17 & 18 Jan 2026 (Pastoral Page) LEADERSHIP REVITALISATION IN THE BIBLE CHURCH

by Elder Lynette Shek

Members and congregants may be aware that the church leadership prayerfully develops a strategic vision and roadmap every five years. We are currently in the season of Vision 2028 (V2028), which the Council and Staff spent about one and a half years praying over, discussing, and discerning together. These plans were shared with members in late 2022.

One of the key areas of focus under V2028 is Leadership Revitalisation. Over recent years, we have been encouraged to see younger leaders step into roles at the Council, Staff, and Ministry levels, and we give thanks to God for His provision and faithfulness in raising up leaders for His church.

On the weekend of 3–4 January, our church had two significant milestone events. First, Ps Lai Keet Keong was ordained as Pastor, strengthening the pastoral leadership of our church. Second, Senior Pastor Beh Soo Yeong announced a forthcoming Lead Pastor (LP) transition, with Ps Lim Wei-en appointed as Lead Pastor Designate, and he will assume the role of LP from January 2027.

To provide clarity, it may be helpful to explain the distinction between the titles of Senior Pastor (SP) and Lead Pastor (LP) in our church. Senior Pastor is a job grade or title, while Lead Pastor is a role. Our job grades include Assistant Pastor, Pastor, and Senior Pastor, and there may be multiple individuals within each grade.

The Lead Pastor, however, is a role held by a single person at any given time. The LP leads the staff team which currently has 21 members, provides oversight to the 20 ministries in our church, and is entrusted with driving the church’s strategy and vision as articulated in V2028. Examples of other pastoral roles include, for example, Pastor-in-Charge of Young Adults (a role previously held by Ps Wei-en) and Pastor-in-Charge of CARE Groups (Ps Keet).

Our current LP, SP Beh Soo Yeong, was appointed Pastor and given the role of LP in January 2006, and later promoted to Senior Pastor in July 2009. Ps Lim Wei-en joined the staff team as a ministry staff in 2006 and became an Assistant Pastor in 2015. He was promoted to Pastor in July 2020. Over the years, the staff team has grown, and leadership structures have been strengthened to support the church’s expanding ministries.

The process for the LP transition began in the second half of 2024, following SP Beh’s return from sabbatical. During this time, SP Beh prepared a paper, and together with the Council and Elders, entered a season of prayer and discernment. The key questions were whether this was the right time for a transition, who the appropriate LP candidate would be, and what role SP Beh would take after stepping down from the LP role.

Following this, the Council and Elders Board developed a clear timeline outlining the various steps in the process. This included consultations with pastors who had undergone similar transitions, individual conversations with Ministry staff and Council members, and intentional times of prayer. After careful discernment, it became clear that Ps Lim Wei-en was a strong and widely supported internal candidate, and the Council agreed that a formal external search was not necessary.

As part of the appointment process, the LP candidate underwent a one-hour interview with the Elders. He also delivered a presentation outlining his vision for leadership and church development, and participated in a Q&A session with the Council. Feedback was also sought from approximately ten members across different age groups and ministries. Following this thorough process, the Council formally approved the appointment in December 2025, and Ps Wei-en is now our Lead Pastor Designate.

Over the course of this year, more details will be shared, including the scope of work for SP Beh going forward. The Council remains available to address any questions or feedback from members. In due time, both the current LP and the LP Designate will also share personally with the congregation. A formal handover service will be held, where we will pray for both leaders, and a committee will be formed to plan this transition. Members who are interested in serving on this committee are welcome to come forward.

We invite the church to continue praying for the Council, our current Lead Pastor, and our Lead Pastor Designate, trusting God to guide The Bible Church faithfully into the next season of ministry.