Things your mum will not tell you about Yong Ching Seng (Part 4)

Finally, the time has arrived. I put up my courage, packed my luggage, ate my porridge and set off to Singapore, not knowing what awaits me in the next 4 years.


1 Corinthians 2:8-10 (New Living Translation):

" But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets."

Indeed, God has brought me to a whole new level during the 4 years of my undergraduate study.

First year

During my first semester, I tell myself to "guai guai" study, score in exams and get a powerful certificate in the future. I had the minimum involvement with activities other than studies. After my lessons, I would just stay in my room. No birthday celebrations, no ah fang supper (I don't even know where is it until year 2), no visitation of friends, no outings. no RockBand gaming with Mike, no Sarah, etc.

Church wise, I reached Singapore few days before FOC, and I attended the church ever since. However, my definition of Christian lifestyle is very simple: Just go to church every Sunday, take down some notes, attend some Bible studies and maybe make some friends. I was still quite individualistic and did not involve in any cell group or other events. Christianity to me is just a Sunday event. What's the problem with my mindset here? Well that's another future topic haha.

After a while, thanks to the tiredless effort of my old friend En Yao, I got to know my first cell group W193 and joined them eventually. The cell leader is younger than me and I was the second oldest member. Slowly, I developed the concept about "spiritual family" and that no one is suppose to walk alone.

After 4 months attending church, God is indeed faithful, because the church has decided to shift the service to Expo, which is 1.5-hour travelling from NTU, meaning I need to travel 3 hours for church. Besides, W193 held the weekly meeting not at south spine seminar room, but at Tanah Merah, which speaks for another 3 hours two-way journey. This is definitely a big challenge for me to stay or to change church.

Why do I stay? It's because spiritual growth to me is a matter of life and death, and that the atmosphere in the church is condusive towards spiritual growth. So I stayed on, believing that God will see and honour the sacrifice I make just to attend church. It was during that time I came up with a statement to encourage myself:

"If I can't even travel the journey from NTU to Expo, what makes me think that I am fit to finish the journey from earth to Heaven?"

This became my mantra and commitment to church was definitely inconvenient and requires sacrifice during my first year.

Relationship wise? Initially I was quite eager, but slowly I knew that I was not ready, so just decided to forget about it and focus my attention unto my spiritual growth.


Second year

During the 3-month holiday after completing first year, the church held Emerge Conference 2006, it was a powerful youth conference.

During the conference, pastor Kong shared about the Cultural Mandate, which states that children of God should be the light and salt of the world, breaking the four walls of the church, and be a blessing to our surrounding by having positive influence which benefits generations to come. The message greatly inspired me and my concept of christian living was renewed.

Influence is best attained by becoming a leader. As a result, I decided to do something to my faith and I signed up as FOC group leader, so that I could be a blessing for the new generation of people who are going into NTU. This marks my greater involvement and also a burden for the NTUMSA community, and NTUAMCISA.

By now, W193 grew bigger and a new cell group E399 was born, I was allocated to E399. It is also during my second year that I began to take up more responsibilities in the church. I started to learn how to be a guitarist, and also assisting my cell group leader in anything that needed to be done. To a point of time, I could be involved in church-related activities for 5 days a week. (Monday prayer meeting, Wednesday Bible Study, Thursday cell group, Friday cell group, Saturday Expo service, Sunday Expo service). Sometimes, I attended two cell groups because I wanted to have more chance to learn the guitar. The greater involvement really stretched my limits, faith, emotional ceiling, financial stewardship, etc.

During my whole second year, I continued to develop greater hunger for God. Besides usual cell group, I also started to get involved with the NTU CHC community for activities such as prayer meetings, camp planning, etc. I got to know some friends of great faith and was inspired by their commitment towards Christ. It was this interaction with them that birth forth the desire in me to serve as a cell group leader. Be wise in choosing who will influence you, because it affects your destiny!

Well, my eyes still looking around for potential partner, but still remained single because wanted to grow more spiritually. I told myself that I must grow up before I can handle a relationship.


*To be continued*