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Churches for expats

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Brah
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Re: Churches for expats

Post by Brah » Sat, 20 Jun 2015 10:37 pm

Don't know, don't live there, but probably more of a neighborhood thing, and probably people down there live in different neighborhoods and go to their neighborhood churches.

It's similar to where I'm from but we don't have that kind of racism.
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Re: Churches for expats

Post by JR8 » Sun, 21 Jun 2015 5:20 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote:The key words here were "Singaporean can" Not 'Singaporean does' or 'Singaporean will' or ' Singaporean speaks'. :)
I also did not indicate that the British English would be with "received pronunciation" but rather with the local accent. ;-)
It's not only the accent, it's the thought processes that go on behind the words. i.e. Does the speaker conceptualise something, and is able to express it in intelligible English, in terms that [say] a westerner can directly relate to. Or do they express it via a local frame of reference. Or more tricky, cut and dice it with local dialects and 'slang'. One would have thought there must be an element of 'code switching' depending upon the audience.
I know several SGns who speak good English, and I know just one who I would consider speaks 'RP'. RP is not only the accent (the Queen being the epitome), but clearly and concisely and correctly making one's point. My SGn-Indian neighbours back home in London speak uber-RP as well, very unexpected, in that they are without doubt the 'poshest' people I will hear speak in any given year [all a bit :o /8-[ ]
rajagainstthemachine wrote:I can't understand why there should be a separate black and white church in this day and age. I suppose this is exactly what you get when you start segregation based on language, ethnicity, race or even singlish.
Religion is about money and power. Divide and conquer [to get the spoils].
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Re: RE: Re: Churches for expats

Post by ecureilx » Sun, 21 Jun 2015 6:25 am

JR8 wrote: Religion is about money and power. Divide and conquer [to get the spoils].
Or in marketing speak, Identify a Market Segment to Penetrate and Win.

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Re: Churches for expats

Post by the lynx » Mon, 22 Jun 2015 10:00 am

I tend to agree with this one. It is more like a neighbourhood-based congregation. Singapore is where this line gets blurred a little because it is so small, we have people who are willing to travel from, say, Bukit Panjang to Suntec for Sunday service.

But if it were to be me, I'd rather go somewhere close enough. Weekend mornings are already hard enough to wake up to, let alone a long commute.

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Re: Churches for expats

Post by rajagainstthemachine » Thu, 02 Jul 2015 7:09 am

To get there early is on time and showing up on time is late

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Re: Churches for expats

Post by firetown » Tue, 17 Jan 2017 5:59 pm

Check out the website: www.graceaog.org
... I did.
They charge 19 Dollars for Bible study?
Is that the norm amongst churches in Singapore? I am not there yet, but one of us is a Christian and trying to find a good community for her. This seems pretty silly and it could be a much better approach to ask for donations instead, don't you think?

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Re: Churches for expats

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Tue, 17 Jan 2017 6:03 pm

The prosperity gospel is big over here.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Re: Churches for expats

Post by firetown » Tue, 17 Jan 2017 6:33 pm

ic
guess there are a lot of costs to cover.
but still ... surprised to read this

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Re: RE: Re: Churches for expats

Post by ecureilx » Wed, 18 Jan 2017 10:01 am

firetown wrote:ic
guess there are a lot of costs to cover.
but still ... surprised to read this
Not so surprising when you learn of churches that ask you to submit your pay slip to work out the contribution :)

after all, holding mega services costs mega bucks, and costs of maintaining huge properties cost money.

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Re: Churches for expats

Post by Strong Eagle » Wed, 18 Jan 2017 11:23 am

firetown wrote:ic
guess there are a lot of costs to cover.
but still ... surprised to read this
Maybe something else exists in Singapore... I never found it... hard line, doctrinaire churches, anti-gay, anti-progressive, anti-woman... you're going to burn in hell, you bastard, if you don't toe the line.

Bangkok had several much more liberal churches. If you're into the idea that heaven is not a place that you try to get to, but rather a place that you live from, you'll probably be sorely disappointed in Singapore churches.

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Re: Churches for expats

Post by Addadude » Wed, 18 Jan 2017 1:59 pm

firetown wrote:ic
guess there are a lot of costs to cover.
but still ... surprised to read this
Check out any of Singapore's Anglican or Methodist churches.

http://www.anglican.org.sg/ http://www.methodist.org.sg/

They all have Bible study or small groups and there is no nonsense about fees. In fact many of these churches are currently embarking on the Alpha program which is all about educating people about the basis of Christian faith.
"Both politicians and nappies need to be changed regularly, and for the same reasons."

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Re: Churches for expats

Post by ecureilx » Wed, 18 Jan 2017 2:10 pm

Addadude wrote:
firetown wrote:ic
guess there are a lot of costs to cover.
but still ... surprised to read this
Check out any of Singapore's Anglican or Methodist churches.

http://www.anglican.org.sg/ http://www.methodist.org.sg/

They all have Bible study or small groups and there is no nonsense about fees. In fact many of these churches are currently embarking on the Alpha program which is all about educating people about the basis of Christian faith.
With the spread of Prosperity Churches, the traditional churches are becoming more attractive for those who 'lost their path .. 'in the Prosperity churches.

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Re: Churches for expats

Post by firetown » Wed, 18 Jan 2017 4:55 pm

ecureilx wrote:
Addadude wrote:
firetown wrote:ic
guess there are a lot of costs to cover.
but still ... surprised to read this
Check out any of Singapore's Anglican or Methodist churches.

http://www.anglican.org.sg/ http://www.methodist.org.sg/

They all have Bible study or small groups and there is no nonsense about fees. In fact many of these churches are currently embarking on the Alpha program which is all about educating people about the basis of Christian faith.
With the spread of Prosperity Churches, the traditional churches are becoming more attractive for those who 'lost their path .. 'in the Prosperity churches.
She doesn't want traditional. Baptists ok, charismatic ok

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Re: Churches for expats

Post by Addadude » Wed, 18 Jan 2017 5:36 pm

firetown wrote:She doesn't want traditional. Baptists ok, charismatic ok
Then be prepared to pay my friend. Either via "fees" or "tithing". From my experience, all the charismatic churches here are pretty heavy handed on the tithing requirements of their attendees...
"Both politicians and nappies need to be changed regularly, and for the same reasons."

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Re: Churches for expats

Post by PNGMK » Thu, 19 Jan 2017 9:25 am

I suggest International Baptist Church - apart from a normal offering basket going around there is no other discussion about money matters. It's not charismatic however. Note that IBC has abandoned a lot of the hateful, divisive, sexist and racist held doctrines that were promulgated out by the Southern Baptist Convention (IBC is a misson church of the SBC). Furthermore the SBC has also improved their stance to a more progressive and Christ-like doctrine. However if there was an Australia Baptist Church here I would prefer that.
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