After 33 years of service as members of Wycliffe Singapore, ex-colleagues of William and Michelle Tan as well as leaders from Christ Methodist Church (CMC) gathered for a special event on 13 June 2024. They praised God and remembered the years they served in missions together. It was a special occasion where many recalled events and experiences that the couple had forgotten or been unaware of! They were honoured again on 10 July 2024 when CMC remembered their years of ministry during the 10:30 am service.

William shared some of their story:

Q1. Tell us about yourselves and how you met.

I grew up in CMC from kindergarten onwards. Michelle and I attended the same secondary school and lived in the same kampong in Siglap. One evening, we met at the bus stop, I invited her to my church and, as they say, the rest is history! We got married in CMC and continued to grow in faith. Over the years, we have served in many ways in the church.

We are very ordinary people. I have a mechanical engineering background and Michelle graduated from secretarial school. We have two sons, now grown and married. Jonathan and Kiyoko have 3 children: Kazumi (5), Jinsuke (1) and Keina (1); Nathaniel and Gloria just celebrated their first wedding anniversary. They shared in our missionary journey overseas and we are very proud of them. They came back to Singapore to serve National Service like all Singaporean boys. Both studied at Nanyang Technological University, Jonathan in photography and Nathaniel in Sports Science & Management. Presently, Jonathan works in e-commerce and Nathaniel teaches physical education.

Q2. Why go into missions? Why join Wycliffe?

We heard God’s call to serve in full-time missions in different ways. As I taught about Paul’s missionary journeys in my Sunday School class, I was convicted that I should go. For Michelle, while she was looking after our firstborn, Jonathan, sitting at the Lord’s feet praying and reading His word, she felt the Lord’s call to full-time ministry.

Several people made an impact on us. Among them: Katherine Tan was the first member of CMC who joined Wycliffe to serve in the Philippines. I remember attending the prayer meetings in the old office at Peace Centre, upholding the work of missionaries in the field.

Then there were Roy and Janet Gwyther-Jones from Australia who served as the Wycliffe Singapore Office Director. They stayed with us for a short period before they rented my parents’ flat. During this time, we had numerous opportunities to interact and hear their missionary stories from their time in Papua New Guinea. They shared about bringing up children in the field, and how God met their needs. We sensed God working in our hearts, calling us to the work of Bible translation, to bring God’s Word to a people group in a language that they could understand.  

Q3. How did you serve overseas?

Our time overseas was in a single country, but we stayed in three cities in different provinces! We had different roles over the years: ranging from language students to foreign experts to running a consultancy business. 

We can divide our time overseas into three stages. There was the INVESTMENT stage where we spent time learning the language. I also had opportunities to write a thesis and make presentations at language conferences.

The middle and longest stage, we call the SERVING stage. As our organisation’s presence in the country was increasing to meet the needs of the huge task ahead, we were asked to become administrators – to care for the growing team and oversee the work. Over the years, we took on many roles: personnel, member-care, prayer, Director for Support Affairs, Director (overall), Director for External Affairs, etc. Even though this meant giving up on the dream of doing bible translation, we were encouraged by the words of the then missions pastor in our home church, that we were still serving the Lord and that they would continue to support us.

When our children were younger, Michelle took care of the family while I was involved with much travelling to visit members and develop further work in the country. While I was on the road, she started a prayer ministry where missionaries (ladies) from different agencies and countries met weekly to intercede for the country and other needs. Later on, when the boys were older, Michelle also took on a teaching role in different parts of the country while I stayed home with the boys, and sometimes we left the boys with our helper while both of us travelled together to different churches and training schools.

The last stage, EQUIPPING, was spending time networking with local church leaders to encourage local churches to participate in and support the work in more disadvantaged parts of the country.

Altogether, our time overseas was the most rewarding period of our lives as we were privileged to witness the growth and development of the nation as well as the local church.

On the family front, our older son, Jonathan, studied in a local school till 8th grade, and both boys completed their secondary education in an international school before returning to Singapore for their National Service.

Q4. What roles did you fill after returning to Singapore?

We returned to Singapore at the end of 2019 just before COVID broke out and our world changed. Thanks to the Wycliffe Singapore leadership, we were plugged into the work and ministry in Singapore. My first role was to oversee the renovating of the newly purchased Wycliffe office in Tai Seng. Another aspect of my work was to engage Singapore churches to be involved in the ministry of Bible translation in Asia and beyond. Michelle was involved in the prayer and member care ministries. After all those years away, we were blessed to have this community to serve and, in turn, be a blessing. We were also privileged to coordinate two short mission trips to the country we had served in during our church’s missions month. We were happy to help them understand the work situation there and also for them to teach some English and share the Word of God.

Then CMC requested that I serve as ministry staff in church. Those two-and-a half years gave me insight into the operations of the local church. Adjusting to serving in a church was a challenge, but it was also a joy to serve members I knew personally, visiting the home-bound and those in hospital, hearing about their struggles and pain, and journeying with them. I coordinated some short missions trips so that they could be involved and grow in their understanding of overseas missions. I also assisted with coordinating the Chinese and dialect ministries. Michelle continued to serve with Wycliffe while also being involved in the seniors’ ministry in church as well as serving on the worship team and sharing the Word/testimony in the Chinese services. 

Q5. What plans do you have for the future?

Although we have retired from service in Wycliffe and church, we still feel God calling us to further ministry! We made a two-week scouting trip to Tokyo recently and made contact with a Japanese family we had gotten to know overseas. We also visited a Retreat Center and participated in a homeless ministry. The two weeks opened our eyes to the opportunities available to serve God in Tokyo and engage with life there. We are considering making further trips, possibly for 3 months or so, and possibly in more rural parts of Japan where the needs are. At the moment, we are attending Japanese language classes in Singapore and occasionally attending a Japanese church and exploring service opportunities with networks like Love Singapore, other mission agencies and personal friends serving in Japan.

Q6. What are a few lessons you have learnt from your years of serving God?

• Our God is faithful. He provided for our family’s needs each step of the way. 

• God can use anyone. What is required is the willingness to grow and change in the way that is needed for that particular time, and the courage and tenacity to stick to the task till God says you may move on.

• To fear, honour and obey God is the beginning of wisdom. This fear of God in our household helped us overcome temptations and make decisions throughout our journey.

• We should maintain good relationships with both the church and the mission agency through constant communication and interaction. There is a difference in emphasis and working styles, but both relationships are important.

• God gave the missions mandate to the church, and the mission agency is to support the church in this endeavour. We are so thankful to have had opportunities to engage local churches in Singapore and overseas in missions work.

• Prayer is key and we must make time to seek the Lord and to hear HIM well as to timing, who we partner with, the locality and the kind of work that HE may be directing us to do. Trust and obey!

Q7. Do you have advice for those who are considering serving in missions?

• Take care of your spiritual and emotional health. This will enable you to stay longer, serve better, and avoid burnout.

• Have a community wherever you serve for accountability; don’t be a lone ranger.  

• Have hobbies you enjoy doing in the field or wherever you go, e.g., reading, photography, travelling etc. These can serve as stress relief and also a way to form connections with others.

• Be flexible! Man makes plans but the Lord directs our steps! (Proverbs 16:) This has been so true for us as we moved through so many different roles. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape!

Left-right: Family photos from 1992, 2012 and 2024