The AddictionI started computer gaming in Secondary One. Apart from going to school, sleeping and eating, I played computer games. This happened every day; year in, year out.

The VerseI met Ben from The Navigators when I was in Singapore Polytechnic. He shared the gospel with me and invited me to receive Christ. I was anxious to go home as soon as I could to start on my game. I quickly said the sinner’s prayer. Becoming a Christian was not a big deal as I did not fully understand who God was.

As things went, I attended Bible Discussions and even bought a Bible. A nice one that cost me over thirty dollars. But I did not know what to read in the Bible at that time, and I left it sitting on my desk.

One day, I came across Hebrews 12:1-2: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The two verses kept nagging at me. Did Jesus really endure all that pain and shame for me? I was not sure but the words were there, challenging me to believe it. I think I prayed my first real prayer then, and asked God to help me know Him personally.

I read Hebrews 12: 1 again, and decided that computer gaming was the “sin that so easily entangles” and hindering me from knowing God.

The ClickThe next thing that happened was quick and totally unthinkable if you remember that I had been gaming every day since Secondary One. One click. I deleted all the games on my computer.

The funny thing was I got back home the next day ready to game as I had forgotten what I had done! Somehow, it seemed easier to pick up my Bible to read than uploading several gigabytes of games again.

The JoyI fell into enjoying reading God’s Word and God began to teach me from it. I‘ve enjoyed it so much that I have read the Bible six times from cover to cover in the last two years. I played computer games to fill an emptiness in my life that I did not even know was there. But as John 10:10 promised, God filled up the emptiness in my life.

With one click of the mouse, the course of your life will be changed.

Will you do it?

Lim Wai Kit, a full-time National Serviceman and volunteer with the Singapore Polytechnic Navigators, tells an amazing story of God’s redirection of his life that began with, yes, one click.

God is using Wai Kit to bring others to Himself. He is actively involved in evangelism and is helping guys whom he brought to Christ to grow in their walk with God.

An Early LossI was born in Myanmar and spent most of my childhood there. When I was nine, my mother was in hospital for a long time. The last visit I had with her, I thought she was getting better. I waited for her to come home. But after some time, I was told that she passed away. I lost my mother and at the same time, all that was familiar.

My father, whom I did not see much before that, brought my brother and me to Singapore where he worked. I found life here very stressful and difficult. I attended church and had a Sunday School teacher who helped me to know more about God. I often asked God why He sent me to Singapore.

Finding God and my futureOn New Year’s Eve when I was fourteen, I came across Jeremiah 29:11 which says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” I remember feeling then that it was God’s personal promise that He had a plan and purpose for me and that I should not worry. I had expectations that God would provide me with all that I needed for a comfortable life.

A Sudden LossI was looking forward to celebrating my father’s birthday after my examinations in August this year. Unexpectedly, he suffered a heart attack, fell into a coma and passed on. In the haze of emotional pain that followed, I asked God that if He allowed my father to die, was He also going to be responsible to see me through the grief?

Unending Grace for an Unfinished JourneyMy discipler in The Navigators, Claire, recently passed me a book “Hope for the Hurting” that examines the trials that many of us face in life. When reading it, I believe God gave me a deeper understanding of Jeremiah 29:11 which I hold dear as His personal promise to me. He desires more than comfortable living for me; he desires Christ-like living as I trust in His grace through suffering because He promises me a future He has planned.

When you lose the people you love best,

Will you still trust?

Blessing is a Year 2 student with the Singapore Polytechnic Navigators. She lost her mother at nine, and her father suddenly this August. She shares of God’s grace through a journey punctuated by unexpected loss.

The Navigators SingaporeStatement of Income and Expenditure Fiscal year 2013-2014

Budget ActualIncome $2,267,611.51 $2,356,202.17Expenditure $2,262,598.42 $2,332,089.86Surplus/Deficit $5,013.09 $24,112.31

Since 1973, NavTeens has been training Christian youths in spiritual disciplines through Bible-studies, interest-groups events and one-to-one mentoring. For every teenager involved with the NavTeens, the highlight of the year is the annual training camp. Because of their own experience of encountering God deeply through the camps, many campers grow

up to take on the baton of running camps for the subsequent generations of young believers.

NavNews catches up with David Seetoh, this year’s Camp Director, to find out what’s The Real Deal behind a NavTeens (TNT) Camp.

How did TNT camps impact you as a youth?

I attended my first NavTeens camp in 1994 when I was fourteen. TNT camps were always lots of fun and I made many friends. Serving as a team leader for several years also taught me to be more intentional in disciple-making.

Every camp has a theme and one year it was “Set Apart.” That camp had a great impact on me and I saw how real God was and that realisation has never left me. As an adult, I struggle with sin and sometimes find myself distant from God. But when I think back to that particular camp, I am reminded of my commitment then to set myself apart for God. In 2008, I made that commitment again and it was a turning point in my walk with God.

The thing I look forward to most is how God will always reveal something of Himself to me in each camp. Even as a volunteer now with NavTeens, I still have the same anticipation.

What is it like being Camp Director for the first time?

Terrifying! When I decided to take on this responsibility last year, I started praying intentionally for the camp and studying the book of John. Do I feel more adequate now as a camp director? Not exactly, but I became much closer to God and He has shown me that He is a much bigger God than I thought. With that, I no longer think about what I can do but rather what He wants me to do.

What do you hope to see in this year’s camp?

Teens to set themselves apart for God. For the non-believers who come, that they will discover that Jesus is the way to the Father, the only truth for life and live the life Jesus promised. “The Real Deal” is this year’s camp theme.

Why do you volunteer with NavTeens?

In John 14:31, Jesus defined his purpose on earth, “but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.” Since Jesus’ defining purpose was to obey the Father, I think this should be true for us too.

In John 21, Jesus asked Peter three times “do you love me?” So the question we need to ask ourselves daily is “Do we love Him?” If the answer is yes, then we must feed His sheep by reaching out to others.

Recently someone told me that there is no busyness in our lives, just a matter of priorities. Even as I strive to do well in the marketplace, I know that the promises of ‘returns’ are nothing close to what our Lord Jesus had promised. v

David Seetoh is a business development manager who, despite his frequent business trips, sets aside time to reach youths for Christ as a volunteer with NavTeens.

David (centre) training older teens to be team leaders. Camp for them starts two days earlier so that they can learn team-building, leadership

and Bible-study skills to help other teens in the main 5-day camp.

Five years ago we adopted “growth indicators” for our ministries. These indicators are the progressive steps that a person needs to take (from Convert, to Growing Christian, to Basic Disciple, to Ministering Disciple) in order to become a Disciple-maker. Each step has certain characteristics. For example, one of the characteristics of a Growing Christian is that “they are assured of their salvation.” Knowing these characteristics is a great help when one is trying to disciple another. Following our example, if I am trying to help a new convert grow, I know that one thing I need to do is to help him or her become assured of their salvation.

Each year our ministries have determined the number of people at each step within their particular ministry.

This year we combined the information from each ministry and put it in charts. (See above). Do you see the wave forming? How exciting!

This wave is made up of real people with real stories … a businessman experiencing forgiveness of sins for the first time, a teenager learning to control her temper, a university student recognizing the deceitfulness of pornography. Each person in this wave of God’s making is a story of His patient, loving grace.

Rejoice with us in this growing wave. And rejoice with us in the hundreds of lives and stories of grace that it represents.

Doug ErdmannNational Director

My father owned a small sailboat when I was a boy. Sailing with him on the lake near our home, I quickly learned that waves were caused by wind. The more wind, the bigger the waves, which is why I tried to avoid sailing with him on days when high winds were forecast!

The vision of the Singapore Navigators is “a new wave of disciple-makers for Singapore, Asia and beyond.” For this “new wave” to occur, what is needed? Many things, but ultimately, the “wind” of the Holy Spirit. (John 3:8) And it appears that the Holy Spirit is at work. People growing spiritually confirms it. Growing numbers confirm it as well. Let me explain.

DISCIPLESHIP in action

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The calling of The Navigators is to advance the gospel of Jesus and his kingdom into the nations through spiritual generations of labourers living and discipling among the lost. Views expressed in published articles are those of the individual writers and may not necessarily be the views of The Navigators Singapore.

THE NAVIGATORS SINGAPORE • National Director: K. Douglas Erdmann • Editor/Design & Layout/Photography: Patricia Lian 117 Lorong K, Telok Kurau, Singapore 425758 • Tel: (65) 6344 4133 • Fax: (65) 6344 0975 • E-mail: admin@navigators.org.sg • www.facebook.com/singaporenavigators

www.navigators.org.sg

2-4 Dec35 students from NP-SIM Navs spent 3 sweltering days farming at Onesimus Garden which uses farm restorative therapy to reach out to the marginalized, transform lives & touch communities with the love of God & the gospel of Jesus Christ. w

8 Nov72 attended an evangelistic dinner hosted by the Alumni-Community ministry. More than half of the 72 who attended were non-believers. 3 made decisions that evening to receive Christ.

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15 NovSome from our 20s-30s ministry took a day trip to Tanjung Piai. We thank God for doubling the numbers of this ministry in 2014 and bringing us more mentors who are dedicated to help these adults live out their Christian witness in their workplaces. w