In Acts 21:17–22:30, we see Paul navigating misunderstanding, cultural traditions, opposition and suffering, while remaining clear about his calling to be a witness for Christ. Paul willingly joined in a purification ritual proposed by James and the elders to preserve unity among the believers. He understood that the gospel is greater than our traditions. The early church itself was wrestling with an important question: What is essential to our faith in Christ, and what belon

Last Saturday, after another busy week of global upheavals with many “things” competing for our attention, Lycia brought us back to what Jesus calls "the one necessary thing" (Luke 10:42). Amid life's busyness, she reminded us that the one thing is not another item to add to our to-do list, it is simply being present with God. Mary's life reflects this beautifully. Whether she was listening at Jesus' feet (Luke 10), grieving before Him after Lazarus' death (John 11), or pouri

It was another wonderful Saturday Home Fellowship with joyful conversations and delicious food. The Chinese Home Fellowship was blessed to have Ps Ben join us as we read Acts 20 and 21. Acts 20 records the ending of Paul’s third missionary journey. As he made his way to Jerusalem, Paul knew that this would likely be his final meeting with the Ephesians elders. His farewell to the elders was deeply personal and emotional. As Paul shares about his ministry, we see the heart of

During our young adults’ discussion on Acts 18 – 19:22, we were reminded of how relevant the early church’s experiences remain today. As we followed the story of Paul’s continued missionary journey to Corinth and Ephesus, two key cities in the Roman empire, it became clear that the gospel did not flourish in these places because the cities were receptive, but because God was at work even in the midst of cultures marked by pagan idolatry, sexual immorality, and occultism. Inde

We started our session (facilitated by Ps Angela) with a moment of silence to invite the Holy spirit into our presence. It prepared our hearts to receive His Word. This week we read Acts 18, continuing Paul's missionary journey. Paul arrives in Corinth and meets Aquila and Priscilla, fellow tentmakers. Christian tentmaking is an impactful approach to ministry, where believers engage in secular employment while actively participating in evangelism and discipleship. We truly ap

Last week was a special one for Talent Beacon as we celebrated our 9th anniversary, and for the first time (for me at least!), the story behind our church name was revealed. Ps Ben opened his sermon with a story of where the inspiration for our name came from. It all started at Amber Beacon, East Coast Park, where Ps Ben baptised a friend on 16 April 2017. Teaching from Matthew 25:14-30, the Parable of the Talents, Ps Ben shared our church's belief that God has given each of

Through our study of the Book of Acts, Peter, Paul and the other disciples continuously wrestle with a question that we still ask today: “How can we effectively grow and nurture the Church?” The study of Acts seems to suggest that growing the church is simpler than we think. When we let God move, there is nothing that He and the Holy Spirit cannot do. The death of Stephen in Acts 7 fragmented the believers; his martyrdom led to the persecution of the church in Jerusalem and

Going on this trip, I kept my expectations open, as the itinerary was curated to engage our youths and young adults. What unfolded over the next few days was a beautiful testament to a living and active faith. Vibrant and Soulful Worship The spiritual atmosphere in Pontianak has such vitality and I witnessed a vibrant, energy-packed, and deeply soulful approach to prayer, praise, and worship. The youths did not just participate; they poured their hearts out to God. This passi

Last Saturday, we explored a powerful passage from the apostles’ journey where Paul and Barnabas experienced disagreement, God redirected Paul’s plans, and Paul and Silas worshipped in prison. The session was rich not just in teaching, but in the testimonies we shared: real stories of how God worked through conflict, closed doors, and even suffering in our lives. Key Teaching Points & Our Testimonies 1. Conflict – Dealing with Disagreement with Grace Our passage begins

Last Saturday, RT1 studied Acts 15:1-35. This passage recounts a pivotal incident that brought Jews and Gentiles together, abolishing the need for circumcision and following the law of Moses as prerequisites to salvation. Through belief in the sacrifice and lordship of Jesus, all have access to salvation. We discussed what were the red flags to discern wrong teaching, and also what good teaching/teachers looked like. Even today, we are bombarded with wrong teaching packaged i

As I reflected on Acts 15:1–35, I was struck by how relevant this passage remains for the church today. The early believers were facing a difficult and potentially divisive issue: must Gentile believers follow Jewish customs in order to be saved? What impressed me was not just the decision they eventually reached, but the process they went through to get there. Acts 15 shows us that the journey of discernment begins with honest conversation (Acts 15:1–5), grows through humili

Last night, the young adults discussed Acts 11:19-30 as well as Acts 12. Acts 11:19-30 spotlights the Antioch church, which was born through the scattering of the believers when Stephen was martyred. It was in Antioch that the church was called 'Christians'. Interestingly, this label was meant to be derogatory. It was meant to describe a people who appeared strange in their excessive devotion to the person of Jesus Christ. The name 'Christians' translated to something like 't

On Tuesday, our weekly Love Letters was held onsite at YMCA. We are still reading about the King of Israel but last week, we took a detour to look at prophet Hosea, prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during its final decades of decline. Hosea had a unique and painful mission. He was commanded by God to marry an unfaithful woman, who symbolised Israel’s spiritual adultery and abandonment of God. But Hosea’s story is also one of God’s divine love, grace and mercy - despi

It was a meaningful Labour Day long weekend! Instead of lazing at home or taking a weekend get-away, I attended a Healing workshop with 15 others from TB. There's something beautifully ironic about spending a day meant for rest from physical labour by diving deeper into spiritual work. Perhaps this is part of experiencing the Sabbath rest that is spoken about in Hebrews 4. Through the workshop, we were reminded of God’s heart for his children – to see us physically, emotional

God, who met Saul on the road to Damascus, is still writing conversion stories today—He is still redirecting, orchestrating and rescuing. God Chooses the Right Person Saul was, by every human measure, the wrong man for the assignment. He was breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples (Acts 9:1). He carried letters of arrest in his hand. He had stood approving the stoning of Stephen. He was a strict Pharisee—zealous, hard-edged, certain he was serving God whi

We started our Saturday session last week with a time of fellowship over delicious food and an amazing time of worship. We then read Acts 8. In Acts 8:14-17, Peter and John laid hands on the believers and prayed for them. The believers then received the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Simon the Sorcerer tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit can’t be bought. The infilling of the Holy Spirit can be felt. During our mission trip to Surabaya, I saw h

From Darkness to Light This week we reflected on Luke 24:13-35, the journey from discouragement to renewed hope. Just like the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus, there are moments where we may feel lost, uncertain or weighed down by what we do not understand. Yet even in those moments, God is walking with us quietly, patiently and faithfully. Pastor Ben shared how in many ways, it mirrors our own journey. Fear, disappointment and misaligned expectations led the disciples to

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in empowering believers. Peter and John exemplify the courage that came from faith after the Holy Spirit fell on them. The early Christian community is described as being of one heart and soul, sharing everything they had. Their fellowship and generous sharing with one another reflects the communal life of the early church. Pastor Angela shared a testimony of how she faithfully planted seeds of salvation with a New Zealander, Aunty B, and

The account of the early church reveals what it truly means to live a life led by the Holy Spirit - one marked by compassion, discernment, and boldness. The scene that stands out is the encounter between Peter and John and a lame man who sat daily at the temple gate. He had likely seen Peter and John many times before and may even have asked them for help. But this moment was different. When he reached out for money, Peter and John stopped and gave him their full attention, s

What a tremendous opening salvo! A mighty torrent of wind, tongues of fire… But before this, the believers were “all with one accord in one place” to welcome the Holy Spirit. A shared purpose, a unified heart, a community coming together in one place. A timely reminder to us as we gather together to worship our Lord and Saviour. And indeed every word found in the Bible is significant. Fire symbolises purification, divine presence and spiritual intensity (as Moses encountered