OUR TEAM
Meet the key staff and volunteers that comprise the core team here at Centre of New Life.
Pastoral Leadership
terence ong · senior pastor
Recovering thrill-seeker and cycling enthusiast.
Terence has served as our Senior Pastor since 2016, bringing over 18 years of full-time ministry experience to CNL. Armed with an Economics degree from Monash University and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Theological College, he is deeply passionate about leading the local church to be a vibrant witness of God's new creation. Terence is happily married to Brenda-Mae, and together they are raising four boys. In his down time, he loves reading, writing, and watching movies with his family to dissect how the Gospel integrates with culture.
navin Ong · pastor
Wannabe-cinematographer, doting father, and Chinatown uncle.
Navin has been a mainstay at CNL for decades, serving first as a musician and youth pastor before stepping into his current full-time role. Before entering ministry, he worked in advertising and education, holding degrees in Mass Communication, Education, and English Literature. Navin considers CNL his big, crazy family and is passionate about building deep spiritual friendships within the church. For his creative outlets, he enjoys songwriting, reading, and practicing his photography and video production skills.
jason ting · pastor
Jesus, cars, and football. In that order.
As head of the Teaching and Equipping team, Jason collaborates across ministries to shape CNL's weekly rhythms. He holds a degree in Economics and Management alongside a Master of Divinity, beautifully blending a love for details with a deep joy for Christian tradition. Jason’s heart is to be a spiritual father in our church home, raising up the next generation to disciple others. On his days off, he enjoys drinking teh, listening to podcasts, and caring for his two kids.
ephraim thong · pastoral assistant
Drummer at heart, half-deaf but all about the music (plus coffee and PlayStation).
Ephraim oversees our church liturgy and weekly ministries alongside preaching and prayer. Bringing a background as a drum teacher and an intercessory missionary, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theology. Ephraim’s heartbeat is to raise up shepherds after God's own heart, guiding them into deep intimacy with Him and carrying the ministry of reconciliation. He is married to Abigail, and together they love laughing through life with their two beautiful girls.
Ramachandran Jeyakumar · PASTOR (tamil)
Enjoys swimming, good music, and a compelling book.
Jeyakumar pioneered our Tamil-language congregation from the ground up back in 2009 and hasn't looked back since. Originally serving in Chennai, India, he holds a Bachelor of Theology from Southern Asia Bible College and has spent over a decade passionately discipling others and sharing the Gospel with Singapore’s Indian community. Outside of his ministry work, he treasures spending quality time with his wife, Iris, and their four children.
CELSO N. ESCANILLAS JR · PASTOR (FILIPINO)
Passionate plant and animal lover.
Celso serves as the lay pastor to our Filipino congregation, a calling he stepped into in 2015 after joining CNL. An electrical engineer by training, his career has taken him from the Philippines to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and finally Singapore, where he loves ministering to the local Filipino community. Celso has been married to his wife, Josephine, for over 28 years and has two grown sons. He is deeply grateful for the community and mentors God has used to guide his spiritual journey.
Executive & Administrative Support
Gabriel Teo · Executive Director (SPO)
Starts the day by getting into pajamas and aggressively cuddling a bunch of people.
Gabriel works closely across multiple teams to align and drive the agenda for the Senior Pastor’s Office (SPO). Bringing a rich background from the startup world—where he spent years helping companies start, build, and grow—he is passionate about seeing "New Life" at CNL, championing a culture where everyone steps boldly into the future. Gabriel loves reading and spending time with his wife, Andrea, and their daughter, Joanne.
Serene Thevathasan · Executive Director (SPO)
On a lifelong quest for the perfect cup of tea, a great couch, and the best air-con spots.
Serene is our backroom architect, managing budgets and compliance behind the scenes. She is incredibly happy to volunteer her corporate background in finance and operations to keep our church moving forward safely, bringing excellent stewardship and systems to help our ministries grow. As for her and her house, they are all-in on serving the Lord—while always keeping an eye out for good food and planning their next overseas escape.
Gladys Tua · Executive Assistant (SPO)
Expressing God's freedom through dancE.
Gladys acts as the strategic engine for Team CNL, designing the plans, meetings, and communications that keep all our ministries aligned and moving forward. With an Economics degree, she loves analyzing operational gaps and ideating creative systems to fix them. Her ultimate joy is watching volunteers catch fire for ministry and thrive in their unique gifts through discipleship. When she isn’t dancing, you can find her cooking with her husband, catching some sun, or painting landscapes.
sarah peh · Administrative Executive
Spends free time clearing levels and optimizing phone battery life for mobile games.
Sarah keeps CNL’s daily operations running smoothly behind the scenes, clearing the way for leaders to focus on direct ministry. CNL has been her ministry home and first full-time role since graduating in 2008. Sarah loves seeing God’s house function beautifully, with a vision to build a thriving community where everyone can fulfill their calling. On her days off, she treasures family time, catching up on sleep, and learning new things.
Daren Sieng · Operations Lead
Taking shots on a higher plane.
Daren handles our facilities and logistics, ensuring all our ministries have a beautifully functioning space to operate and dedicate their time to the Lord. Before stepping into full-time ministry when God opened the perfect door, he worked as an Operations Executive managing a corporate car fleet. Daren is deeply passionate about fostering unity across the entire church. For his creative outlets, you can find him diving into photography, 3D printing, or happily browsing through the aisles of IKEA.