What if a place was born from what some called the devil’s stronghold? That is the story of Centre of New Life. It began in Ama Keng and Thong Hoe villages. These places were considered steeped in idolatry. Some even superstitiously named them the devil’s stronghold. Yet, God raised two young men Simon Chan and Randy Sing there. They started a new work that became extraordinary. These men later became great theologians and missionaries in Singapore.
Let’s step back to 1970. The church was then known as Ephratah Assembly or the faithfuls. The small group of 15 adults met as a close community. The church faced much change in the next decade. They changed pastoral hands more than 10 times. Still, God moved through these young believers. They journeyed together growing stronger in faith. We honor those who built Ephratah. Sister Deborah K.C. Tan and Brothers Francis P.W. Cheong contributed. So did John Gunasagran, Dennis Koh, and Pastors Wong Chang Heng. Pail Tan, Reverend Andrew B.H. Yeo, Charles Tan, Fred, and Cecilia Durrant also helped.
Eventually, Pastor Lawrence and Helen Ong came to Ephratah. God called them from Bethel Assembly of God to be church planters. God gave them a word. It was from Habakkuk 3:19. “God, the Lord, is my strength he makes my feet like the deer’s he makes me tread on my high places.”
Pastor Lawrence and Helen Ong made big changes. They moved the church to a more accessible location. They changed its name to Centre of New Life. This showed their commitment to nurturing Christ-centered communities. This sparked a revival in the church. A generation stepped up to lay the foundations of Centre of New Life in daring faith.
This awakening led to missionary work. Centre of New Life understood missions from its beginnings. Even without much money, the church embraced its missional calling. They first ventured into the Philippines. Eventually, they reached other parts of Asia. More recently, they expanded to Sydney.
As Centre of New Life grew, it faced a challenge. It had no permanent home. Settling down would offer stability. But Centre of New Life did not want a building to limit its actions and thoughts. Pastor Ong said their vision must be larger than the building itself.
God still had plans for them. He gave new meaning to their nomadic nature. He challenged Pastor Ong to plant a multi-centered church in Singapore. This would reflect their missional efforts across Asia.
Today Centre of New Life continues to move forward. It takes its place as Kingdom leaders. Despite different backgrounds, they become a model of new life for the world. They are catalysts for transforming lives. Centre of New Life operates a Schoolhouse. It also offers various services. These include English, Mandarin, Tamil, and Filipino services. You can find service times and contact information on their website.
Centre of New Life stands as a testament. It shows how God can use flawed individuals and circumstances. He creates something extraordinary. From a place once called the devil’s stronghold, a beacon of faith and new life emerged.