre remuneration (relative to the locals), Singapore remains a popular destination for lower-skilled foreign workers. With the continued reliance on foreign labour for construction and domestic help, the influx of foreign workers is likely to continue into the far future. As some return home with earnings in hand, others will take their place. Christians in Singapore need to take an initiative to make their country a better place for them work in, and provide help for those who have fallen through the little of what social security they have in a foreign land. In so doing they will prove themselves to be people of God, and salt and light of the world.

Png Eng Keat

STEP 2015

Youths are Leaving My Presbyterian Church - Courtney Lim

Traditional churches today are facing a worrying trend. This is best summarized in a statement made by Mathew Mathews, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, to the Straits Times, “Among young people who go to church, conservatively, at least half drop out.” I decided to choose this topic because my relatively conservative Presbyterian Church currently faces this problem. In conversation, I have discovered a similar trend amongst a few other Presbyterian churches as well. In my church, these leavers range from 15 years old to their early 20s, for a variety of reasons. 

The Megachurch phenomenon has taken root over the past decade, and drastically extended its influence on the religious scene in Singapore. These megachurches are categorized as having a charismatic senior pastor as the face of the church, inspirational preaching, rock-concert style of worship, and the extensive use of contemporary media for outreach efforts. 

These traits create a worship experience that is first class, intense and emotional. Sermons are uplifting, providing worshippers with a sense of empowerment to achieve an abundant materialistic life on earth. For the undiscerning youth in a conservative denominational church, such an environment is a much attractive place to be in on Sundays; He can be part of a big social community, motivated to achieve his dreams, and fulfill his obligation to ‘go to church’ at the same time. 

While the prosperity gospel has its drawbacks, apathetic youths previously at my church may grow spiritually to an extent because the sermons are now in English. The sensory worship experience may prompt them to come closer to God as well through helping them ‘feel’ God, assuming a proper choice of worship songs, as opposed to blindly singing in their old Chinese Presbyterian church. While figures from the megachurches show that transfers make up only 10-20%, the growth in numbers for megachurches is exponential. Although this may seem small, for much smaller sized traditional churches with attendance of 60-100, this is a significant drop in their numbers. 

For the older group, it is for a different reason. With a host of information and articles online for people to share their views, social issues today are amplified louder than ever. Young adults today are increasingly involved in developing their own views, and challenging the basis of their faith that they have been brought up to believe in. Young adults are seeking deeper spiritual growth through refreshing sermons which shed light on new perspectives and illicit questions on theology we always took for granted, rather than the same old message we have heard since young. 

Young adults today also seek answers to questions like ‘Why can’t I see God’s presence in my life?’ ‘What is the church’s stand towards homosexuality?’ ‘How can I prove to my friends that God is real?’ Apart from these questions, young adults also seek to find the relevance of scripture to their daily lives. As such, many of them, out of spiritual drought, leave the church in search of greener pastures. A number of them have moved to more charismatic churches, where the sermons preached do directly address their life problems and help them to make decisions. 

The thing with both these reasons, is that we are too enclosed within the bubble which we call church. Church is just about me and God, what God can do for me, and how relevant the sermon is for me. Personal growth is of utmost importance, and so is how the gospel can help me solve my obstacles as I go on to run my rat race. 

For many youths, especially the younger ones, church is a Sunday affair where we come to church and learn all the things we should do, but leave church trapped in our old routines. We speak boldly about evangelism in church, about reaching out to the desperate and helpless. But many still cannot find courage to share the gospel with their friends even when the opportunity presents itself. We still don’t want to be That One who actively befriends the outcast at school and reaches out to her. But that is really just how we are as weak, sinful and fallen humans. The church isn’t responsible for giving us a new breath or transforming our lives. That’s God’s job. Rather moving forward, what I feel the church can do is to support the continual renewal process of the lives of our youth through exposure and empowerment. 

Through STEP I have been made aware of how youths in my church need to break out of the idea that serving the church only means grooming leaders to serve the next batch of youths, or to serve the congregation; Jesus ministry didn’t simply target and serve church goers. What Jesus did was to walk the streets and impact the lives of the sick, the poor, the hungry, and the lost. 

Joseph Koh, sociologist and founder of the website selah.sg states in his recent entry on ‘Bored with Christianity’, that “In the caverns of the soul, every youth searches for significance, like wells that are meant to be filled. Their boundless energy waits to be called upon and channelled into something bigger,” “When empowered, I have no doubt that youths will uninhibitedly ‘go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation’ (Mark 16:15 ESV).” 

Exposing our youths to the people who desperately need God will radically change their views towards ministry and put their own lives into perspective, allowing for personal spiritual growth, evangelism, and empowerment to address social issues. 

To do this, I suggest that youth groups can form partnerships with the various Christian VWOs, such as AG Home, Onesimus Farm, Healthserve and Tamar Village to name a few. The main youth groups in our church would be the various fellowship groups, 温柔，信实，喜乐Z. 

At present, all are not involved in any recurrent social service projects. What we usually have is a one-off ‘CIP’ event such as Christmas Carnivals for PCS schoolchildren, or helping out at Sarah Home once in a blue moon. However, we have 康乐 once a month instead for bonding purposes, where we go outdoors to kayak/play sports/play pool. 

Thus I suggest that instead of purely going out for leisure activities, these youth groups can consider volunteering at these VWOs on a recurrent basis. For example, 康乐 can be volunteering for two months, and for leisure on the following month. Other youths not in these fellowships groups will also be encouraged to join in, and youths participating in these activities will be encouraged to continue in their own time. 

Volunteering at these VWOs not only achieves the purpose of bonding, but also forces youths to reconsider the boundaries of ministry and put their own lives into perspective in relation to their beneficiaries’. Such spiritual involvement in a body bigger than themselves allows them to hold a stake in the church, and think of questions like how they can serve others through the body of Christ, rather than how the church can serve and cater to their own needs. 

As Joseph Koh aptly summarises it, “Christian youths ought to be challenged from the comfort of the pews and into the chaos into the streets.” Perhaps through this can the youth realize what it means to be the salt and light of the world, and through God’s empowerment use their gifts to leave a mark on society. 

Courtney Lim

STEP 2015

Issues with youths in Singapore that affect their walk with God - Matthew Ong

According to National Youth Council’s definition, youths are defined as those aged between 15 to 35 years old in Singapore. In some churches, individuals are qualified as youths the moment they entered secondary school education. As they step out from childhood into adolescences, they begin to be curious about different stuffs. That, more often than not, is where most of the problems begin. 

One key issue about Christian youths is that as they transit into adolescences, they begin to lose interest in coming to church, much less in learning about God’s words. 

 

Hence, this article we will be looking at issues that youths in Singapore face and perhaps coming up with possible solution(s) that can help understanding youths and bringing them back to God which in turn increase their desire for God’s words. 

Distractions in life 

As a youth transits into a stage of exploration, there are many things in this materialistic world that could draw them away from God. One good example we can see is that with the advancement of modern technology and the progressing influence on social media, youths can get off track with their walk with God when they feel that the sermon was too boring and decides to use the mobile device and check up on their social media such as Facebook or Instagram to pass their time until the service is over. 

This more often than not is due to the youth’s misinterpretation of the purpose of coming to church. Many of them feels that going to church is part of the routine that they do on Sundays, somewhat like going to schools. They go to church, sing a few worship songs, sit through sermon, and get out. And the cycle continues. Worse still, some of them might even think that the act of going to church is “part of their job” of being a Christian and their entry ticket to heaven. 

Therefore, it is important that youths understand the meaning and importance of coming to church on Sundays and how coming to church is our way of having a sustainable relationship with God. 

Peer pressure/influences 

Peer pressure is a prominent social pressure that youths faced today as there is tremendous pressure to be compelled to do what those around them are doing. Though however, all people, young and old, are subjected to the pressure to conform in order to be accepted and liked by others. 

The problem of peer pressure and peer influence of youths is often associated with their cliques. The group of people that they hang out with most of the time. In order to gain acceptance or to show certain “superiority” or traits that they feel that will depict them as the “cool” person in the group, youths might have the tendency to do things that they usually will not do. Few examples would be smoking and taking drugs. 

Besides the above mentioned peer pressure/influence issues, Christian youths face additional dilemmas that could affect their walk with God, especially the peers that they hang out with are non-Christians. Christian youths would have to choose to join their non-Christian peers' Sunday outing or to attend church service. 

Youths need to learn to be themselves and not imitations of others. They need to learn to think for themselves rather than blindly following the way of the crowd. By allowing oneself to live his/her life through the conformity to how their peers behave, one could never develop their own identity. Of course, while it is important for everyone to practice norms that are socially acceptable by being friendly, courteous, pleasant and polite etc. 

However one must learn to develop his/her own thinking and be independent from others to the extent that they do not let others dictate how they should live. Youths should never conform to the patterns of the world in order to get along and go along with anybody but instead allowing themselves to be transformed through the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2). One talent youths must develop is the ability to stand even if they have to stand alone. The imminent danger of allowing the pressure of being accepted, being liked, being popular have the controlling influence over youths life is evident. Instead, they should determine how to live their lives based on the guidance from the Word of God. 

High tendency to be defiant/rebellious 

As the age matures, youths begin to become increasingly defiant as they want to take charge of their lives and sometimes they want to assert certain individuality from what their parents want them to be which results in provoking their disapproval. One other factor that could result in the defiance of youths is possible due to the influence of bad company. 

Although youths are subject to their parents (Ephesians 6:1), they however must allow themselves to be guided by them and their guidance should be according to the Word of God. Parents therefore, when facing defiant youths, they must learn to handle in a wise manner. They must find a balance between giving their child and/or children the right amount of freedom or any other reasonable demands that they need whilst not short-changing the necessary discipline in order to bring them back on track. 

Possible Solution: Introducing mentorship from adult role models 

It isn’t rocket science, sometimes in order to help the youths and draw them back to Christ, it is essential to understand what the problem is and address it accordingly. Some of them just want to be heard, some yearn to for a sense of belonging, some seek self-identity. Therefore, communications with the individual is important and often the primary solution to address any human relational need. 

The church youth ministry can introduce an adult leader to be a role model to the troubled youth. The role of the adult leader is to connect and relate to the youth, helping the youth to understand who God is, what God has done for us and what we should do to respond to God’s love. This then will help the youth to understand the purpose behind the “Christian activities” that he/she has been doing or been exposed to. 

The adult leader can be someone whom the youth looks up to, or simply someone that has been known to be empathetic. More importantly, the adult role model must be a faithful servant to God who stays true to his/her faith in order to bring the youth who has backslided back to God. 

This however may not be easy for the adult leader as it requires time, commitment and prayer. Once the youth sees the devoted adult leader who truly cares about their well-being, along with the works of the Holy Spirit, the youth who once backslided may return back on track again. 

Matthew Ong

STEP 2015

Light of the world - Tan Yew Vei

In this current age where people are no longer subjected to any fixed form of thinking but have a right to believe in what they want, people are always seeking what is the best for them by observing others around them. Christianity, being the faith with the most number of believers in the world, naturally becomes the hot “target” for people. In this essay, I will talk about how Christians, including Christian youths, can be a testimony to other non-believers, to share the gospel.

God loves us. We know that the Father loves us beyond what we can imagine, shown by the giving of his only Son Jesus Christ for us: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”(John 3:16) Therefore we as Christians should love people more than anyone else. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). 

I feel that Christians should be at the forefront when it comes to helping the vulnerable and neglected in the society. Healthserve and Tamar Village are two organizations which extend a helping hand to people who are commonly neglected in Singapore. The former to the migrant while the latter to the street ladies. These people’s needs are often ignored and they do not feel loved by the public. This is where Christians across denominations should come together and show love to them. People can then see God’s love in Christians. Christians should not appear as being “different” and “separated” to non-believers. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28 ESV)

One commonly asked question among Christian youths is this: Can Christians go clubbing? Liking the atmosphere, socializing and dancing in clubs are not wrong in themselves. The main issue is how Christians act in clubs and how they respond to the things they see in clubs. If Christians go to clubs and show others that they have self-control (like not getting drunk or involving in inappropriate activities) and responding correctly to the things they see (taking a stand when they see people, especially their friends doing inappropriate things in clubs), then they would be good testimony as Christians and show how Christians are not restricted by laws and have freedom. “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1 ESV) 

That said, if Christians find that they cannot control themselves and thereby sin when they go to clubs, then they should reconsider about going to clubs again. The Bible says, “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). It is best thus for Christians not to be in a position where they might fall to sin easily. Also, they should consider if their actions cause others to stumble. “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.” (Romans 14:23 ESV)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19, ESV). Christians are instructed to share the gospel with people of the world. The question here is how? In this multicultural and multi-religious society, how should Christians spread the gospel? 

I feel that the attitude when sharing the gospel in this current age is especially important: “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV) Instead of comparing and condemning people with other beliefs, Christians should emphasize on how great the Christian faith is. 

The visit to Healthserve made me realize that there are actually various ways to spread the gospel-migrant workers who come to faith in Singapore can share the gospel when they go back to their home country. Rev Tan Tiong Ann also shared another way of sharing the gospel apart from the 4 Spiritual Laws and the Bridge analogy. He mentioned that we should focus on the Birth, Death and Ascension of Jesus Christ, emphasizing Jesus’s life to others instead of being functional, i.e. Jesus came just to die for us. Christians should also bear in mind that ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit at work and not our own.

There is an increasing number of issues popping out in the society: euthanasia, LGBT, etc. However, I feel that no matter what issue arise, Christians should always go back to the Word of God and see what God has to say, thereby responding to issues in ways pleasing to God. Only when we are walking closely with God can we be the light to the world, showing them the way, just as Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”(Matthew 5:14-16 ESV)

Yew Vei

STEP 2015