Over 100 pastors, senior leaders, missionaries and missions committee members from 36 Methodist churches gathered at Toa Payoh Chinese Methodist Church on 18 and 19 September 2026 for the Missions Awakening Dialogue, to reflect on missions efforts and challenges.
The theme was “One MCS – One Family in Missions”.
Day One: “The Church Formed by the Word”
Bishop Philip Lim and Pastor Benny Ho stressed intentional disciple-making and evangelism as an urgent task. Participants were challenged to win the lost, build believers, train church planters and multipliers, and mentor leaders.
TRAC President Rev Reuben Ng urged churches to welcome youths and let God use them in their unique ways. MMS Executive Director Col (Ret) Quek Koh Eng called for stronger connections, clear purpose and shared support.
In the afternoon, Bedok Methodist Church shared the challenges of getting youths to join missions and bringing ministries together for wider participation. Breakout sessions then covered four topics: life cycle of missionary and member care, engaging the church for missions, growing the next generation of missioners, and missions in the discipleship of the church. Participants exchanged ideas on how to engage their congregations in missions.
Day Two: “The Church Sent into the World”
CAC President Rev Dr Lek Yong Teck preached on lasting fruitfulness in partnerships, highlighting presence, trust, agreement and interdependence with God. Participants prayed for the gospel to reconcile, humble and restore their partnerships with God and with one another.
Rev James Nagulan, speaking on behalf of ETAC President, gave an example of “reverse missions”, or missions work in Singapore rather than overseas, through ETAC‘s outreach to migrant workers over the past 32 years.
Missionaries Daniel Loo (Thailand), Rasanya Gnasegaran (Timor-Leste) and Timothy Tan (Cambodia) then gave testimonies. Their initiatives included social enterprise as a non-traditional outreach method, serving alongside non-Methodist missionaries, and missionary care.
In the afternoon, participants explored ministry platforms and strategies in Cambodia, Nepal, Thailand, Timor-Leste, East Asia, Japan, Laos and Vietnam. Partnerships between schools, hostels and local churches are being built with local communities, strengthening capacity and spurring church planting.
The event closed with a question: how and where is Jesus asking us to participate with him in missions? Missions is a partnership, done out of love for Jesus. Jesus calls us to abide in him just as branches are connected to the vine. As the body of Christ remains in him and partners the Lord of the harvest, he promises lasting fruit that testifies to God’s grace and goodness to the nations.
“We spent time with Methodist churches across all three Annual Conferences, praying and discerning together. It was a powerful reminder of kingdom unity. When we collaborate, share resources and strengthen one another, God’s mission becomes a living testimony of One MCS in Missions.”
~ Lina Wong, MMS Ministry Intern from Trinity Theological College
Photos courtesy of Methodist Missions Society and Elaine Tan
