By Titus Wong

Polytechnic graduates stand at the crossroads of their next big step, be it university, work or National Service. In today’s fast-paced Singapore, what does it mean for them to give their “firstfruits” to God?

Our Polytechnic Ministry posed this question to our Christian graduates. Some took up the challenge and signed up for Grad Serve, a 12-week programme organised annually.

I spoke with Kristie, Seth, Enya and Joshua who completed Grad Serve earlier this year. God’s work in their lives is truly encouraging as they take seriously the significance of firstfruits as dedication.

For Joshua, “Giving God his firstfruits was about devoting time and energy after graduation to God”. In a literal sense, it was giving back to the Polytechnic Ministry community after having been a part of PEP (Prayer, Evangelism and Partnership) groups while being a student. In PEP, students meet Christians from other departments to encourage one another in their studies, and also be equipped and encouraged to share Christ with others. In fact, two of these four Grad Servants could trace their salvation story to interactions with some “PEPpers”. As Grad Servants, they had the opportunity to help organise and lead PEP to encourage their juniors. This pushed Kristie out of her comfort zone. She shared a simple but powerful lesson she learnt from a staff who modelled connecting with strangers just by “saying hi”.

There were opportunities out there for Polytechnic graduates. Enya had job offers that paid “real money” compared to her previous internships. However, joining Grad Serve was an intentional step of dedication she took. “Money can always be earned back”, as Joshua quipped. There was a sacrificing to the Lord, a symbolic dedication of putting the Lord first.

Grad Servants were also conscious if they were storing up eternal treasures in heaven or seeking short-term satisfaction. Staff and Grad Servants were able to speak into one another’s lives. Being open, vulnerable and accountable to fellow Grad Servants allowed them to grow in Christlikeness, especially in their own blindspots. Also, every Grad Servant was assigned a staff who tailored supervision specifically to the individual. The Lord used this for each Grad Servant to grow in his or her understanding of ministry work and spiritual journey.

Remembering that the concept of “firstfruits” is about setting apart for the Lord, it also means preparing Grad Servants to be a worker of God’s ministry. For Seth, the Sri Lanka mission trip was a key feature of Grad Serve. Seeing how much the locals love the Lord and the people they were reaching with the gospel really encouraged him to continue in God’s work. Additionally, Grad Servants attended sessions in practical areas like Bible reading and obedience to parents, alongside essential “adulting” skills like cooking, cleaning the house and even speaking in dialects. Polytechnic Ministry desire that God is the highest priority for Grad Servants in everything they do. Firstfruits is after all about dedication.

We thank God that Grad Servants chose to be faithful in obeying the Lord, to put Him first in their youth and to give Him the best of their time at this juncture of their lives. We pray for them to remain faithful and true to Him wherever God calls them to. If you would like to find out more about Grad Serve, do contact us!