Growing up, I always had a desire to serve God in full-time ministry.

But I never entertained it much because of all the negative things I heard, which affected my view.

“What about your family and friends in Singapore?”

“Eh become pastor means no money one leh.”

“Next time your wife and children how?”

These were some of the questions that I always had to deal with whenever I shared my heart.

It would come to the point where I would keep all of my dreams and visions to myself because of fear.

Fear of rejection, fear of criticism and, more than that, the fear of losing my faith and convictions.

In 2018, while I was still a freshman in university, the bugging curiosity of missions and full-time ministry led me to enrol myself in a month-long mission trip programme.

Known as MORPH, the programme is a missions exposure initiative designed to train, equip and give students an insight to the life of missions abroad.

It is organised by Varsity Christian Fellowship and the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. 

The trip that transformed my view of ministry

I was part of a team that visited a country in Asia. There, we met and had fellowship with missionaries from all over the world and different backgrounds and professions.

All of them had the same heart — they loved the people of the nation and wanted to share the gospel.

Most efforts were usually a long, drawn-out process. These took different forms such as business, education, healthcare, sanitation and even urban planning.

It was then that I better understood what Paul meant when he said that he had become all things to all people for the sake of the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:22-23).

The trip changed my whole perspective of what full-time ministry and missions looked like. It was an experience I would never forget.

My passion for people and enterprise

I came back to Singapore, had my first stint with a startup company as a bao ga liao (do everything) intern, and that only intensified my interest in people and enterprise.

Even though I am currently studying in the discipline of electrical engineering, it was never a field that I had intended to pursue.

Instead, being exposed to missions and business-related activities in my first year really made me start to think more about creating business opportunities for the underprivileged as a sustainable and long-term solution to alleviate their financial burdens.

Teach a man to fish in hopes for him to be a fisher of men, right?

https://thirst.sg/how-creative-arts-can-make-a-difference-in-missions/

Last August, I learnt from a friend that he was starting a mentorship programme to connect graduating students with a curated group of Christian individuals who have a reputation for bringing a positive impact in their workplaces.

I remember Samuel presented me with a very difficult question — he wanted me to choose between two shortlisted mentors.

The first time I met Wee Seng, it was at a foodcourt. There were two of us mentees, but due to the two-person-per-table COVID-19 measures, it became a one-on-one session.

Prior to the meeting I was in a rush because of my hectic school and work schedule.

I was in such an irritable mood that day, and was 80 per cent convinced that I should’ve just rescheduled the meeting. Boy, was I glad I didn’t.

We sat down and went through the formalities of introducing ourselves. Two minutes into our conversation, I completely lost it.

Yes, lost it. Ugly crying and all.

It felt as if the sum of all the emotions that I had repressed before about my future and my calling came bursting at the seams all at once.

Here was a man who had lived an entire life’s worth of what I had experienced for only a mere month.

A man who had the same considerations (and even more) that I had, and who made the choice, over and over again, to pursue God and the call of God in his life — no matter the cost.

We talked about everything, from ministry and missions to money to marriage. He even shared with me the story of how he came to know Christ, and the part of his life when he decided to answer the call.

We also discussed the different ways evangelism could look like; what the Word says about business as missions as well as politics and people; about oppression and liberation; and God’s heart for His people and the nations.

A confidence to follow His call

I am just weeks shy of my last exam paper.

Although I must admit that I still do not have pretty much anything pertaining to my career figured out, journeying with Wee Seng continues to remind me that my God is a God who’s got me covered.

I thank God that He hears the struggles of my heart and connected me with someone I could speak with about these matters in the local context.

I am truly grateful because the mentorship helps me to remember God’s faithfulness through the lives of those who have gone before me, and gives me the confidence to obey Him wholeheartedly.

All in all, I know that wherever He calls to me to be, I can trust in Him and put my hope in Him because He will sustain me and provide for me.

Benjamin was one of the participants in the pilot run of a new nationwide Marketplace Mentorship Programme.

Started by Samuel Tan, an undergraduate from 3:16 Church, he noticed that graduating students transiting to the workforce may struggle and stumble to live out their faith in the marketplace.

Through the mentorship programme, he hopes to help them to become salt and light in their specific industry. Registration for this year’s intake closes on April 20. Visit www.faithx.one to learn more.