Our History
1955-1970
Founding of Newton Life Church
Newton Life Church began in 1955 as an offshoot of Tekka Life Church to address space needs, with land acquired at Newton Road. The first service was held in Teochew, later expanding to Mandarin and English. The English service, started in 1956, became an independent church in 1970 before resuming at Newton in 2004. Originally Presbyterian, the church became independent in 1965 and was renamed Newton Life Church in 1966. Governance began with the election of elders and deacons in 1956. Key early leaders included Rev David T. S. Yang, the first Moderator Pastor, and Rev Qiu Shao Hua, a pioneer in prison ministry who served as volunteer pastor until 1982. Their leadership helped shape the church’s early identity and mission.
1971–2004
Rooting & Establishing
From 1971 to 2004, Newton Life Church deepened its spiritual roots and expanded its ministries and infrastructure.
Pastoral Leadership
Rev Li En Xin focused on discipleship, prayer, and evangelism, growing the church significantly and raising future pastors. Rev Yu Chun Yuen strengthened spiritual foundations through Bible classes and worship. Rev Choo Yee Kee, who has served faithfully since 1984, led elderly ministries, pastoral care, and Teochew outreach, later becoming Coordinating and Chinese Lead Pastor. Pastor Cheng Sim Heng served devotedly, especially among sisters and small groups, until her passing in 2013.
Ministry Growth
The church established nine key ministries and six fellowships, focusing on discipleship, care, and spiritual maturity. Regular visitations and Gospel Sundays fostered community and outreach.
Infrastructure Development
The Main Sanctuary (completed in 1991) and the Annex Building (dedicated in 2004) were major milestones, providing space for worship, education, and pastoral housing.
Through faithful service and God’s grace, the church was firmly rooted and built up for future growth. All glory to God!
2005-2010
Purpose Driven Life
From 2005 to 2010, Newton Life Church entered its “Purpose Driven Life” phase. Amid pastoral transition, Rev Dr Abraham Lee was appointed senior pastor in 2006. Under his leadership, the church embraced Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven model, launching the 40 Days of Purpose and introducing the 5M structure—Membership, Magnification, Maturity, Ministry, and Mission. A leadership team attended training in the US, and church-wide discipleship courses (101–401) were established. The 2005 Golden Jubilee marked the journey’s climax, with 50 baptisms and 700 attendees. In 2007, the “Reach One More for Jesus” evangelistic campaign encouraged every believer to lead one to Christ. While fruitful in outreach, challenges emerged. In 2010, Rev Dr Abraham Lee resigned and returned to the US. This season, marked by bold initiatives and hard lessons, shaped the church’s future direction.
2011-2019
Path of Righteousness
In 2011, Rev Choo Yee Kee was appointed Coordinating Pastor to provide guidance and stability. The theme “Be Right” (Romans 5:1) emphasized spiritual growth through a sermon series on Romans and Sunday School teaching. The church celebrated its 56th anniversary and hosted Christmas outreach programs.
In 2012, the church adopted a new vision: “To glorify God by making disciples of Christ.” A five-year plan was launched to focus on evangelism, equipping, and sending. Leadership training began, including a Counseling Seminar and Bible Conference, alongside an increase in the Mission Fund and new deacon appointments.
2013 emphasised disciple-making with leadership courses like “The Walk” and “Kairos.” The church mourned the passing of Pastor Cheng Sim Heng and held a retreat in Kuching.
2014 adopted the theme “A Man After God’s Heart” and trained leaders for deeper discipleship. Major renovations began in preparation for the 60th anniversary whereas in 2015, the church embarked on a “Christ-Centred Journey,” continuing its discipleship and outreach efforts.
2016 and 2017 built on this with the themes “Christ-Centred Gospel-Driven Journey” and “Discipleship Journey.” A church retreat, overseas pastoral learning, leadership restructuring, and mentorship from Rev Joshua Ting shaped the church’s direction. Three new pastors were appointed.
2018 focused on “Living Discipleship – In Christ, By the Spirit, For the Gospel.” Pastor Vincent Lim was ordained, and the church celebrated its 63rd anniversary and Christmas with vibrant worship while 2019’s emphasis was “Be Blessed by Christ – Go Bless for Christ.” New elders and deacons were elected, but the year concluded with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing significant changes to church life.
2020
onwards
The Discipleship Era
From 2020 onwards, Newton Life Church entered its fifth spiritual milestone: the Discipleship Period. Under the mentorship of Rev Joshua Ting—who became our pastoral mentor during this time—we were led to clarify our church’s core values: Faith, Life and Mission.
In 2020, our theme was “Listen to the God of Love, Listen to Others with Love”(Mark 12:29–31), which guided us through the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Despite severe disruptions, God realigned our journey, leading us to adapt and thrive. Online platforms became vital as Sunday Services, small groups, and classes moved online. On 29 March 2020, we held our first online service, transforming homes into places of worship. In 2021, we renewed our vision:
Building generations of a Christ-like family. Faith is realised through Life empowered by the Mission.
Ministry resumed physically in 2022 with the theme “Experiencing God’s Presence”, followed in 2023 by “Serving God with a Servant’s Heart”. In 2024, we embraced “Shaping the Next Generation”. Through these years, God faithfully shaped our church into a disciple-making family church, rooted in Faith, expressed in Life, and committed to Mission.
An Abridged History
70th
Years of faith,
history and legacy
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