The End? Or Just the Beginning?

Did you know that 10th October is the day that the World Health Organization recognises as “World Mental Health Day”? It is also the Day that Cuba celebrate their Independence Day, a day that marked since the war with Spain in 1868. And of course, it is also the day that Taiwan marks the start of the Wuchang uprising in 1911 - Taiwan’s National Day.

And today, 10th October 2021 is also the last Sunday that CNL will gather in 51 Middle Road for worship. Let meet invite you to join with our brothers and sisters in 51 Middle Road to mark a historic moment at 51 Middle Road. We might not be able to join them in person, but today - let’s mark this day with a united heart and mind before the LORD, with thanksgiving.

We mark this day with a question - is this the End? Or just the Beginning?

Are we giving up on our vision “One Church, Many Centres”?

For many, CNL moving out of 51 Middle Road, might feel like we are leaving the City. We are collapsing our two Centres vision, and unifying into one Centre. This cannot be further from the truth. Let’s be clear, CNL is NOT giving up on our vision to be One Church, Many Centres. Our movement out of 51 Middle Road is for a purpose - to united together in Christ as His One Body to do His Work in a Neighbourhood, for the sake of the mission of Christ in the World.

To understand what is happening we need to consider - why did CNL move into 51 Middle Road in the first place?

CNL@51MR was birthed in 2018- the year when the call of God for us was to Build the House as Sons and Daughters of God in CNL. In that year, we launched the campaign of Project 3.6M. This project was not just a financial call to redeem the loan, but it was a spiritual call to believe in God’s Story for CNL. To believe that God was with us… and He will build the House and accomplish the Vision that he had given to us. “One Church, Many Centres”, with each Centre “Reaching Peoples, Transforming Lives, and Building Kingdom Leaders”.

So why is 51 Middle Road so important? Because in that year to believe in God’s Vision for CNL, CNL decided to move out of the hotel, and into a building purpose built for us at 51 Middle Road. But why is this move so important? Because 51 Middle Road is not just a physical building for CNL, but a symbolic location for CNL and the vision the LORD has given to us to be a missional church - a church planting church. A church that would spawn many other churches not just in Singapore but also beyond the shores of Singapore.

CNL@51MR is the Recognition of our Church Planting Call

CNL started life in 1968 as Ephrathah Assembly of God - a small church plant by missionary pastors sent by the AG into Thong Hoe Village, far west of Singapore. When Pastor Ong and Pastor Helen took over this work in 1991, it was located in a small shophouse on Upper Bukit Timah Road, in the West. Even then as a small church of less than 40 people, missions was at the heart of CNL’s calling. In spite of the pitiful resource for the work in Singapore, Pastor Ong and Pastor Helen had already began to develop a church-planting vision beyond Singapore, out of obedience to a call they received from the LORD in a conference in the UK.

The LORD continue to bless us, especially in the years where CNL Singapore moved into the City. Since our move to Orchard Hotel in the late 1990s, CNL has always had a worship location in the central part of Singapore. A defining moment in our history came when we moved out of the City, and developed a worship location in Jurong Lifestyle Building. It was in those years, that a fresh prophetic vision was received and developed - One Church, Many Centres. CNL was to go back to the City, and we would continue to develop a God-given opportunity in Jurong West.

Since that, some thing became clear - CNL is meant to have a presence in the City. Why? Because our vision is not just to be a Centre of New Life in Jurong West, but to see “Many Centres” be a catalyst of New Life, in Singapore and beyond the shores of Singapore. Our presence in the City was important because it represents an ownership, a YES to our God given vision that we would be a Church with Many Centres of New Life.

So why then are we moving out of 51 Middle Road?

In the same way Christ was sent from Heaven to be make His dwelling place with us; in the same way Ps Randy Sing and Ps Simon Chan were sent by the AG to start a church plant in Thong Hoe Village; in the same way Ps Ong and Ps Helen were sent from Bethel AG to develop CNL, so too our movement away from 51 Middle Road is a symbolic act that we must exist as a people who are being Sent by God to be a Centre of New Life in a Neighbourhood and for a Neighbourhood.

In this new chapter of CNL’s Story, we must recognise that are are NOT to exist as just a social club or a religious society but as the Spirit empowered people who exist as the embodied Presence of the Creator God, created to be a blessing to all the families of the earth, in and for the Name of Jesus. Specifically, this is a new season that God has ordained for us to come together as One Body, to be a Centre of New Life for a Neighbourhood. In the next three years, there is a call to Move with Christ - 

To do New Life together, as Christ-centred kampongs in a Neighbourhood and for the Neighbourhood, in order that we may truly be a Catalyst of New Life for the families in Gek Poh, Jurong West, and the uttermost parts of the earth.

So will you join me to mark this date with our hearts and minds align with God. 10th October 2021 is the end of a season, but also the beginning of a new one. May the Creator God open our eyes to see; and our hearts to know, so that we may align with Him for the New Life that He has prepared for us to enjoy with Him and for Him.