Rev Adrian Ng joined Wesley Methodist Church on 1 August 2017 and currently oversees the Outreach Ministries of Witness & Evangelism, Christian Outreach & Social Concerns, Wesley Crisis Relief and Missions. His heart for outreach and evangelism reflects a deep commitment to engaging both church and society, encouraging believers to live as salt and light in a rapidly changing world.
Pastor Adrian’s ministry journey previously included leadership in Youth Ministry, and he continues to emphasise holistic discipleship that integrates faith with real-life challenges.
At the 50th TRAC Annual Conference, Pastor Adrian was appointed Pastor-in-Charge of Toa Payoh Methodist Church, effective 1 January 2026.
Wesley TIDINGS spoke with him about the blessings received, lessons learnt and the ministries God entrusted to him at Wesley Methodist Church.
What inspired you to pursue pastoral ministry?
I’ve taken a keen interest in serving in church since I started believing in Jesus in my teens. I spent a lot of time with leaders and mentors who pursued God by attending Christian rallies and worship events. There was such hunger in them to learn and grow in their faith. Many of these leaders also took time to journey with me through life‑on‑life discipleship, and I still remember one of them saying, “It’s easy to serve and be content, but if you really want to grow in your faith, be a people leader and disciple others to follow God.”
That stayed with me through my polytechnic and army days. When God opened the opportunity for me to study Computing Science in Glasgow, I began to serve more intentionally as a student leader with the missionary pastor, and this continued when I returned to work. I think that remained in me as I served as a small group and ministry leader, and after multiple confirmations that God was calling me into full‑time pastoral ministry, I finally obeyed in 2008.
What was your vocation before answering the call to ministry?
I spent eight years in the online e‑commerce space within the travel industry. The first four years were with a local airline as a software engineer, managing projects and business solutions. I then moved to a pioneering online travel agent, where I managed online travel content and products for four years as the online travel space grew, before moving on to a bank to manage its online e‑commerce banking platform.
Youth Ministry
Looking back on your five years as Youth Pastor, what was one defining moment or breakthrough that shaped your vision for Youth Ministry and how you approached discipling young people?
Truth be told, Wesley is my first experience as a youth pastor. Prior to this, I had been involved in small groups, children’s ministry, worship services and especially young adults, but never youths, so it took me a while to find my footing in Wesley Youth Ministry (YM).
Preaching in Children’s Ministry taught me the importance of relevance, fun and engagement, but how could I bring that to youths in a way that helped them learn and love God’s Word without it feeling boring?
Youths love to express themselves, and what better way than to let them participate and allow their stories to become part of the sermon? So I tried using Slido and incorporated it into my youth sermons. They loved it, and they shared vulnerably in safe spaces. That opened the door for connection and helped them learn God’s truth. Through this, I learnt the importance of creating safe spaces as part of youth and young adult discipleship. This is not only in sermons but also in small groups, one‑to‑one conversations, internships and other settings. It is important to create space and listen to their stories. Once you understand where they are in their faith challenges, it helps remove misunderstandings and hopefully makes the preaching and teaching more relevant.
For me, Slido became the tool that helped me do that, from teachings to sermons, and it worked so well, even for adults too, that I have the youths to thank for it.
Youth Ministry often involves walking alongside young believers through pivotal life stages. What is one lesson or insight you gained about engaging and mentoring the next generation that continues to guide your pastoral approach today?
Starting out as a youth pastor, I noticed a significant relational gap between youths and pastors, which is often unhealthy. Although they show up in church regularly, many have questions about faith but no one to dialogue with. Without taking time to listen, it is hard to know what their struggles truly are, yet youths are often too shy to ask because they do not know where to begin.
I have learnt to start conversations with them, to know their names, to take interest in their lives without judgement and to share vulnerably about my own faith journey. I will do whatever I can to break down barriers of communication and give them a voice, even in deciding appropriate sermon topics and engagements that will help them grow in their faith. This approach has worked well to transform the culture of Wesley YM, as it has trickled down to staff and leaders and shaped my ministry leadership ever since.
Outreach Ministries
As you prepare for this transition, could you share a defining moment when you felt deeply affirmed in your work with Outreach and Evangelism Ministries?
God has been good to us over the last two years as I supported the four ministries under the Outreach umbrella. Our Pastor-in-Charge, Pastor Raymond, asked that we bring all four ministries closer together to lead Wesleyans towards an outreach culture. I spent my first year deep‑diving into the various committees to understand and support the staff, people and plans of each ministry. Only after a year were we able to gather all the Outreach staff and leaders to align our events for 2025, including an Outreach Conference led by all four ministries working as one team.
All our outreach initiatives for the year, as well as the conference, were so well received that many felt the needle move in shaping Wesleyans towards a culture of outreach and evangelism. It has been an amazing year for all the Outreach ministries, and I have the team, both staff and lay, to thank for their excellent partnership and support.
Reflecting on your leadership in Outreach and Evangelism, what profound truth or theological insight about mission or evangelism has deepened your faith?
I have come to realise that being missional is a critically important part of my discipleship journey. Over the past two years, I have tried my best to make myself available to share God’s truth and love through Alpha, missions and crisis relief training trips, prisons and the community. Although it has been stretching, I have also seen many people come to know Jesus and experience the Holy Spirit. God is very much at work outside the church, among the least, last and lost in the community and in mission fields around the world.
We cannot grow our faith simply by coming to church alone. God has called the church to go out and make disciples. Only when we go will we fulfil God’s commission. So, Wesleyans, set aside time to be missional!
What cherished memory stands out for you at Wesley in connecting with the wider community and witnessing someone come to the faith through an outreach initiative?
I heard the story of Mr Ba from one of our volunteers, Janet Ng, who serves in the Wesley Golden Years Get‑together (WGYG) in Jalan Besar. This particular story stood out for me.
Mr Ba was a resident whom Janet had befriended, and on one occasion, he invited her into his home for a conversation. Befrienders do not usually enter residents’ homes, but on this occasion, in order not to offend him, she did. Shortly after they began chatting, Janet felt led to share the gospel. Mr Ba, being a freethinker, was not yet ready to receive it, but Janet encouraged him to remember to pray to Jesus if he ever felt pain.
The following day, volunteers learnt that he had suffered a fall. They offered to take him to a doctor, but he insisted on joining the WGYG programme, despite being in considerable discomfort. That night, he was admitted to hospital due to a stroke.
A few days later, Janet visited him in hospital and saw a very different Mr Ba–joyful, with a noticeable glow on his face. When she asked what had happened, he excitedly shared that he had been praying to Jesus to heal and relieve his pain, just as she had encouraged him to do. Sensing his openness, Janet invited him to say a simple prayer to receive Jesus as his Lord and Saviour, which he gladly did. Praise the Lord!
Janet later told me she had never seen someone come to Jesus so quickly, within just days of her sharing. God had shown up for Mr Ba and certainly for Janet too. May this story encourage all who serve God faithfully.
Evangelism can be challenging. What unexpected lesson or wisdom helped you persevere or adapt your approach to reaching those beyond the church walls?
I have found that evangelism is not as difficult as many people think. When others learn that I work and serve in church, they often start asking all sorts of questions, ranging from personal convictions to differences in faith. Those are moments to share my story. I have discovered that people are not moved by how eloquent or perfect my answers are, but by how personal and sincere I am in my convictions. When I share simply about why and how God is real to me, it is far more effective.
I have also learnt to listen carefully to their questions to uncover if there is a deeply rooted doubt or issue. Their questions often point to something beneath the surface, which may involve a misunderstanding or a negative experience with a fellow Christian. Sometimes, all we need to do is be humble enough to acknowledge their hurt. Those moments can be powerful in opening their hearts to Jesus again.
In short, be a great listener and remain open and prepared to share your testimony or story in an uncomplicated and authentic way.
If you could offer one encouragement to the Wesley congregation on living out their calling as witnesses in daily life, what would it be?
Wesleyans can often be remarkably busy people. We are frequently caught up in our own schedules, moving from appointment to appointment, leaving little time to notice the people around us (I am often guilty of this too!). I often stand in the atrium offering handshakes, watching people stream by, but my best conversations are usually with those who can spare a moment to share an encouragement or a blessing. So, to all Wesleyans–do not rush. Slow down and practise the 3Bs: bless someone with your time or encouragement, build a sense of belonging and help people recognise and believe that Jesus is real in your life. You will be blessed.
Finally, what is one prayer request for the Wesley family and one for yourself and your family as you embrace this new ministry?
I would really miss Wesley, especially all the stories of transformation that I have had the privilege of witnessing up close. It is not only in the outreach or youth ministries but also through time spent with Wesleyans in moments of learning, serving and loving. I pray that Wesleyans will continue to be missional by stepping up to love and serve the church, especially by supporting and encouraging the staff and pastors. Many of them work hard behind the scenes and are silent heroes who often go unrecognised (and I am sure this is true for many volunteers too!). My prayer is that Wesley will always have strong clergy, lay and staff teams who glorify Jesus together in unity.
On a personal note, please continue to pray for a smooth transition to TPMC and my new role. Pray that I will find a healthy rhythm and a renewed passion for ministry that will enable me to be a good husband, father and pastor. Thank you all for loving me.
Wesley Methodist Church conveys its heartfelt appreciation to Pastor Adrian for his dedicated service as Youth Pastor and later as Outreach Pastor. His passion for the gospel and steadfast leadership have been a blessing to the Wesley family. While his departure brings sadness, the church rejoices in the new ministry ahead and prays for God’s guidance, strength and fruitfulness in every endeavour.
Wesley TIDINGS extends its blessings to Pastor Adrian, his wife Serene and their family with deep gratitude for his faithful service.
Read also: Perseverance in Christian Service
