CHC security team undergoes training in “Raptor Operation” for Asia Conference 2010.
Jimmy Sng, the Ministry Head of CHC’s Security Ministry, tells City News how he’s getting his team of security personnel physically and mentally fit for the coming conference in May.
When did the physical training begin?
We started out early last year by encouraging the ministry members to stay fit by exercising with the rest who did so regularly. In 2008, we had about 15 who signed up for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon and last year, we had about 25. We are going for 40 sign-ups this year and this will account for about 20 percent of our ministry strength. For the ministry-wide physical training, we started on 16 Jan 2010, embarking on a 20-week program.
Where do you run and what is the distance covered?
The monthly ministry mass runs are conducted at either Expo on Saturdays or East Coast Park on Wednesdays. The distance we cover ranges from 5-10 km each time. This does not include the weekly decentralized runs conducted by the ministry leaders. Those runs can range from 5 to 16 km.
What do you aim to achieve through this?
To be fit spiritually, physically and in our soul (3 John 2). We attend and serve in a great church where we are fed and trained spiritually but we also need to look into our physical health. Many of us lead sedentary lifestyles and if we don’t exercise regularly, a host of health-related problems will arise. For the body, when we exercise, we not only feel better as a person, we get in better shape and feel fitter. It is also an excellent stress-buster.
For someone who has exercised regularly for the past four years, I have reaped the benefits of it and have also grown in discipline, tenacity and mental strength. At the same time, we want to leave a good impression on any visitors who attend our church. Security guys are meant to be F-I-T, not F-A-T!
Apart from physical training, what else is the Security Ministry involved in?
We conduct training on all security procedures; from the handling of hostile individuals, escorting of VIPs, escorting of offerings, to security support during altar calls in the church service.
For the existing members, it will be a refresher course, but for many of the new sign-ups who have just joined us the last few months, it will be something new for them.
In the next few weeks, we will be conducting sessions on customer service so that we can better equip our ministry personnel on how to effectively handle all types of people correctly and leave a positive lasting impression on every visitor.
