The Methodist Church in Singapore elects Rev Philip Lim as new Bishop
Salt&Light // September 3, 2024, 6:11 pm
MCS Bishop-Elect Philip Lim is the Pastor-in-Charge of Kum Yan Methodist Church, as well as the Chairperson of the Board of Ministry at the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC), a connection of 17 Methodist churches in Singapore which reaches out to the Chinese-speaking community. Photo courtesy of the Methodist Church in Singapore.
Rev Philip Lim, 58, has been elected the new Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS).
He will be consecrated on December 6, 2024, taking the role of spiritual leader for more than 45,000 Methodists in 46 churches across Singapore.
“I hope to continue to spur the Church towards the mission that God has called us: To grow in Scriptural holiness.”
Rev Lim was elected Bishop today (September 3) on the seventh ballot at MCS’ 13th General Conference Session, which runs from September 2 to 6 and December 4 to 6 this year. The General Conference is the highest body in MCS, responsible for legislation for the whole Methodist denomination within Singapore.
Rev Lim told Salt&Light: “I hope to continue to spur the Church towards the mission that God has called us: To grow in Scriptural holiness.”
Describing the role of Bishop as “immense”, Rev Lim told The Methodist Message: “All this work cannot be done by one person – we need all the churches to come together. Let us work together, and as the Bible says, let us spur one another on towards love and good deeds.”
Seasoned missionary and pastor to Chinese-speaking congregants
Rev Lim is currently Pastor-in-Charge of Kum Yan Methodist Church. He is also the Chairperson of the Board of Ministry at the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC), a connection of 17 Methodist churches in Singapore which reaches out to the Chinese community, including those who speak Mandarin as well as dialects such as Hokkien, Cantonese, Foochow, Hakka, Teochew and Hinghwa.
He was posted to Cambodia in 2004 as a missionary, where he served for seven years.
He was posted to Cambodia in 2004 as a missionary with the Methodist Missions Society (MMS) where he served for seven years, overseeing the growth of the church as well as community development bodies such as the Methodist School of Cambodia and Community Outreach Services Immanuel.
Rev Lim returned to the MMS home office to serve as Area Director for Cambodia before becoming MMS’ Executive Director from 2012 to 2018. In 2019, he returned to pastoral ministry at CAC.
Rev Lim is married to Lydia Ng and they have an adult daughter, Olivia.
He succeeds Dr Gordon Wong, who is retiring after serving as Bishop for a term of four years. Bishop Dr Wong was elected in 2020, and his term officially ends in December 2024.
“I’ve known the Rev Philip Lim for many years as our missionary to Cambodia,” Dr Wong told Salt&Light. “I’m so happy for the way that God has moved us as one whole body to elect him as Bishop, and I wish him well.”
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