Going on a mission trip with your team is a rite of passage for every School Of Theology student. Our 2023 SOT writers share how God moved in each of their teams as they preached the Gospel in a foreign land.
TEAM 5: SURPRISED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
By Klessis Lee
One of the things I was really looking forward to during SOT is the mission trip that every team takes as part of the curriculum. As team leader for Team 5, It was my first time supervising a mission trip and I was anticipating that God would do such a great work not just in the mission field, but also within my team.
Our mission was to Jesus Christ the Deliverer Full Gospel Church in Clark Freeport and Economic Zone in the Philippines. It was also my first trip to the Philippines and I was most excited counting down the days to the trip. I am happy to report that the mission trip was a huge success and we were all greatly impacted in one way or another.
We took a red-eye flight to Clark on 1 June, touching down bright and early at 6am. Thanks to one of our teammates who has a family home in Clark, the whole team could stay there for free. Once we arrived at the house, we were overwhelmed by the Filipino hospitality that we had heard so much about. The family had prepared a whole table of traditional Filipino breakfast for the team, and there was even a welcome banner! We felt so loved right from the start and enjoyed a really sumptuous first meal in Clark.
After breakfast, we headed off to fulfil the first item on our itinerary: buying groceries. As part of our mission, we would be visiting nine needy families at a local village the next day, so we had to go shopping for daily necessities to bless them with. It was such a fun thing to do as the Filipinos in our team advised us on what the locals like to eat—it was so different from what Singaporeans would choose, and so interesting to learn about their culture. As we piled food items into our trolleys, we prayed in our hearts that the families would be blessed.
Our first official meeting was a leaders’ meeting. To be honest, I was not sure how the leaders of the church in Clark would respond to us and whether they were open to receiving whatever the Lord had sent us to deliver to them. However, we knew that we had been praying for them before the mission trip, and we knew that God was in our midst.
We led them in a time of praise and worship and taught them how to carry out CHC’s home cell group system and how to be a leader. We were so grateful that they were open and hungry for the Word of God. Then something amazing happened as we ended the meeting with an altar call and prayers. We started to pray loudly in tongues and encouraged the local church leaders to do the same. Everyone started praying in tongues fervently and there was a strong presence of God. Some of the leaders even broke out in holy laughter and many were weeping and crying out in the presence of the Lord. We gave an altar call for the leaders to reaffirm their calling and to give their lives to serve as leaders in the church. All the leaders responded and we ended the meeting by getting everyone to hug one another.
What we did not know before the meeting was that most of the church leaders in Jesus Christ the Deliverer Full Gospel Church did not speak in tongues, even though they believed in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. During the leaders’ meeting we conducted, most of them received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues for the very first time! What we considered a norm was not so for them—it turned out to be their very first encounter with the Holy Spirit. We discovered that before the meeting, the leadership had been divided and there was much strife and disagreement. However, God brought great healing and reconciliation during the meeting! Hallelujah!
As a team, when we heard about this great work that God has done in just the first meeting of our mission trip, we all felt so touched in our hearts that He could use us—regular people—to bring blessing to this church. We all agreed that the many early morning prayer meetings we had in SOT helped to build our inner man, such that we were able to be used by God to usher in His presence. We were deeply moved by the encounter ourselves—it drew us closer together as a team, and we felt empowered to do even more.
The next morning, we woke up bright and early to prepare food and goody bags for a local village visit. We had planned to visit a local village, play games with the children and feed them lunch. We also brought along the bags of groceries to visit the nine families, to pray for them and to bless them practically. To reach the village, we needed to take a boat, which was a lot of fun for the team.
The children’s outreach was a huge success with a great turnout! All the kids were so excited as the team led them in games, stories and songs. My teammates performed a skit of the story of David and Goliath and gave an altar call. Every child responded to the altar call and rushed forward to be prayed for! It was such a moving sight, and I was reminded that truly, Jesus loves the little children. These kids may be living in poverty, but we pray that they will come to know the God who provides for their every need and loves them so much.
Visiting the needy families left a deep impression on the team. They are in need of so much—many of them are widows or families with many children. Our team regrouped into three teams and visited three families each. At every house, we prayed for needs and gave the family groceries. Many of them were visibly touched and kept thanking us. We could only do so much during our short stay, but thankfully, the church has recently started a service in the village and the villagers can attend service without travelling to the mainland. We were thankful that we could do something small for these families, and we hope to go back and visit them again one day.
In the evening, we hosted a small birthday celebration for the leaders born in the month of June. And the leaders surprised us with a dance item! It was such a fun time of fellowship, with food and cakes to indulge in. Best of all, the leaders enjoyed having fellowship with one another, even those who were not getting along before that! The locals were so kind to bring us on joyrides around the village on their local motorcycles. We had so much fun and laughter that night!
On the third day of the mission trip, we served in the main Sunday service in the church. The church was packed and the presence of God was so strong and evident from praise and worship, testimony, offering and the preaching of the Word. Many of the church members responded to the altar call and our team laid hands and prayed for every one of them. We praise the Lord for good reports of healing, baptism in the Holy Spirit and deliverance. It was a Spirit-filled service and everyone had a great time in the presence of the Lord.
After the hard work, it was time for some rest and relaxation. The team headed to Mount Samat where we took photos against the breathtaking scenery. As we looked down from a vantage point in Clark, our hearts were filled with gratitude to the Lord for what He had done for us the last few days. God truly loves the Philippines and we are so blessed to witness the move of the Holy Spirit in that place.
On the final night of our trip, we gathered for a final debrief and shared our hearts with one another. The team members were impacted by different segments of the trip. Some were blessed to see the breakthrough in the church and leadership; others were deeply moved by the children at the village and the families we visited. But one thing we all agreed on was that the mission trip drew our team so much closer together. Before the trip, we were already a tight-knit team. But during the trip, we spent all our time together, serving, eating, laughing and even falling asleep communally! We enjoyed every minute of the mission trip as a team, and it is a trip that we will remember for a very long time. The trip impacted the church in Clark, but it also did a great work of union in our team. Our hearts were so full: we know the work has only just begun in Clark, and more wonderful things will come.
Thank you, Lord for a fruitful mission trip to Clark!
Leader of Team 5, Klessis Lee (front) making her way by boat to Jesus Christ The Deliver Church, with some of her team mates
Team 1: A Life-Changing Mission Trip
By Sharon Teo
In a vibrant display of diversity and unity, Team 1 embarked on a mission trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, one that would forever change our lives. The journey, which took place from 9 to 12 June 2023, marked the beginning of what promises to be a series of impactful missions for our team.
The trip was coordinated by Mary Nguyen, a member of the Vietnamese church that Team 1 was visiting. Mary reflected on the unforgettable nature of this particular mission, from the planning stages to the culmination of the trip. “This holds a special place in my heart as my first mission trip and a chance to return to my church in Vietnam,” she said. “Serving alongside my team and witnessing their love and dedication has left an indelible mark on me. Through this mission, God reminded me of the importance of relying on His strength, seeking His guidance, and loving others with a willing heart.”
With a diverse group of 17 individuals, including seven Singaporeans from City Harvest Church, nine Indonesians as well as Mary, Team 1 was a vibrant tapestry of cultures. As we prepared to spend four days together, away from our comfort zones, we knew it would be a time of growth and reliance on one another. Upon our arrival, the warm and welcoming staff of Agape New Generation Church greeted the team.
The first evening set the tone for what was to come. Our team was treated to a sumptuous Vietnamese dinner, lovingly prepared by the local church. As we savoured the flavours and engaged in conversation, a sense of unity and camaraderie began to blossom.
The highlight of our trip was the Evangelistic Outreach programme, which focused on the theme of “True Love.” As the main emcee, I guided the congregation through a series of activities, starting with the ice-breaker games, which my fellow team member Samuel Matoke led. Laughter and joy reverberated through the venue, creating an atmosphere of warmth and inclusion.
Riky Setiawan, who was in charge of the team’s performances, orchestrated a breathtaking showcase. The first performance, a song titled “Laskar Pelangi” sung in Bahasa, celebrated dreams and love. The infectious energy continued with a captivating dance performance titled “It’s Called L.O.V.E, Love,” which inspired the congregation to join in and dance.
Our programme delved deeper into the topic of true love with a thought-provoking video that emphasised the importance of giving rather than receiving. Attendees were divided into small groups for discussions on true love in today’s society.
Three heartfelt testimonies, shared by Riky, Grace, and Sharon, resonated with the congregation. I spoke of finding true joy and love in Jesus, and followed up with an altar call. I was touched by the response—12 individuals made the life-changing decision to receive Jesus’ love into their lives.
The presence of the Holy Spirit was palpable all through the evening, softening hearts and opening them to the transformative power of God’s love. Our team members extended fellowship and support to those in attendance, sharing in their burdens and uplifting them through prayer.
The second day we split up into two groups, visiting different churches for three services. Wilson Chng and Grace Wu shared powerful messages, accompanied by touching testimonies from Catherine Lunggawa and Grace Marlyn. The divine presence manifested once again, resulting in numerous requests for prayers and an outpouring of God’s love.
In the final service, Wilson’s personal testimony captivated the congregation as he spoke of God’s redemptive power. Osmar Wijaya preached a profound message featuring the acronym “BEST”: Believing in God, Expecting encounters with God, Salvation needing action, and recognising that Today is the day for a transformation.
