A celebration of God’s Word, spoken as a banner for the nations. Calling our worldwide family from every tribe and tongue, we invite you to unite over 72 hours of proclaiming the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation to call out highways of blessing over the earth.
Together we will align to raise a joyous sound – a revelation of Jesus Christ’s truth, righteousness and love to bless all nations in restoration to His perfect purpose. Come unite in this festival of reading the Bible – declared in words, songs and prayers!
The Bible Society of Singapore and the Embassy of Israel in Singapore jointly organised a synagogue tour at Chesed-El Synagogue on 11 May 2023. The tour enabled participants to discover the rich history and strong presence of the Jewish community in Singapore. They learnt more about Jewish customs, house of worship and culture.
On 2 May 2023, ETHOS Institute for Public Christianity organised the ETHOS Conversation 2023 at the Bible House. This year’s topic was ‘Mental Health and the Church’, exploring the Christian perspective on mental health and the role churches can play in helping those struggling with mental health issues.
The event featured two speakers: Dr Adrian Loh, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, and Mr Leow Wen Pin, President of Koinonia Inclusion Network. You may watch the replay of Dr Adrian Loh here and Mr Leow Wen Pin here.
Watch the highlights of the GoForth 2023 commencement last 18 February! What an awesome moment as we gather as a body of Christ in the presence of God to worship, pray and usher in the next Decade of Missions!
What is the significance of GoForth 2023? It is a movement that encourages Christians to live out their God-given mission and call in a world that is constantly changing. Just before Jesus went up to heaven, He said, “Go forth into all the world and make disciples of all nations.” The mission is for everyone, let’s reach out to the world, share the gospel and bring God’s love!
How can we equip ourselves for missions in a world that is constantly changing? This year GoForth 2023 brings a new format—a series of inspiring year-long programmes, that aims to: Inform, Invite and Implement. There will be 8 missional emphasis tracks: Mission to Unreached People Groups, Migrants, Marginalised, Marketplace, Multi-generational Mentoring, Mandarin-speaking Communities, Media and Metaverse, come and see what God has for you!
On 19 March 2023, the Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach (AGWO) and Rotary Club of Singapore (RCS) has jointly launched the Guest Workers Cricket Training Programme at Tuas South Recreation Centre. With 100,000 migrant workers living in Tuas, a remote industrial area that is isolated with no avenues for recreation, the launch of this cricket programme ensures that these migrant workers have the opportunity to participate in enjoyable sport activities. Since February 2023, more than 150 guest workers have signed up for this structured six-month training programme. This programme enhances the emotional & physical wellbeing of guest workers through cricket, a widely played sport in South Asia. Migrant workers who signed up for the programme received cricket equipment, jerseys and shoes, provided by the RCS. They were also coached by professional cricket coaches in this structured cricket training programme. We thank the RCS for their unwavering support and look forward to our continued effort to provide holistic care for our migrant workers.
As a Christian are you acquainted with your global family?
This webinar will introduce you to Christianity around the world and offer a surprising and encouraging view of its future. It will summarize some of the main finding of the World Christian Encyclopedia, 3rd edition (Edinburgh University Press).
Join us at the commencement of GoForth 2023, happening on 18 February 2023!
What is the theme for GoForth 2023?
The inspiration behind GoForth’s theme—Missions in the New Norm: Unite to Accomplish the Mandate—is to encourage Christians to live out their God-given mission and call in a world that is constantly changing.
GoForth 2023 will be a year-long event with a series of inspiring programmes from 8 different tracks with a missional emphasis. Come, hear from various practitioners and speakers, and ignite your missional calling! These programmes aim to Inform, Invite, and Implement.
Here’s a sneak peak of the tracks:
Multi-Generational Mentoring
Mandarin Speaking Communities
Mission to Unreached People Groups
Migrants
Media
Metaverse
Marginalised
Marketplace
Let’s get ready to be equipped and usher in the next Decade of Mission from 2023 to 2033! Together, let’s make a difference in the lives of others.
“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”—2 Corinthians 4:6
2023 marks an important milestone for the Bible Society as we celebrate our 200th anniversary of the Bible Mission in Singapore, having started in 1823 with the distribution of 1,000 Chinese New Testament Bibles. For the past 200 years, our Society has worked with our sister Bible Societies and evangelical communities regionally in pioneering the Bible Mission and advancing the Bible cause. Singapore has been the regional hub for Bible translation and printing projects since the 19th century.
Streams of Life (SOL) is a Regional Christian Media Agency that aims to inform, inspire and impact the wider Christian community in Singapore and beyond. SOL Media is a one-stop hub that provides holistic content, regional news, and media services on various digital platforms to its regional partners, such as churches, charities, and other like-minded organisations.
SOL Media is a division of International Bible Experiences (IBEx)—a ministry of The Bible Society of Singapore (BSS). SOL is the official media partner of the bicentennial celebration of the Bible Mission in Singapore commemorated by the Bible Society.
The Bible tells us that when Jesus arrived on this earth, He became a light to everyone around Him. He was not only a spiritual light, offering us a way to have a personal relationship with God, but His light shined brightly everywhere He went.
Especially with a world that is currently filled with so much sin, darkness, uncertainty and the unknown, we have hope, we have a bright light that no darkness can overcome, and we have the sure promises of God and His truth. We as Christians, through Christ’s strength and the Holy Spirit, have the power to shine the light of Christ into other people’s lives, to share with them all that Jesus has done and all that He is doing, and to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ.
We give thanks for the grace of God over the Bible Mission through the years, transforming lives with God’s Word. 2023 is a significant year for the Bible Society as we commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Bible Mission in Singapore, having started in 1823. Rev Dr Robert Morrison pioneered the completion of the New Testament in 1813 and published it the following year. In 1819, the full Bible in Chinese translation was concluded and later published in 1823. With the help of Sir Stamford Raffles, Morrison sent 1,000 Chinese New Testaments to Singapore for distribution among Chinese settlers in 1823, marking the real beginnings of the Bible Mission on the island.
Morrison and Raffles are both men who championed the Bible Mission. In Singapore, the Bible Society’s history is intertwined with that of Singapore’s development. Upon the founding of Singapore, Raffles conceived the establishment of a library within the Singapore Institution. It has since been renamed the National Library, with its history closely tied to that of the Singapore Institution and the National Museum. Singapore institute—presently called Raffles Institute—also served to educate Singaporeans and provided suitable facilities for translating and distributing Bibles, aiding the Bible Movement.
A Shared Heritage: The Histories of the Bible Society and Singapore’s Formation
1837 was the year that the building of the institution was completed and started its operations, but it also was when the Bible Society was officially registered in Singapore. Morrison was also originally slated as the first librarian of the institution’s library. This Institution was to become Raffles Institution and a library, with the collection of books and papers that would spawn into our National Library. In a treasured collection of letters and book of Raffles recently acquired by the National Library was a volume of the Bible in Jawi that was printed in Batavia—now called Jakarta—in 1758.
From 1823 up till the 1870s, Scriptures were usually stored in the Singapore Institution and distributed by volunteers, colporteurs and missionaries. It is heartening to see that by God’s grace, more than a century later, the work of the Bible Movement continued amidst struggles and challenging times.
“After the (Second World) War, the Society partnered with the Singapore Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in organising the historic 1978 Evangelistic Crusade and provided much needed support in planning, logistics and Scriptures for distribution. With the use of computer technology in the 1980s, the Bible House also transformed into a Scripture production and Knowledge Centre printing Scriptures for local and overseas people, and also conducting Bible Literacy courses and public conferences.”—Dr Ernest Chew, Honorary Chairman, National Museum of Singapore
To date, Singapore remains as a hub for Bible Missions, enabling us to continue being a blessing to other nations in sending out God’s Word and hope. The Bible Society continues to work closely with its 147 sister Bible Societies and evangelical communities all over the world to offer help and support in making the Word of God available and tangible to all.
“We are proud of our association with The Bible Society of Singapore in such a long and faithful journey, to have been a part of its story, and even more of all they have accomplished in recent decades. You work as an ‘Antioch’ in Asia, whose blessing and fruit is founded on unity and radical love for each person as equally valuable in God’s sight (Acts 11:19-30)”—Paul Williams, Chief Executive, British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS)
As part of Hope Initiative Alliance (HIA)’s International Migrants Month programme, Alliance of Domestic Employees Outreach (ADEO)—a movement of HIA—has been organising a sponsored tour to Flower Dome by Gardens by the Bay for 1,500 MDWs from 20 November to 25 December 2022. As we seek to continuously improve their lives and bring integration between them and the community, such an initiative has helped to make them feel appreciated and bring them joy as many may not get the opportunity to visit such tourist attractions in Singapore.
Launched in December 2021, ADEO has reached out to over 5,000 MDWs from different ethnic or nationality groups; has more than 100 partners including government agencies, embassies, NGOs, employment agencies, religious organisations, and many more. Together with the partners, more than 20 events were organised, with around 200 MDWs pledging their membership with ADEO. In addition, over 20 volunteers from various occupations such as students, accountants, managers, and the MDWs themselves, have graciously taken their time and efforts to serve the MDWs. All of them expressed their positive experience with ADEO, sharing that the events were enjoyable not only for the MDWs, but also for them as they extended help for the activities. They were also looking forward to being involved in the subsequent events.
In celebration of ADEO’s anniversary, a Feast of Appreciation, supported by MOM and other ADEO partners, will be held on Sunday, 11 December 2022, bringing around 300 MDWs to gather in the city, graced by the Minister of State for Education and Manpower, Ms Gan Siow Huang. Fun activities such as carnival games, flea market, cake cutting, lucky draws and free meals will be provided at the event.
In conjunction with International Migrants Day on 18 December 2022, this event aims to show appreciation to our MDWs for their effort and sacrifices in taking care of the families here in Singapore. The President of HIA, Rev Ezekiel Tan, shared his sentiment about this event, “During this International Migrant Month, while in the past, attention was mostly given to the migrant brothers in the dormitories, ADEO hopes to bring the awareness of holistic care to the migrant domestic sisters, making them feel at home in Singapore, and even see Singapore as their second home, with the bigger society as their families away from home.”
ADEO is proud to see the MDWs have benefitted from ADEO programmes, including free tours to iconic places of interest in Singapore, monthly gathering in the city and skill-based training. The greatest accomplishment is to see the ADEO community growing, with MDWs being more confident and appreciated, and in turn, they lead other MDWs to learn to appreciate what the community is doing and care for one another. They also go out of their way to encourage their friends to take part in the activities offered by ADEO. One of the domestic helpers who attended ADEO event for the first time, and is also new to her job in Singapore, shared, “I truly felt the care and respect, I would like to register and be part of ADEO”.
We hope that through this celebration, we can continue to empower, equip and uplift the lives of the MDWs in our midst as we reach out to more of them in 2023 and work together in improving lives!
