This heartbeat is part of a series that was first published in the church bulletin when Covenant EFC embarked on our Seed Fund Faith Journey.
What is Vision 2028 & Beyond for me (Tony Tan)? “Deep calls to deep…” Through these words from Psalm 42:7, I sensed God taking me out of my comfortable shore to plunge deeper into the mysteries and adventures of faith, into the blue ocean of God’s purpose for Covenant EFC and my life.
God is calling Covenant EFC to the deep – deeper love, deeper passion, and deeper faith to follow Jesus, and to help others follow Him too. Thus, our mission as a church is to expand God’s Kingdom through a local and a global Intentional Disciplemaking Church (IDMC) movement. A strong, supportive and complementary local movement is necessary for a global movement to take place. Thus, the $40M Seed Fund is about growing a vibrant IDMC movement beyond 2028 for the next generation!
Covenant EFC’s property and building journey for the past 40 years has been nothing short of miraculous! 17 pioneers met in a humble Ghim Moh HDB apartment in 1978. That grew to about 400 worshipers at 721 Bukit Timah Road by 1980s. The sale of this Bukit Timah property helped fund Covenant EFC’s $14M Bukit Panjang (BPJ) Centre in 1998. The Woodlands (WDL) Centre was launched in 2008 at a cost of $27M. In 2015, ACK Centre, housing Covenant EFC’s IDMC Institute, media and performing arts facilities, and staff office was birthed at a cost of $25M. Led by the Lord, all three properties, costing $66M in total, were fully funded without any debt!
BPJ Centre has now grown to an average worship attendance of over 2,200 adults. WDL Centre has an average worship attendance of over 1,500 adults. In just 20 months, the East Centre, our third and newest centre, has grown threefold to an average worship attendance of over 700 adults. Covenant EFC’s total average worship attendance now stands at over 6,200 including children and youths.
What a testament to God’s amazing grace, relentless faithfulness and bountiful blessings through the sacrificial and generous giving of Covenanters though the years. Praise the Lord!
Looking ahead, the East Centre will soon need a permanent home. BPJ and WDL Centres’ HDB lease renewals are due in 2027 and 2035 respectively. As the Lord leads, we plan to plant a fourth centre in the greater Jurong region, a major growing population centre in 2021. Beyond mere property needs, the $40M Seed Fund undergirds Covenant EFC’s calling to spur a vibrant IDMC movement in Singapore and beyond.
Covenant EFC’s leadership has endorsed Vision2028 & Beyond since 2015. The Church Board and Staff Team indicated a Firstfruit gift of $1M in May this year. And in this year’s church camp held last June, 231 Covenanters indicated a gift of another $2M, making a total of over $3M in Firstfruit indication to the Vision 2028 & Beyond Seed Fund. Praise the Lord!
Will you prayerfully consider how you can own the Vision 2028 & Beyond journey? Will you prayerfully seek the Lord as to what and how you can contribute to the Seed Fund? And as the Lord leads you, will you join the Church Board, Staff Team and the 231 Covenanters to actualize the Firstfruit giving to the Seed Fund on Covenant EFC’s 40th Anniversary Service starting on Sunday, 2 September 2018 till 28 February 2019?
Let’s go to the deep!
