Two months later, two visitors, the Rev. Edwin Stube, a U.S. Episcopal missionary to Indonesia and Mr. Edgar Webb, a former Malaysian residing in the U.K. came to Singapore. Ed Stube began to share with us at Good Shepherd on the baptism and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Many of the young people and some of the leaders (among whom were Derek Hong, Kuan Kim Seng, Henry Seow and Vincent Hoon) experienced the power of the Holy Spirit at this time. Edgar Webb conducted healing services and ministered to hundreds of people who came to the Cathedral. Bishop Chiu gave his episcopal permission for these healing and renewal meetings but many of the traditional Anglican clergymen—both local and some of the western missionaries were upset and critical of Edgar Webb. They were also angry with Bishop Chiu and myself for organizing these charismatic healing services at the Cathedral.

It was a difficult and strenuous time with criticisms, misunderstandings and hurts all around. Those of us who stood by our conviction and prayed for revival were being maligned by both the evangelicals and anglo-catholics who, at that, time were not opened to the move of the Holy Spirit. But as Brian Bailey had prophesied, God was initiating the move and He would send many speakers who were teachers, prophets and evangelists to help to encourage us in this revival.

We were grateful that many wonderful ministers came to Singapore—men like Rev. David Watson, Rev. Michael Harper, Canon Michael Green, Rev. Trevor Dearing, Rev. Colin Urquhart, Rev. Terry Fulham, David du Plessis, Ralph Mahoney, Kevin Conner, Judson Cornwall, Gerald Rowlands, Demos Shakarian, George Otis, Larry Christenson and a host of well-known and not so well-known charismatic leaders from England, America, Australia and New Zealand. Through the Spiritual Renewal Seminars and healing crusades which were conducted frequently all through the 1970's many individuals—lay leaders as well as pastors were blessed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Churches and congregations from other denominations as well as independent churches including many with a Pentecostal background were renewed and fired up with the power of Spirit.

While this Renewal was gathering momentum, God gave me a vision. A large ship was in a dry-dock being repaired and repainted. Soon the water began to rise within the dock and the dock needed to be opened up so that the ship would be allowed to sail out into the sea. From this vision I concluded that the revival of the church was like the water rising to a higher level and then the time would come for the Church to launch out into the ocean—to active missions and evangelism beyond its present confines. This vision is being fulfilled today and even more in the future. With the revival, the Anglican Church in Singapore was made alive and many non-Christians—young and old in families were brought to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Prior to going to Fuller Seminary while I was still on the staff of St. Andrew's Cathedral, I led a team of young people (which included Louis Tay) to conduct a social survey of residents in a new high-rise housing estate. We selected the Kallang Bahru HDB estate. To our surprise, we found that the majority of the residents, including people of other religions, were receptive to the gospel and they told us that they welcome the establishment of a church in their neighborhood. So before going to Fuller I had already found out that when people undergo rapid social change they would also be spiritually receptive. It is easier to start an evangelistic gospel center or to plant a church in a new housing estate than in an older and more settled community.

In 1971, I requested the P.C.C. of St. Andrew's Cathedral to establish a church planting task force and to begin planting daughter congregations in several of these newly developed HDB estate when the land-cost was relatively cheap at that time. This was not to be so and there was no vision to exploit the opportunity then. I was deeply convinced that the future growth of the church will be through extension church planting movement. Others who took up this challenge in the 80's and 90's (like City Harvest Church and the Church of Singapore) have reaped the benefit.

Prompted by the Holy Spirit, God burned into my heart a vision for urban church planting. The missionary principles advocated by the late Donald McGavran (the father of the church-growth movement) and the teaching of Peter Wagner needed to be tested in an urban situation. Singapore proved to be a wonderful laboratory for "soil-testing" on the principles of receptivity and homogeneity. The Singapore government's policy of rapid urbanization and the development of high-density housing provide a fantastic opportunity for innovative church planting. I saw the need to plant a house-church in every block of high-rise apartments.

With the knowledge I gained from the School of World Missions at Fuller Seminary and the working of the Holy Spirit, I led a small team of young people from Good Shepherd Church to start the first extension center in the North Buona Estate. This Holland Extension Center was indeed a very high church! It was located on the 24th floor apartment belonging to the late Florence Aw who was Esther's sister. This was started in September 1974 and by the end of 1977 when I left Good Shepherd to be seconded to the Asian Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, we had planted eight extension centers and they were located at Holland Village, Telok Blangah, Depot Road, Farrer Road, Merryn Road (Bukit Timah area), Ang Mo Kio, Ghim Moh Estate and Marine Parade. All these extension centers were growing but unfortunately my successors at Good Shepherd were not able to maintain the momentum nor uphold the vision. It was sad to learn that some of them were closed down, the members were scattered and many of them joined other charismatic/Pentecostal churches.

Fortunately, two of these 8 extension centers under the John Tan Teng Wai and Tan Gark Teck from the Holland and Marine Parade extension centers respectively held on to the vision of Church planting. Tan Teng Wai was appointed the founding principal of St. Andrew's Junior College (SAJC) in 1978 and he was the leader of the Holland house-church with about 60 members crammed into the living room of an HDB flat. Although I was traveling all over Asia and directing the first Asian Leaders Conference On Evangelism (ALCOE) throughout 1978, Bishop Chiu had created the first Missionary District in the Diocese of Singapore in which I served as the honorary Priest-in-charge for both the Holland and Marine Parade Extension Centers. It was good that I could pastor two of these extension centers.

The Marine Parade Christian Center was growing rapidly among the young people. Both Yang Tuck Yoong and Kong Hee were in charge of the young adult and youth ministry of this church, and their cell groups were multiplying vigorously. I knew the hand of God was upon their lives. From its small beginning God has blessed City Harvest Church and Cornerstone Community Church with growth and we give glory and thanks to Him.

However, in September 1979 after 19 months of service with ALCOE, Bishop Chiu requested me to rejoin the Diocese and he made the Missionary District into a pro-tem parish. Principal John Tan kindly offered us his facilities at SAJC. So at the end of September 1979 the Holland house-church moved to a new location meeting at the canteen of the college. Space-wise it was great in comparison with the jam-packed condition of its previous meeting place in a HDB flat. My original vision of planting a viable church in every HDB block was before the time in the 1970's, and so both the moves due to space constraint made by Holland and Marine Parade were instrumental for growth. Would it not be great if all the other 6 extension centers had persevered? We would have 6 more growing parishes today!

Church planting is a costly endeavor not only in terms of money or resources but also in terms of faith, vision, perseverance, emotional and spiritual energy and hard work by the pastor/vicar and the members. From these two house-churches, through the visionary and loyal leadership, the trust and faith of the members, two new parishes were established—the Chapel of the Resurrection on Easter Day, April 6th 1980 and the Marine Parade Christian Center later on.

By December 1980, COR began to plant the Whampoa Christian Center (now the Chapel of the Holy Spirit in Potong Pasir) and the Bukit Timah Christian Center (now the Chapel of Christ the King at St. Margaret's Primary School). In the 1990’s, COR continued to plant new congregations in Singapore and Indonesia. Six of the present congregations meet at the campus of SAJC and five others outside—like Orchard Christian Center, Century Christian Fellowship, Hougang Christian Center, Bukit Batok Christian Center and the Light of Christ City Church.

Over the past 28 years of experience as a church planter I have learned many valuable lessons about the key to successful church planting. There have been many failures as well as a measure of success. Some of the extension centers are now full-grown parishes within the Diocese, like the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, Chapel of Christ the King, Marine Parade Christian Center and the Light of Christ City Church. Others have closed down—after they were removed from my spiritual over-sight between 1978 and 1980.

The key to church planting is capable, visionary and faith-inspiring leadership of the pastors. Evangelistic zeal of the members is also very important. Charismatic leadership by the pastor will inspire confidence, enthusiasm and a high degree of church identity which will motivate the members to reach out to non-Christians and attract them into these lively and enthusiastic congregations. An excellent example of a dynamic growing church is City Harvest. I notice that all the other growing churches were established from 1980 onwards—besides City Harvest, there is the Faith Community Baptist Church, Lighthouse Evangelism, Victory Family Church and the Bethesda Cathedral.

After 22 wonderful and enjoyable years of service as the founding pastor of COR, the new Bishop of Singapore, the Rt. Rev. Dr. John Chew transferred me out of this beloved parish and assigned me a new post as Director of Anglican Schools on 1st February 2001. I struggled with this change and accepted it as the will and plan of God for me in the later part of my life. Far from being an easier and more leisurely assignment, I find the ministry even more challenging as I oversee the 9 growing and fast-changing Anglican Schools and 12 kindergartens and child-care centers in our Diocese, plus the pioneering mission work of church-planting as the Dean of Indonesia, and also serving as the Honorary General Secretary of the National Council of Churches which seeks to co-ordinate and network with the major denominations and other churches in Singapore by working closely with one another.

With the pressure and demands made upon me from these responsibilities, I often cried out to the Lord for strength and empowerment and He answered me by reminding me the words from Isaiah 40:29-31. I was encouraged to press on to serve Him with joy and gladness as I depend on Him:

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint-hearted."


Reprinted with permission from Chapel of the Resurrection (Bulletin No. 10/98, 11/98 & 13/98). Copyright Chapel of the Resurrection.