Birth and Growth of EFOS

The Evangelical Fellowship of Singapore (EFOS) was formed in May 1980, with an emphasis on concerted prayer, co-operative evangelism and a co-ordinated missions programme in conjunction with local churches and Christian organizations.

EFOS did not develop in a vacuum. Playing significant roles in its formation were a series of events in the latter half of the 1970’s which culminated in the Singapore Billy Graham Crusade of December 1978, as well as a movement of God’s Spirit in many local churches.

Chronologically, para-church organizations (many concentrated in the Bible House) had laid much of the foundation upon which was built inter-denominational co-operation in evangelistic efforts. This foundation was given substantial impetus by the Campus Crusade’s “Here’s Life Singapore” evangelistic movement during 1976 – 77 which had mobilized some 110 churches. A co-operative spirit was further developed by regional conferences (particularly the Conference on Evangelism for Malaysia and Singapore in April 1978) which brought together many local leaders from various denominations. Finally, the unprecedented support of 237 churches for the Singapore Billy Graham Crusade crystallized the growing unity among the churches into this well-defined fellowship of Christians committed to propagating the Christian gospel on a national level.

EFOS remains primarily a fellowship in the Gospel. It exists for the furtherance of that Gospel in its simplicity and splendour, as “the power of God for the salvation of those who believe” (Rom.1:16). It is thus committed to maintain and defend the faith of the Gospel as defined authoritatively in the God-inspired Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (2 Tim. 3:14–17; Phil.1:7,12, 27). It is an active member of the Evangelical Fellowship of Asia and the World Evangelical Alliance.

EFOS was registered on 24 May 1980. Dr Benjamin Chew was its first Chairman, with Mr William Wan as General Secretary.  Dr Chew was succeeded by Elder Goh Ewe Kheng and Mr Wan by Rev. Alfred Yeo.  Its current Chairman is Dr Lawrence Chia.

Apart from coordinating nation-wide evangelistic thrusts, EFOS was also the national coordinator of the Global Day of Prayer, and the Jubilee Day of Prayer (2015), the latter in conjunction with the National Council of Churches and various denominations.