An online seminar was conducted in Singapore, sharing the theoretical foundations and success stories of micro churches.
Held from August 1 to 3, the seminar was co-organized by the Enarche Institute and the Bible Society of Singapore Sower Institute. The event centered on discussing the micro church movement as a new global trend in church development in recent years.
The seminar featured three discussions, led by Rev. Dr. Kenneth Goh and Rev. Michael Hsu J.D., pioneers and experts in the micro church model within Chinese churches, along with Rev. John Liu.
Rev. Dr. Kenneth Goh, the keynote speaker for the first and second nights of the seminar who is a lecturer at the Bible Society of Singapore Sower Institute, a Ph.D. graduate from Trinity Western University in Canada, and holds a Master’s degree in Education from the Australian National University. He shared insights on the history of micro church development, key figures, theological foundations, definitions, purposes, four major misunderstandings and concerns faced by micro churches, and his personal responses.
Kenneth, also the senior pastor of Cornerstone Evangelical Baptist Church in Singapore and an educator focused on emotional leadership development, converted to Christianity in a medium-sized Anglican church. With 20 years of experience serving in medium-sized churches, he served in medium-to-large Baptist churches during his theological studies and has primarily served in small churches for the past 20 years, frequently addressing the survival issues of small churches.
Before his presentation, Dr. Kenneth Goh provided a set of recent data, including statistics from 15 regions—showing that nearly 45% of churches worldwide have fewer than 50 members. This data underscores the need to focus on and support small churches. "The theological foundation of the micro church movement reflects a rethinking of traditional church models and a reinterpretation of the New Testament church model. This theology emphasizes the organic nature, relationality, and mission of the church, as well as the value and participation of each believer. Despite challenges and potential issues, the theological thinking of the micro church movement offers valuable insights for rethinking the essence and mission of the church. The future challenge lies in how to combine these insights with the wisdom of traditional churches to create a more healthy and effective church model," Dr. Kenneth Goh said.
He noted that the topics addressed by micro churches have been trending topics, posing questions to church planters: "Is your church prepared to respond to the issues explored by micro churches? Are your church and leadership ready?"
He also mentioned that his greatest takeaway from studying micro churches is helping the churches he leads grasp the essence of the church, something needed by both large and small churches.
In conclusion, Dr. Goh emphasized that in micro churches, people are the most critical element, as their work revolves around people. "Micro churches must address relationships between a believer and God, the family, work, and community. So, it's not about making the micro church highly sophisticated or professional, but rather about how to practice faith in these four areas."
On August 3, Rev. Michael Hsu J.D., a lecturer at the Bible Society of Singapore Sower Institute and director of 3Q Leadership Academy, shared 11 practical applications of the micro church model and success stories, as well as how to establish a supervisory mechanism to help grassroots pastors with limited resources implement the micro church model.
Rev. Michael Hsu specializes in bi-vocational ministry and workplace mission strategies, church multiplication strategies, and Business as Ministry (BAM). With 30 years of experience as a bi-vocational pastor and lawyer (retired), he now focuses on developing cutting-edge strategies for workplace discipleship and mission.
Rev. Michael Hsu listed 11 application methods: overseas mission church planting, local low-cost church planting, dual-track development of traditional and non-traditional (no walls) churches, apostolic hubs and house churches, natural transition from small groups to functional micro churches, discipleship training platforms, ministries to reach millennials and Gen Z, community-based churches, low-pressure church models for exhausted pastors, entrepreneurial church planting, and new expressions of church. He also shared several success stories, with emphasis on the importance of a supervisory mechanism and collaborative efforts, stating, "Micro churches definitely cannot operate alone because the lack of accountability is very dangerous."
(Originally published by the Christian Times, the article has been edited under permission.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
“微型会众线上研讨会”于新加坡举行，分享微型教会的理论基础和成功案例。
8月1日至3日，此次研讨会是由新加坡的道渊学社和新加坡圣经公会的道耕门徒培训学院共同主办；就“微型教会”作为近年来全球新的一种教会发展趋势展开讨论。
研讨会共设有三次的讨论，由华人教会在微型教会模式这方面的研究先驱和专家吴子平博士和徐立平博士作为主讲人，与刘荣神牧师一同就话题进行对谈。
第一晚和第二晚的主讲人都是吴子平博士，新加披圣经公会道耕门徒培训学院（华文系）讲师，加拿大西三一大学博士，澳洲大学教育学硕士。他分享了微型教会的发展历史、代表人物和神学基础、定义和目的、微型教会面临的四大误解和担忧以及他个人的两点回应。
吴子平博士也是新加坡区基石教会主任牧师，是一位专注于情绪领导力发展的教育工作者。他有20年事奉中型教会的经历，他在圣公会背景的中型教会信主且被培养；读神学期间进入了浸信会中大型教会且在其中进行服事，在之后的20年时间里主要服事小型教会并经常关注小型教会的生存问题。
最开始分享前，吴博士提供了一组由官方统计的、包括15个地区的近期数据——全球近45%的教会少于50人。这个数据让我们不得不关注和支援小型教会。“微型教会运动的神学基础反映了对传统教会模式的反思和对新约教会模式的重新诠释;这种神学思想强调教会的有机性、关系性、使命性，也重视每个信徒的价值和参与。尽管面临挑战和潜在的问题……，微型教会运动的神学思想为我们重新思考教会的本质和使命提供了有价值的见解;未来的挑战在于如何将这些见解与传统教会的智慧结合，创造出更加平衡和有效的教会模式。”吴博士说。
他表示，微型教会要回应的话题在整个社会趋势中已经发生了，同时他也向植堂者提出了这样的问题：“你的教会能够回应微型教会探讨的话题吗？你的教会和领导方式都预备好了吗？”
他也说到自己研究微型教会最大的收获是帮助他所带领的几间教会回到教会的本质里面，而这是无论大教会还是小教会都需要的。
他在最后总结说，在微型教会中“人”是最关键的，因为我们做的是关于人的工作。“微型教会同时要照顾到四方面，包括全人与上帝、全人与家庭、全人与工作、全人与社群;所以不需要把微型教会做得非常高级、专业，而是如何在这四方面实践信仰。”
8月3日，徐立平博士，新加坡圣经公会道耕门徒培训学院的华文系讲师和3Q领导力学院院长；从具体操作的层面分享了微型教会的11种应用方法和这些方法中的成功案例，以及如何建立监督机制；以帮助资源有限的基层教会的牧者如何把微型教会的模式落地。
徐博士的专长是双职事奉及职场宣教策略，教会倍增策略，使命营商（Business as Ministry）。他有着30年双职牧师/律师（已退休）经历，现在专门研发职场门训及宣教的尖端策略。
关于11种应用方法，徐博士列出：海外宣教植堂、本地低成本植堂、传统会堂和无墙式教会多堂点双轨发展、使徒中心和家庭教会（hubs & houses）；从小组到功能性微型教会的自然过渡、门徒塑造门徒实务训练平台、千禧世代和Z时代的年轻人；利用群体的教会、精疲力尽的牧师牧养的低压力教会模式、创业植堂（Entrepreneurial Church Planting）和教会的新表现（New expressions），并分享了其中的多个成功案例。他尤其提到了不可忽略监督机制和共同协作。他特别强调：“微型教会肯定不能够单打独斗，因为没有问责机制很危险。”
微型会众线上研讨会举行 华人教会二位专家分享理论基础与成功案例
An online seminar was conducted in Singapore, sharing the theoretical foundations and success stories of micro churches.
Held from August 1 to 3, the seminar was co-organized by the Enarche Institute and the Bible Society of Singapore Sower Institute. The event centered on discussing the micro church movement as a new global trend in church development in recent years.
The seminar featured three discussions, led by Rev. Dr. Kenneth Goh and Rev. Michael Hsu J.D., pioneers and experts in the micro church model within Chinese churches, along with Rev. John Liu.
Rev. Dr. Kenneth Goh, the keynote speaker for the first and second nights of the seminar who is a lecturer at the Bible Society of Singapore Sower Institute, a Ph.D. graduate from Trinity Western University in Canada, and holds a Master’s degree in Education from the Australian National University. He shared insights on the history of micro church development, key figures, theological foundations, definitions, purposes, four major misunderstandings and concerns faced by micro churches, and his personal responses.
Kenneth, also the senior pastor of Cornerstone Evangelical Baptist Church in Singapore and an educator focused on emotional leadership development, converted to Christianity in a medium-sized Anglican church. With 20 years of experience serving in medium-sized churches, he served in medium-to-large Baptist churches during his theological studies and has primarily served in small churches for the past 20 years, frequently addressing the survival issues of small churches.
Before his presentation, Dr. Kenneth Goh provided a set of recent data, including statistics from 15 regions—showing that nearly 45% of churches worldwide have fewer than 50 members. This data underscores the need to focus on and support small churches. "The theological foundation of the micro church movement reflects a rethinking of traditional church models and a reinterpretation of the New Testament church model. This theology emphasizes the organic nature, relationality, and mission of the church, as well as the value and participation of each believer. Despite challenges and potential issues, the theological thinking of the micro church movement offers valuable insights for rethinking the essence and mission of the church. The future challenge lies in how to combine these insights with the wisdom of traditional churches to create a more healthy and effective church model," Dr. Kenneth Goh said.
He noted that the topics addressed by micro churches have been trending topics, posing questions to church planters: "Is your church prepared to respond to the issues explored by micro churches? Are your church and leadership ready?"
He also mentioned that his greatest takeaway from studying micro churches is helping the churches he leads grasp the essence of the church, something needed by both large and small churches.
In conclusion, Dr. Goh emphasized that in micro churches, people are the most critical element, as their work revolves around people. "Micro churches must address relationships between a believer and God, the family, work, and community. So, it's not about making the micro church highly sophisticated or professional, but rather about how to practice faith in these four areas."
On August 3, Rev. Michael Hsu J.D., a lecturer at the Bible Society of Singapore Sower Institute and director of 3Q Leadership Academy, shared 11 practical applications of the micro church model and success stories, as well as how to establish a supervisory mechanism to help grassroots pastors with limited resources implement the micro church model.
Rev. Michael Hsu specializes in bi-vocational ministry and workplace mission strategies, church multiplication strategies, and Business as Ministry (BAM). With 30 years of experience as a bi-vocational pastor and lawyer (retired), he now focuses on developing cutting-edge strategies for workplace discipleship and mission.
Rev. Michael Hsu listed 11 application methods: overseas mission church planting, local low-cost church planting, dual-track development of traditional and non-traditional (no walls) churches, apostolic hubs and house churches, natural transition from small groups to functional micro churches, discipleship training platforms, ministries to reach millennials and Gen Z, community-based churches, low-pressure church models for exhausted pastors, entrepreneurial church planting, and new expressions of church. He also shared several success stories, with emphasis on the importance of a supervisory mechanism and collaborative efforts, stating, "Micro churches definitely cannot operate alone because the lack of accountability is very dangerous."
(Originally published by the Christian Times, the article has been edited under permission.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Experts From Singapore Chinese Churches Speak on the Micro Church Movement
