Who We Are

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

More than a title, leadership in AGPC centres on shepherding, serving and engaging our church community to grow in wisdom in the Lord. The Bible is explicit in its call for church leaders to lead by good example and exercise oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly as God would have them to shepherd the flock of God among them (1 Peter 5:2-3). While desiring a noble task (1 Tim 3:1), our Pastors and Elders are charged with the responsibility of preserving and upholding sound doctrines while remaining right before God and the church (Titus 1:7-9). Our Deacons are also called to be godly, wise and faithful servants who have stood the test of faith (1 Tim 3:8-13), enabling them to undertake responsibility of managing the Church.

The appointment of our church leaders, who aspire to live their lives accordingly to the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), stands as a testimony of our commitment and faith in proclaiming God, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom and presenting everyone mature in Christ (Col 1:28).

Our VISION

HIM we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in CHRIST.

(Colossians 1:28)

Our VALUES

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(Galatians 5:22-23)

Our STATEMENT OF FAITH

AGPC Statement of Faith can be downloaded here.

Our MISSION

Worship

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10a

Equipping

so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:14-16

Fellowship

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Outreach

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20

But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:17-18

Support

Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the temple, to do all its service and all that is to be done in it. Ezekiel 44:14

Our CONSTITUTION

AGPC Constitution can be downloaded here.

Our History

Beginnings

Amazing Grace Presbyterian Church began as an English Service of Holy Grace Presbyterian Church, a predominantly Hainanese-speaking church. Our humble beginnings can be traced back to 1978 when Holy Grace Presbyterian Church observed a “Year of Dedication” and set apart about 20 people who met weekly as an English service.

Holy Grace English Service celebrated her 1st Anniversary Service

Pr Wendy Ch’ng with Dr Frank & Ivy Balchin

Our earliest ministers were the late Dr. Frank Balchin and his wife, Ivy Balchin, both missionaries from England who taught in English as well as in Hokkien and Hainanese dialects. Other early labourers of this English Service included Rocky Lim and Dr. Tham Ngiap Boo who served as elders, Wendy Wee and her husband Ronald Ch’ng as preachers, and Brother Andrew Yeo as a bible study leader.

By God’s grace, the next 18 years saw the church organized into a full fledged congregation. Although without a pastor for over two years after Ronald and Wendy left, we were taught God’s truths by godly lecturers from Bible Schools such as TTC (Trinity Theological College), SBC (Singapore Bible College) and BGST (Biblical Graduate School of Theology). Mrs. Myrna Chan was also instrumental in starting a choir ministry that contributed to the education in music and worship of our members.

Ordination of Rev Dr Gan

In Oct 1992, Preacher Steven Gan joined us as a Pastor while Sister Joyce Koh became our Church Administrator in Oct 1993. Soon after, the church partnered Myanmar Youth for Christ and embarked upon our first mission outreach. This would later develop into an on-going bible training (using DLTP materials) for pastors and church leaders in Myanmar with other partnering churches (known as MMPC). Our work in mission also expanded into China, Indonesia and Cambodia.

Br Edward (Top) & Eld Dr Yang (left) teaching in Myanmar

As we became self-governing, self-supporting and self-witnessing, two major challenges tested our faith and trust in God’s provision and direction:

The birth of Amazing Grace Presbyterian Church

i) We ordained Rev Steven Gan as our first minister on 1st May 1995. Then in 1996, Holy Grace Presbyterian Church encouraged us to register as a separate accountable entity with the English Presbytery. Amazing Grace Presbyterian Church was born on 24 Aug 1996. The following year, Preacher Carrie Chan joined the pastoral team and Elder Yong Teck Meng was installed as our lay preacher. In 1999, Yong Pin Yoon and his wife Susie left for Davao, Philippines, sent by the church as support staff of Wycliffe Bible Translators.

ii) In 2001, the leadership made a joint decision with Holy Grace Presbyterian Church to rebuild the bungalow premises we had outgrown. Rebuilding would take 18 months and $5 million, with our congregation bearing half the cost ($2.5 million). In the meantime, we relocated to Changi Bethany Presbyterian Church at Upper Changi Road East and rescheduled our worship services to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Membership dropped to an all time low of about 160 people from 250. As we could also no longer send our children to Holy Grace’s Children’s Sunday School, we started our own Children’s Ministry.

Our present building

By God’s grace, our dedicated team of Pastors, Elders, Deacons and lay leaders worked hard and steered the congregation through the 18 months in the ‘wilderness’. In May 2003, we moved into a new church building with two sanctuaries, a multi-purpose hall and over 20 rooms to accommodate staff and kindergarten operations.

In obedience to Jesus’ command that we be the salt and the light of the world, we formed Filos Community Services in July 2004. Filos would serve as the local social service arm of the church working directly with community partners, schools, families, elderly, children and needy youths.

God continued to lead and bless His church by adding more staff to our team: Mrs. Maggie Gan as our Choir Director; Elder Rocky Lim as our Pastoral Assistant, and Sister Audrey Foo as our second Administrative Staff.

Today, we have about 600 members and we stand together as ‘His people, living for His purpose to bring Him greater glory’. We want to remain anchored in God’s Word and to be faithful to our calling as witnesses of Jesus Christ. May God continue to use us as His instruments to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

It is our privilege to belong to the universal church of our Lord Jesus Christ and to play our part in the larger Presbyterian Church in Singapore. Indeed, may all who trust in Christ stand on that last day to hear our Lord saying “Well done, good and faithful servants”.