The New Sanctuary at St Andrew’s Cathedral reverberated with song last night (August 6) as more than 1,000 voices opened Day of His Power (DOHP) 2023 (Mandarin) with <<祢坐着为王>> (You Sit on the Throne). 

This year’s DOHP in Mandarin, the third Chinese edition of the annual prayer unity event, drew more than 1,000 from the Chinese-speaking churches in Singapore – more than double the crowd last year.

Attendance at the third Chinese DOHP this year almost doubled to more than 1,000, compared to last year.

LoveSingapore rolled out the Mandarin DOHP in 2021 to cater to the growing Mandarin-speaking Christian community.

The first Mandarin DOHP was held online in the midst of the Covid pandemic that restricted mass gatherings. More than 13,000 viewers have watched the online DOHP.

Last year, the Mandarin DOHP was hosted by Church of Our Saviour (COOS), attracting more than 500 believers.

Christians came together last night in joyful praise and worship.

“There are more than 2.2 million Singaporeans and PR who can speak and understand Chinese – this is a huge harvest field,” Pastor Chern Hock Chye, Senior Pastor of Renewal Christian Church, told Salt&Light.

“We need more outreach to this field. Many are waiting for the Good News!” 

Many from the Chinese-community are waiting for the Good News, says Pastor Chern Hock Chye.

Last night, pastors from diverse churches united at the Mandarin DOHP to lead prayers at St Andrew’s Cathedral.

The evening opened with welcome remarks from Ps Hock Chye, followed by hymns of praise. Anglican Bishop Low Jee King kicked off with prayers of adoration for God and thanksgiving for Singapore.

Are we a “lukewarm, even regressive church that wouldn’t care about turning Singapore to God?” challenged Ps Jeff Chong.

Pastor Jeff Chong, Senior Pastor of Hope Singapore and Chairman of LoveSingapore, reiterated the three strategic thrusts for this season’s 40.Day period of prayer and fasting: Turning Singapore Godward, Winning the Youths and Blessing the Nations.

Ps Jeff and Ps Hock Chye then launched into prayers with the congregation for Turning Singapore Godward.

“Tonight, we must choose to turn more toward God,” said Ps Jeff.

“Every day from now until Jesus returns, we must keep turning to God – more and more, more and more! Because a lukewarm, even regressive church wouldn’t care about turning Singapore to God,” he said.

On Winning the Youths, Reverend Chris Ho, Associate Vicar of Church of our Saviour (COOS), led the segment in which there was a palpable sense of hope and encouragement. Three next-generation pastors – Ps Angeline Chan of Renewal Christian Church, Ps Nicholas Tei of COOS and Ps Thng Qi Qing of EN Community – took to the stage to encourage all churches to persevere in listening to, leading and loving their children and youths

There was also a notable presence of youths and young adults at this year’s DOHP, with the first few rows in the sanctuary taken up by youth groups.

Youths stand in the gap for their generation.

Pastor Lawrence Khong, Apostolic Overseer, Faith Community Baptist Church, and Founding Chairman of LoveSingapore, concluded the segment with the third strategic thrust: Blessing the Nations.

Pastor Lawrence Khong, the past Chairman of LoveSingapore, said: “Every church must be evangelistic. We are not called to be inward-looking churches, but outward-looking churches. What did Jesus call his disciples to be? Fishers of men! Evangelists!”

The Body of Christ stood in unity for Singapore, the youths and the nations.

Pastor Ian Toh of 3:16 Church said a prayer of blessing for Singapore and thanksgiving for the Government as the nation readies itself to celebrate our 58th National Day on August 9.

The evening wrapped up with the Body of Christ standing in unity to sing the national anthem of Singapore.

DOHP, which climaxes the 40.Day Prayer season, was launched by LoveSingapore, a unity movement of diverse churches across Singapore.

MORE ON DAY OF HIS POWER:

“God will do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine”: Day of His Power to gather Christians nationwide to pray for Singapore

Gathering as One Church at Day Of His Power 2022, the first in-person event since Covid

The Day Of His Power was yesterday, is today, and will be tomorrow