FES National Conference 2023 – 30 September 2023

About the event

Is there a New Mission for the Youth and Young Adults?

We invite all you YOUTHS and YOUNG ADULTS (15-35 years old) to participate in this joint missions seminar organized by the Fellowship of Evangelical Students (FES) and GoForth 2023. We will explore whether there is a new mandate and mission for youths and young adults in this world of hyperchange. So much has happened since Covid-19. So many new questions asked about Missions and the future of it. We now respond to these questions and learn to be aware of more changes to come.

Workshops:

1. The Influence of Adulting on Missions – Vincent Lim

Adulting brings with it a new set of challenges, responsibilities and concerns as we transition into young adults. For example, we may find ourselves with less time and energy, be preoccupied with chasing the Singaporean Dream, or harder to give up time to “do ministry” instead of hustling or resting after the hustle. Does growing up mean that missions are no longer for us? How can we reconcile these practical issues against God’s call to make disciples of the nations? Join us to explore and wrestle with these issues in this workshop.

2. The Influence of Pop Culture on Missions – Dr Justin Lee

In a world deeply influenced by popular culture, our approach to missions faces new challenges and opportunities—Christian mission is widely seen in popular culture as a fear-based message like “believe or go to hell”, and the Church is seen as outdated, oppressive or exploitative. In this workshop, we will explore the intersection of faith and pop culture, and discuss how to engage with a world shaped by media, entertainment, and evolving spiritual narratives.

3. The Influence of Digital Globalization on Missions – Pauline Phoon

In our ever-connected world, the landscape of missions is evolving at an unprecedented pace. The traditional concept of traveling to reach others is evolving, and new doors are opening for sharing the Gospel and ministering to diverse communities right where you are. In this digital age, the needs of communities have shifted, requiring a paradigm shift in our approach to missions. Missions are no longer solely about, for example, building physical infrastructure. Instead, we need to identify the new needs of communities. In this workshop, we will explore the dynamic intersection of faith, technology, and globalisation, and discover how we might leverage these forces to further God’s kingdom in today’s digital world.

4. The Influence of Plenty on Missions – Chng Eu-Lee

We often approach missions with preconceived notions shaped by our experience of plenty. For example, we tend to focus on poverty as an indicator of spiritual need, to the neglect of other forms of poverty impoverished people groups experience. Our experience of plenty might also cloud our eyes with a misconstrued sense of pride, a sense of playing god in the lives of others, that we are the ones going to help them, thus making us vulnerable to being insensitive to the people we are trying to help and their culture. In this workshop, we will explore the motivations behind our involvement in mission work. Are we driven by legalism, seeing it as an obligation? Do we engage in missions to boost our public image and attain a false sense of holiness, especially when we share our experiences on social media? Are we really facilitating the transformation in people’s lives? Are we doing more harm than good? This workshop aims to inspire a more genuine, compassionate, and culturally sensitive approach to missions, encouraging you to reassess your role in the global mission field.

5. The Influence of the Future on Missions – Rev Dr Nathanael Goh

The future is often described as VUCA – volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous – something we must address as we share the sure and certain hope of Christ with others. How does the Christian gospel offer hope for a planet engulfed in climate change? What exactly is being redeemed – is the gospel only for our souls, or does it encompass the greater cosmos? What future are we preparing for? Our eschatology will shape our understanding of and approach to mission. In a world where dystopian narratives dominate the news, how does the gospel offer hope and transformation in the midst of despair? These are some of the issues we will explore in this workshop.

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, 30 September 2023
Time: 9am to 1.30pm
Venue: Trinity Theological College, Level 1, Multi-purpose Hall (490 Upper Bukit Timah Road, S678093)

Fee: $10

*To indicate your interest, kindly click on the “Register now” button. We will reply to you to confirm your participation and instructions for payment will be given upon confirmation.