Unexpected Assignment From God

By Jonathan Cho

Don’t let them get away!

Sometime towards the end of 2019, I was approached to be a camp speaker at a Youth Camp organized by New Hope Community Services to be held at ‘Kampung Siglap’ (KS). The year was drawing to a close and I was looking forward to ‘winding down’. I wasn’t expecting to receive such a speaking/teaching assignment but after asking God about it, I felt compelled to take it up – especially since BFEC has been gearing up for more active service in Kampung Siglap. “Perhaps this is an opportunity to build a relationship with the KS community and set the path for something new in 2020”, I thought.

The topic of the camp centered around the African philosophy, “Ubuntu: I am because we are”. It is by no means a simple concept, although rooted in much scriptural truth, such as being “members of one body” and loving one’s neighbour. I understood the message immediately but my challenge was in creatively communicating these rich truths to youths of varying socio-economic status, ages and attention spans (averaging 10 to 18 years old) in a totally nonreligious setting.

I may be regularly active and familiar in BFEC’s youth ministry but this was totally new territory. “Lord, did I hear You wrong? Perhaps I bit off more than I can chew?”

Simply quoting verses and teachings from the Bible was not an option, although it was very much my underlying driving force. I was forced to go beyond religious language and ‘Christian-ese’, which would have been easy for the typical BFEC youth to understand. I prayed the same prayer I would when ministering to a Christian audience – “God, what would You like to say to them?” – but was also pushing the boundaries of my understanding of what Christian ministry is and should be about.

Jesus never had difficulties communicating God’s truths to people of varied backgrounds because He understood the core of what the scriptures meant. He could make it accessible to anyone through parables and stories because He lived these truths and did not just teach them – He was just telling people about a reality He lived in. Could the same be said of me?

Jesus never had difficulties communicating God’s truths to people of varied backgrounds because He understood the core of what the scriptures meant.

In faith I went, supported by a wonderful team of Young Adults from BFEC enlisted to help (albeit last minute!). The youths at the camp were thoroughly engaged for about an hour and even able to tell me what they learnt from our time together.

All said, I share this not just as a personal reflection but also for us to honestly contemplate as a Church (as we approach even greater KS engagement). If we so thoroughly live, breathe and imbibe the truth of God’s Word in our daily lives, we do not need to use the language we are so used to hearing and speaking amongst ourselves to help others grasp timeless and life-giving truth. God can assign anyone of us a task to teach His truth - even at the most unexpected hour – and we will find it as straightforward as simply sharing our life and the reality we live in.

Jonathan speaking to the youths