{"id":83421,"date":"2026-09-09T07:20:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T23:20:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=83421"},"modified":"2026-09-09T07:20:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T23:20:51","slug":"idmc-conference-to-be-succeeded-by-multi-church-platform-disciplemaking-alliance-da-after-32-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=83421","title":{"rendered":"IDMC Conference to be succeeded by multi-church platform Disciplemaking Alliance (DA) after 32 years"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The Intentional Disciplemaking Church (IDMC) Conference in Singapore, spearheaded by Covenant Evangelical Free Church these past 32 years, was held for the final time on September 4 and 5.<\/p>\n

The word \u201cWorthy\u201d was emblazoned across the extensive LED screen at Hall 1 of Expo as over 3,300 delegates from 30 countries and 261 churches gathered in exuberant praise and worship.<\/p>\n

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IDMC Conference 2026. Photo by Ryan Lim<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was a fitting start to this year\u2019s conference. The theme \u201cLet Incense Arise\u201d was a resounding call to align believers\u2019 hearts to God through a life of worship and prayer, for He alone is worthy.<\/p>\n

This year, prayer tents were set up within the hall to provide attendees with an intimate space to linger in prayer with God throughout the conference.<\/p>\n

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Prayer tents were introduced at this year\u2019s conference. Photo by Lim Keng San.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe greatest need of discipleship is the discipleship of depth \u2026 God is calling us to a deeper intimacy,\u201d Reverend Edmund Chan exhorted those gathered during his session, \u201cWaves of Revival\u201d. The Leadership Mentor of Covenant Evangelical Free Church preached from Joel 2, as he urged the people to return to the Lord with all their hearts, through fervent prayer and authentic worship.<\/p>\n

\u201cAuthenticity in worship is anchored upon the knowledge of God,\u201d he said, \u201cThat\u2019s why, it\u2019s impossible to walk in authentic worship without the Word of God.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Rev Edmund Chan speaking at IDMC 2026. Photo by Edilyn Yu.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Delegate taking notes at IDMC Conference 2026. Photo by Danielle Cheong.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Plenaries and workshops covered the theology, principles, practice and forms of prayer and worship, including one focused on the whys and hows of intercessory prayer through adapting worship songs.<\/p>\n

This annual flagship disciplemaking conference has been a mainstay in Singapore\u2019s local church calendar for over two decades. Started by Ps Edmund in 1995, it evolved from being a half-day church-based seminar to a three-day conference at the Singapore Expo, ministering to tens of thousands of delegates over 32 years.<\/p>\n

When COVID happened, the conference moved online, a move that brought disciplemaking to even more churches, in particular those overseas who could not attend in person.<\/p>\n

Past IDMC conference themes included \u201cMultiplying Authentic Disciples\u201d (2002), \u201cKnowing God\u2019s Word\u201d (2010), \u201cWhole-Life Discipleship\u201d (2020) and \u201cAll In For Jesus and His Kingdom\u201d (2025).<\/p>\n

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It was therefore a significant moment at this year\u2019s conference when Covenant EFC\u2019s Senior Pastors Reverend Tony Yeo and Rev Tan Kay Kiong announced that this year\u2019s IDMC Conference \u201cwill be the last in its current form\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Rev Tan Kay Kiong (left) and Rev Tony Yeo at this year\u2019s IDMC Conference. Photo by Jonadab Tan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Friday, Ps Kay Kiong shared that in 2023, the Lord had led them to approach a few disciplemaking Pastors and church leaders in Singapore to establish the Disciplemaking Alliance Singapore.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

They include Senior Pastors from Bethesda (Bedok-Tampines) Church, Gospel Light Christian Church, the Intentional Discipleship network (IDN) and a children and family educator, with Rev Edmund as advisor to the alliance.<\/p>\n

Subsequently, Grace Assembly of God also joined DA, which was formally set up in March 2024.<\/p>\n

The mission of the Disciplemaking Alliance is to enable a community of disciplemakers to follow Jesus, multiply disciplemakers and plant disciplemaking churches, through an ecosystem of dialogues, equipping workshops, safe pastoral communities and an annual summit.<\/p>\n

In the last two years, over 100 Singapore churches and organisations have taken part in DA\u2019s gatherings. Apart from workshops to equip the churches, these gatherings have featured dialogues with experienced Pastors on how they have transformed their church culture towards intentional disciplemaking.<\/p>\n

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Partner church Geylang EFC\u2019s sharing at DA\u2019s Disciplemaking Church Models Showcase in August this year.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The churches also received team guidance and resources, and leaders met regularly for mutual encouragement in safe spaces within the disciplemaking Pastors community.<\/p>\n

Given this momentum that has been growing in the community, the IDMC Conference in Singapore will be succeeded by the suite of DA platforms, including an annual Disciplemaking Alliance (DA) summit. These platforms include:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Beyond Horizons, an envisioning gathering that looks into emerging issues
\u2022 Disciplemaking Church Models Showcase, learning directly from churches already practising disciplemaking
\u2022 Disciplemaking Pastors Community, a safe space for mutual equipping and encouragement
\u2022 Disciplemaking Alliance Summit, our annual two-day gathering for church Pastors and leadership team in disciplemaking<\/p>\n

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Disciplemaking Alliance\u2019s General Secretary Rev Adrian Chan (right) speaking to a delegate enquiring about DA at the IDMC Conference.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cTogether, these carry forward what was started by the IDMC Conference \u2014 and they go further, offering sustained journeys rather than a once-a-year touchpoint,\u201d Ps Kay Kiong assured. He is the current chairman of the Disciplemaking Alliance.<\/p>\n

Ps Tony, who is also the chairman of the Evangelical Free Church of Singapore, said, \u201cWe thank God for blessing the IDMC Conference journey for the past 32 years. Let us continue to trust God for His greater blessing and empowerment for a disciplemaking movement in Singapore and beyond!\u201d<\/p>\n\n

A two-day gathering for church leadership teams. From September 2027, the Disciplemaking Alliance Summit (DA Summit) will be an annual space for leaders establishing disciplemaking churches to align, collaborate, and encourage one another. Here leaders will share real needs, real resources, and the reminder that we are not doing this alone.<\/p>\n

Theme<\/strong>: Disciplemaking Together \u2013 Starting F.I.R.M.
Dates<\/strong>: September 1-2, 2027 (Wed and Thu), 9am-6pm
Venue<\/strong>: Gospel Light Christian Church (Punggol)<\/p>\n

Who this is for:<\/strong> Senior leadership teams of churches that have already begun their journey toward becoming disciplemaking churches. In these churches, the leadership shares unity around disciplemaking as the church\u2019s core mission, and is taking concrete steps to live that out.<\/p>\n

What is it about:<\/strong> DA Summit 2027 gathers leadership teams to do it together \u2014 starting F.I.R.M. The acronym stands for four foundational shared values<\/strong> that will run through the Summit\u2019s content, collaboration sessions, and conversations:<\/p>\n