In 1935, Singapore's first civilian airport opened at Kallang Basin—a modest landing strip carved from reclaimed swampland. For decades, it served as the gateway through which travellers from across Asia arrived, refuelled, and departed for destinations unknown. Today, that runway lies silent beneath Nicol Highway, but its legacy lives on in an unexpected place: Geylang, where King's College Seminary has reimagined that same vision of arrival, preparation, and purposeful departure.
The Priesthood of All Believers—Reclaimed
The term "non-Levitical ordination" might sound arcane, but it represents something profoundly simple: recognising that God calls every believer to ministry, not just those employed by churches. The old theological phrase for this is "the priesthood of all believers"—a doctrine often quoted but rarely taken seriously beyond the walls of Sunday services.
King's College Seminary is changing that by developing what they call a "Kingdom mindset" that extends far beyond local church contexts. Just as Kallang Airport wasn't built merely to serve Singapore but to connect the nations, Geylang has become "just a landing strip for many more ministry pilots to come from the nations, to be equipped then sent back to their country of origin".
Flight School for the Soul
The seminary's five-year educational journey culminates in what they call DAVT-50 ordination—a recognition that honours "dedicated service and character beyond traditional church roles, recognising God-given talents and commitment to ministry". Over 4,000 diagnostics have been completed, reaching "groups, teams, couples, singles, and older children—encompassing locals, non-locals, and extra-locals".
Think of it as flight school for ministry pilots. Just as aviators in 1935 needed to master navigation, weather patterns, and emergency procedures before taking passengers aloft, these candidates undergo rigorous preparation across "classrooms, chapels, homes, and public spaces". They're being equipped not just with theological knowledge, but with practical wisdom for navigating "the weighty responsibilities and diverse challenges that lie ahead".
Governors and Regents of a Greater Vision
The metaphor runs deeper than you might think. Just as Kallang Airport required air traffic controllers, mechanics, and administrators to function, King's College Seminary operates through what it calls "The Bishop's Gate"—a Chancellor's Office that "selects candidates for non-levitical ordination across multiple regions" and "supports local churches on the front lines of Christian service".
This structure provides something many independent apostolic movements lack: accountability and oversight from "an extra-local Advisory Council with no vested interest beyond advancing the Kingdom". It's the difference between a pilot flying solo with no ground support and one operating within a coordinated system designed for safety and effectiveness.
A Galilee Among the Nations
The vision is ambitious: to fulfil Singapore's destiny as a “Galilee among the nations". Just as the biblical Galilee stood at the crossroads of Europe and Asia overlooking the plains at Meggido — a strategic yet hidden place where Jesus developed his apostles in secret to transform the Mediterranean world—King's College Seminary sees itself commissioning modern-day apostles to govern the whole person across all of Asia.
The next ordination ceremony, postponed from December 2025, will take place on 23 February 2026 in Singapore. Those being ordained aren't seeking positions in established denominations. They're answering what the seminary describes as a divine calling "for Kingdom work"—men and women prepared to enter "everyman's world for the sake of Jesus".
The runway at Kallang may be gone, but the vision of a gateway to the nations lives on. Only now, instead of aircraft taking flight, it's human souls—equipped, ordained, and commissioned to bless the peoples and nations of Asia and beyond.