In sermons and lessons, we often hear the term, ‘those working behind the scenes’. And perhaps no one personifies that more than brother Jun Wei. We speak to him on a variety of topics – from what drives him to do so much, to Universal Studios Japan!
Farand:
Hi Jun Wei, for those who might not know you well - could you start by introducing yourself?
Jun Wei:
I am happily married to sis Ser Ern for ~6 years. As majority of the brethren would know, my wife is the full time church administrator. Some may be mistaken, however, that I'm also a full time worker. In fact, I'm an engineer working for the government in the defense industry for the past ~9 years since graduation. I have two younger sisters who are not members of the Lord's church (still working to bring my whole family to Christ one day).
Farand:
The assumption people might have of you being a full time worker is hilarious and so complimentary at the same time. Is that something you get a lot?
How do you balance the ‘2’ jobs?
Jun Wei:
Not a lot, mainly from those who do not know me well, e.g. new converts or transferred members.
I would say it's about setting the right priorities in life. We all have the same 24 hours a day and if we choose to seek God first (Matt 6:33), we will have the time to serve Him and read the Bible.
One of my favourite verses in the bible is Jos 24:15, which is the source of encouragement for me and my wife to do our part in serving God and the church.
Farand:
You and sis Ser Ern definitely exemplify that. Does anything discourage you, or perhaps what motivates you to do so much?
Jun Wei:
If I say I'm not discouraged at all, I would definitely be lying. However, as time passes, I realise there is no need to feel discouraged, as long as we focus on the promises of God, who will reward the faithful. That is the one thing that motivates me - to please God rather than man.
Farand:
Actually, your service in church reminds me of the movie ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’. You are doing a lot and it is very encouraging to see. What areas of service are you responsible for, and which committees are you in?
Jun Wei:
Thanks for the kind compliment. I am just doing my part to share the load. As part of the management committee, I am currently assigned by the elders under the area of Mission Work (we are looking for more church members who are keen to participate in mission work. Feel free to look for me if you want to find out more).
I'm also the Central Homezone IC, Teenager Bible Class IC and assisting in Men to Serve.
Farand:
Wow that’s amazing. Maybe focusing more on the area of mission. Could you share more on what mission work is upcoming, and further plans ahead? As well as what support you need?
How many mission trips have you undergone and how has the experience been like?
Jun Wei:
This year, we have planned for 2 mission trips each to Can Tho, Vietnam, and Bontoc, the Philippines, where bro Hai and bro Nove are our supported missionaries from the respective countries.
I'm thankful to the team who had willingly agreed to go for the mission trips in the earlier half of this year. Special shout out to bro Jerry and sis Susan who have gone for both mission trips to Vietnam and the Philippines in March and April respectively.
I am grateful to be leading a team of 8 for the 2nd mission trip to Bontoc in end July, where the main focus would be Vacation Bible School and Bible Seminar.
Also, I will be going with my wife and another brother from Malaysia for the last mission trip of the year to Can Tho in December.
So far, I have been to Can Tho 4 times for mission work. The primary focus is to encourage the brethren there and provide support to them since they are only a small congregation. But what I have realised is that they are also encouraging us too. Despite the environment and situation that they are experiencing, they continue to hold fast to the faith. That's really commendable.
We have not gotten into details about the future plans, but if anyone is keen to experience what it is like to participate in mission work, feel free to approach me to indicate your interest.
Farand:
Besides your work, what are some of your pastimes or interests or hobbies?
Jun Wei:
I like to try new things, so recently, I pick up a bit of coding in python and data analytics.
Farand:
Nice. Any end goals in mind, such as coding an app or possible future career transition? Or is it just for the fun of it?
Jun Wei:
It started with a mini project in secular work, which sparked my interest, and I'm thankful to be given the opportunity to attend courses to beef up my skills. Currently, I'm working with my colleagues to improve work processes, hopefully by introducing dashboards and tools for better and faster analysis. At this moment, I do not foresee myself pursuing it as a full time work since I'm still at beginner level. 😅
Farand:
Completely unrelated side question: how do you think AI/Chat GPT will affect the work we do in church?
Jun Wei:
It's an interesting question. I have never thought about it before. We know the benefits of AI/Chat GPT, and how it can aid us today. However, my opinion is that over-reliance on this technology may result us in trusting it as the source of all truth including spiritual matters, instead of looking for answers from the bible which is the inspired word of God.
Farand:
You were in Japan (and Korea) recently I believe. I’m going Japan in September with the family too! What is one tip or must go place you can recommend?
Jun Wei:
That’s great! September is a good month to travel to Japan. Which part of Japan are you guys going to? This was our first time travelling to Japan, and I must say their train lines are definitely more complex than SG. One tip is to familiarise yourself with the train routes for the day, to lower the chance of getting lost.
Personally for me, USJ is worth going to, and I enjoyed the Nintendo world and Harry Potter in USJ. Although for one of the rides in Nintendo world, we had to queue for almost 2 hours. 😂 I guess it's really popular for tourists as well as locals.
The Osaka day pass was worth getting too, as well as the experience of eating Ichiran ramen. 😋
Farand:
We’re going Tokyo Osaka and Mount Fuji area! Literally just booked USJ tickets today!
Farand:
Thanks for the sharing and more importantly for the good work you do. Any final thoughts from you?
Jun Wei:
Just as we have endless work to be accomplished in our secular jobs, there are many areas of church work where help is needed from everyone of us who is part of the body of Christ. While we may sometimes be working behind the scenes, God will always remember every good work that we have done for Him. So if anyone would like to help and contribute, do speak to any of the leaders or the full time workers. More hands will surely make light work.