For Tan Wei San Christianity was boring. “I didn’t have a healthy Christian community nor anybody to hold me accountable. Soon enough the “Christian life” got “boring” and I was surrounded by people who openly celebrated and indulged in sin…Thank God, through pastor Jerome and the rest of the youth leaders their teaching stood out and broke me out of my self-centeredness to truly see God’s righteousness”.She was one of nine youths baptised on 25th March 2026 — each transformed from nominal faith, and saved by God to serve the Church. Tan Wei San had taken two years of preaching and conversations with her friends to realize her sin, some took even longer, but all of them came to Christ only by God’s grace alone.
Elder Robin put it plainly during the baptism ceremony: their place in the church was not inherited — it is given. As John 1:13 puts it, they are children “not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
Elder Robin Gan reminded the congregation of their privilege of being Christian and called those about to be baptised to fight bravely under the banner of Christ.
Religious, but Still Living for Themselves
Despite growing up in religious environments, these youths had often not read the Bible deeply for themselves.Belle Joseph Cheng, who attended Sunday School from a young age, admitted that her initial engagement with Christianity was more about social belonging and achievement than genuine belief. “I loved being the first to finish memory verses,” she said, “but not because I loved God.”
However, through reading the Bible together with CERC’s youth group, she began to understand her helpless state before God. “Without God’s grace, I would be a completely depraved and helpless individual, physically alive, but dead in sin. I came to see how sinful I am by nature and the weight of sin, that to be declared righteous before God is only through Christ’s death on the cross… I would never have chosen to worship God”
Nicki Gan also admitted that he took God to simply be a divine genie. “Before knowing Christ, my life was focused on myself rather than on God. I treated God as someone who existed to serve me, expecting Him to bless me…but instead now as the holy and merciful Creator who is worthy of all my worship.”
The Turning Point: God Confronts Idolatry
Their journeys began to shift when they encountered deeper teachings of the Bible, often through youth groups, Christian fellowships, or reading Scripture with someone.
For many, this moment was not comforting—it was confronting.
Nicki described how Taylor’s Christian Fellowship and the study of Biblical Theology were instrumental in her conversion following a breakup.
“By God’s grace, my relationship came to a devastating end, which forced me to reflect on who I really was… I saw how utterly undeserving I am to approach a holy God. But God, being merciful, brought me back to Christian Fellowship, where I learned Biblical Theology and how He has been consistently sovereign over all things.”
Likewise, Sharon Wong, who battled depression and isolation, recalled how the message of Christianity challenged her search for identity in relationships and external validation.
Others spoke about grappling with God’s nature and His right to rule over their lives.
“I couldn’t accept things like God’s wrath or that I am sinful by nature,” Belle shared. “But over time, I realized I couldn’t deny what Scripture revealed.”
Tan Yan Shin described how he had to wrestle with the challenging topic of God’s love, and submit to God in his theological thinking. .
“I remember arguing about how one could say God’s love is the greatest, when someone can die and burn in hell forever without even being given a chance at all. As I stayed longer, learned more about sin, myself, and His Word… things became apparent: God is much more glorious than I could ever imagine, and I am much worse, small, and insignificant than I ever thought.”
A Call To Take God’s Church Seriously
What followed was not simply a change in belief, but a transformation in priorities.
Jonathan Tan shared how he went from solely caring about spiritual blessings to actively building up others in church.
Baptism candidates from the Taylor’s Growth Group enjoying their new life in Christ, following their public declaration.
“Taking church seriously means I no longer see it as a place I go on Sundays, but as God’s design for my spiritual growth and sanctification… It’s where I’m taught, corrected, encouraged, and built up together with my brothers and sisters.”
Kaviashvini shared that her life is no longer centered on herself, but on loving others.
“Since becoming Christian, my heart and priorities have changed. I am learning to love others the way Jesus teaches—loving everyone regardless of circumstances. I have also learned to forgive people instead of holding on to pain or resentment.”
Jonathan put it simply when asked to conclude what Christianity meant to him.
“To say I am Christian means putting to death my old self and putting on my new self, having a renewed mind by the Spirit and living as a new creation in Christ. No longer chasing after my own selfish desires, but pursuing a life of worship and obedience to God.”
Tan Wei San (middle) and her mother celebrating her new life in Christ accompanied by Colin Loh (right) – a youth leader who ministered to her throughout her time in CERC.
