1. We have met with the leaders of all congregations to communicate with them the changes from the SWORD acronym to WRPF and the other decisions made during the Batam retreat.
2. We have done a lot of ground work to prepare the youth and adult congregations for the INTEGRATED SERVICE. This included communication with the youth exco, the young adults, the youth cell leaders, the youth members, the main church, the worship exco of both services, the adult cell leaders, and main congregation. The service was launched in May rather than in August. The feedback has generally been good, but there remains concern for the Sec 1 and Sec 2 which we are still monitoring. We also keep records of visitors, sms to them, and keep track of them.
3. We began monthly GAP prayer meetings on the last Friday of all months except June and December. They are to reinforce the trait “PRAYER- INTIMACY AND INTERCESSORY”.  The attendance is average 60 and percentage wise this is good.
4. We have included a follow-up event to the main evangelistic event of the first half of the year, ie, the Alpha Course. We held a barbecue where invited are the graduates, current and past.
5. Starting in January we have begun to communicate to the church the WRPF product traits of a disciple. We have done this through various means: several sermon series (WRPF, prayer series, revival series, missions, Just Walk Across the Room); large placards/banners on the wall, book marks, church camp theme, bulletin and website articles; cell training meetings; doing the Simple Church book among the staff. The result is growing awareness of the kind of disciple WRPF is seeking to make.
6. We tweaked the product so that traits become measurable. We tweaked the process to make it simpler to communicate: WIN-BUILD-SEND. We designed programs and structured courses which are now being developed and written out for use in teaching.
7. The WRPF cells restructuring, re-equipping, and re-focusing has been planned and shared with the leadership, both elders, pastors and cells. The retooling has begun on Friday the 9^th. The cell structure will be flatter; the cell leaders and members will be re-equipped and learn a new philosophy of ministry; and the new focus on becoming a disciple making church will be established.

God is actively at work in our midst and he gives grace to adjust to needed changes.

KENNY CHEE

Abraham Chan has an honorable record of faithful, dedicated service as a leader of Deaf Faith Fellowship. His previous job experiences in maintenance, operations, and management, and his IT skills will enable him to fulfil the role of church administrator. He joins the administrative/operational staff on 1 February. Chua Seng Lee joins the team as project pastor . He has been tasked to do various key tasks in the church: leading the cells (with the help of pastors Thomas and Mary); examine overall strategies and processes in the church; implementing the directions set in the Batam Retreat 2009, and other tasks as well. He joins the team on 1 February.

Abraham’s family is known to us as they grew with us and served among us. Magdalene is among the leaders of GNK, and Rachel, Anna and Esther are all serving in the youth fellowship. Chua Seng Lee’s family are new: Josephine his wife was a youth pastor in FCBC, and his daughter Rachel and son John are involved teenagers. We need to adopt this family and get to know them and spoil them.

Praise God for answering prayer. He always does. Welcome these new additions to the church team; pray for them; and support them.

Kenny Chee

Senior Pastor

We WIN them by various programs like Alpha course or simply inviting them to church or to cell groups or even by sharing Christ with them in the office or school. Once they are won, ASSIMILATION is the next stage. We help them into baptism and establish them in the faith through follow up and help them to feel at home in the church and cell group as members. The third stage is where they grow in grace and in the knowledge of God through Sunday services, cell participation and Christian courses. this is the BUILDING stage. The fourth stage is that of EQUIPPING them with ministry skills such as evangelism, follow up, how to lead a cell group, how to serve in church, etc. The final stage of SENDING is when he or she who was invited is engaged in inviting others to Christ, in community service, or missions or some other ministry of reaching out to non-believers, thereby completing the cycle.

We also want to identify where people have fallen through the cracks or gaps between the stages and how we can help more people move through all the stages. For example, in 2010 we will be concentrating on following up guests and visitors that are invited to the sunday services. We want to do a thorough follow up of these precious people who have visited us. All this entails a great deal of attention to details, of data collection, and of stamina and motivation. Let us pray the Lord’s grace will see us through the implementation and sustenance of the work.

Kenny Chee

Senior Pastor

One of the main ways is to look at where most of the people gather together frequently and to ensure they become good learning and transformation places. The Sunday worship service and the cell meeting are where we have the most time to shape and form the minds and hearts and lives of our people for transformation. They are the main programs.

This means that we have to be deliberate, systematic and wholistic in what we impart on Sundays and in the cell groups. These are the hours where our people have offered themselves to be open to God’s Spirit and Word and trusted people to influence and change their lives.

“Wholistic” means that we have to look beyond just cognitive understanding of a trait. So for a trait like prayer, besides teaching on prayer, we also do a project or avenue for people to exercise a prayer habit; and a way for them to feel its impact; and an environment and method of encouragement and accountability to ensure the trait is developed.

It’s no longer hit and run and hope for the best. Its intentional and thorough.”

WORLD: Evangelism and Missions-  Compelled, Compassionate, Community service
REVIVAL: Holy Spirit’s Work-  Spirit-empowered(gifts) and Spirit-guided(fruit)
PRAYER: Prayer- Intimacy and Intercessory Prayer
FELLOWSHIP: Discipleship in Community-  Discipleship, Servant-heart, Unity, Healing Community.

When you look at the traits you can see that it shows somewhat how God has been working in our church life to form these values. The traits resonates with our spiritual history and identity.

However, in the past, we have not deliberately, systematically sought to form these traits. We did not know how. Now we will do it in a deliberate, intentional way. Once we were vague about these traits, and they were incomplete. Now it is in written form and in black and white, and they represent what we want to inculcate in the believers God gives us.  -Pastor Kenny

“Bringers” play a very important part in the kingdom. Just as Andrew brought his brother Peter to Jesus, and Peter then believed, bringers bring their friends, families, acquaintances to places and events where they can learn or experience God.

The bringer is also like a host to the visitor. The bringer informs his cell group members that he will be bringing a guest so they will start praying.

The bringer also introduces the guests to his cell members, pastors and shows him around the church building so he is oriented.

The bringer with cell members can also take the guest out for lunch. If he finds the guest is ready, he can invite him or her to visit a cell group.

Bringers are important to WRPF and to the work of the Gospel. – Pastor Kenny Chee -

How are things going to be different with the consultation all done?

Well, one of the main developments is that the church will already be streamlined to focus on one main thing: becoming a church that makes disciples together.

WRPF has always emphasized the preaching of the Gospel. Both locally and abroad, we have invested our resources to win souls to Christ.

We want to build on this and actually build disciples of a certain kind. We want the converts that God gives to us, to become disciples, marked by certain traits that many leaders from DFF, GNK, Youth and ZXFET and English Adult Services have spent many hours of thought, prayer and discussion to come up with. – Pastor Kenny Chee -