Vision and Purpose
A. To create a dynamic spiritual ministry for Adventist Filipinos in Singapore relative to their cultural orientations, where their specific needs and relative circumstances are especially addressed; and,
It is mandatory for the church, in order to experience a dynamic corporate growth by way of its ministries, to balance its activities and heighten its initiatives in promoting its five (5) functions: Worship, Fellowship, Nurture, Discipleship, and Evangelism. Leave one of the functions out and church growth is stunted!
Incidentally, however, despite the profound ideal set forth by the Apostle Paul that ”in Christ there is no Jew or Gentile….”, cultural differences still play a pervasive role in the work of fusing together the different parts comprising the Body of Christ into a solidly working unit. Many tend to gravitate to those who have the same cultural orientations. No matter how much we refuse to see it, worship preferences and church practices remain a crucial factor in church growth, as these are etched, and therefore pursued, along racial lines. And, unless the traditional ethnic blend of worship becomes a predominant feature in church services, a group that is culturally different may find its spiritual growth impeded or even curtailed.
B. To provide affordable help to Adventist Filipinos in areas where obvious needs exist; and,
Belonging to the family of God provides some sort of an assurance that the pain of one is shared by the family. The real challenge comes when palpable help is needed by someone in dire straits. A church ministry should be able (after a thorough deliberation over particular circumstances, especially work-related cases) to provide help in whatever form—which the ministry could readily and willingly afford—to a member in need. The consciousness alone that we can help each other when daunting problems occur makes the church united and strong.
This assistance to those who are in need is premised on “affordable help” as the ministry does not have a coffer full of cash. In fact, the ministry is supported by people who are often in dire straits also, as many are here to eke out a living that seems to be an impossibility back home. But whatever small initiative it can do—to show that it cares for a member in need—promotes to a higher degree the quality of compassion that heaven highly approves of.
C. To enhance the ministry potential of every Filipino member—as “every believer is a minister”—in the church’s in-reach and outreach initiatives, regardless of one’s social station in life.
A psychological impediment often exists when members deem their station in life to be a notch or two below that of others and, consequently, feel that leadership in many of the areas in church work is beyond their recognized capability. Such attitude deviates from the basic tenet that “God does not call the equipped; He equips the called!”
The church’s initial endeavor should include the identification of each member’s spiritual gift(s) and the setting up of training seminars, and employing properly structured and constituted programs, to enhance the ministry potential of everyone. Each one should come to level of expertise in the area (s) chosen for him/her by the Lord. Each one should accept and be made to understand that service to the Lord has no class or distinction, but only requires a heart motivated by a love for Him. These initiatives entail a lot of work that a committed membership can do together, but it must be done if we expect the church to grow corporately and prepare it for the soon coming of Christ.
