Biography

Rev Dr Bernard Chao is a lecturer in Practical Theology, and director of EQUIP (a lay training initiative) at Trinity Theological College. Bernard is an ordained elder of The Methodist Church in Singapore (Trinity Annual Conference) and has been a Methodist pastor since 2005.

Bernard has served variously as a youthworker, Boys’ Brigade Captain, pastor, and pastor-in-charge in several Methodist churches, as well as a school chaplain in several Methodist schools. He has also served previously as Assistant Director for the Board of Youth Ministry in his conference, Associate Director for Ministry in Schools in his denomination, and as Associate Brigade Chaplain of The Boys’ Brigade in Singapore. Bernard has also previously taught at the Cambodian Methodist Bible School (Phnom Penh).

Bernard was formerly a litigation lawyer and was called to the English bar (Lincoln’s Inn) in 1993, and the Singapore bar in 1997. Bernard is married to Ai Jin, a psychotherapist and they have three children.

Conference Speaker or Panelist

“Spiritual Formation in a Digital Age,” 2026 Aldersgate Seminar of The Methodist Church in Indonesia, keynote speaker (26 May 2026)

“Wholehearted Worship,” Trinity Annual Conference (The Methodist Church in Singapore) 50th Session, workshop speaker (26 November 2025)

“Leading Youth Ministry in the Way of Jesus,” Board of Youth Ministry Retreat, Chinese Annual Conference (The Methodist Church in Singapore), retreat speaker (31 October 2024)

“Rethinking Youth Ministry in a Tradition of Innovation,” Board of Youth Ministry Retreat, Chinese Annual Conference (The Methodist Church in Singapore), retreat speaker (30 October 2024)

“In Conversation,” Fellowship of Evangelical Students Leaders Party, panelist (28 September 2024)

“Life Group Leadership: Whose Job Is It Anyways?” Holland Village Methodist Church Lifegroup Conference, conference speaker (6 January 2024)

“Leadership in the New Testament: Pentecost, Relationships & Mutuality,” Seminar for Pastors & Deaconesses, Central Tarlac District (Tarlac Philippines Annual Conference, The United Methodist Church), seminar speaker (25 November 2023)

“Methodists: A Tradition of Innovation,” Seminar for Pastors & Deaconesses, Central Tarlac District (Tarlac Philippines Annual Conference, The United Methodist Church), seminar speaker (25 November 2023)

“Leading, Loving & Living in the Way of Jesus,” Boys’ Brigade in Singapore Annual Officers Retreat, keynote speaker (14-15 October 2023)

“Leadership in the Way of Jesus,” Young Methodist Leaders Conference, workshop speaker (23 June 2023)

State of the Church in Singapore 2022, online, panelist (13 October 2022)

“The Pandemic’s Challenge to Church Leadership: Disruptions & Innovations,” Ministry in a Post-Pandemic World, Singapore Bible College, speaker and panelist (12 August 2022)

“21st Century Methodists: Traditioning into the Future,” Young Methodist Leaders Conference, conference speaker (21 June 2022)

“Online Worship: Insights And Reflections,” MSM Conversations, Methodist School of Music, Singapore, online, panelist (25 September 2021)

Youth Forum, MCS 135 Youth Conference, The Methodist Church in Singapore, online, moderator and panelist (10 December 2020)

“Youth, Worship & Faith Formation,” Worship Symposium, Methodist School of Music (22-23 June 2011)

Academic & Research Publications

“The Future of Children Ministry in Singapore.” Trumpet (Apr-Jul, 2026).

State of the Church in Singapore 2025 – The Church and Children: Demographic Weight or Future Critical? Singapore: Salt&Light, Jan 2026 (Steering Committee).

State of the Church in Singapore 2024 – The Church and Seniors: Demographic Time Bomb or Season of Opportunity? Singapore: Salt&Light, Jan 2025 (Steering Committee).

“Equipping Christians for Discipleship and Mission.” Trumpet (Apr-Jul, 2024).

“What Unequal Power Relations Have to Do with Sexual Abuse in Churches.” Paper presented at TTC Faculty Colloquium, 26 Apr 2024.

“The Intersection of Social Science and Theology.” Paper presented at a Theological Forum of the Wesley Divinity School, Wesleyan University, Cabanatuan City, Philippines, 28 November 2023.

“Christian Leadership for a Hyperconnected World.” In Becoming a People of Light: For a Phygital, Hyperconnected, and Fragmented World, eds. Bernard Chao & Chan Yew Ming. Singapore: Trinity Theological College, 2023.

Becoming a People of Light: For a Phygital, Hyperconnected, and Fragmented World. Singapore: Trinity Theological College, 2023. (Co-editor with Chan Yew Ming)

“Foreword” to Ho Wei-Hao and Tan Soo-Inn, Generations Project: Bridging Generational Divides in the Singapore Church. Singapore: Graceworks, 2023.

“Unequal Power Relations in Churches and Sexual Abuse.” In Assault on the Body: Sexual Violence and the Gospel Community, eds. Nicole Ong et al. Singapore: Graceworks, 2023.

“Church Leadership: Copying or Contrasting Society?” Trumpet (Aug-Dec, 2022).

State of the Church in Singapore 2022: Findings from the First State of the Church in Singapore Study. Singapore: Salt&Light, 2022 (Steering Committee).

“A Place for Art in Christian Imagination and Theology.” ETHOS Institute for Public Christianity (17 October 2022).

“Church Leadership: Whose Job Is It?” Trumpet (May-Aug, 2022).

“Invisible No More: Dignifying Migrant Workers.” ETHOS Institute for Public Christianity (2 May 2022).

“Church Leadership: Is There Only One Way?” Trumpet (Jan-Apr, 2022).

“What Will Our Churches Look Like After The Pandemic?” Trumpet (Apr-Jul, 2021).

“Narratives and Ideologies that Shape Power Relations in Singapore Protestant Churches.” PhD diss. Fuller Theological Seminary, 2021.

“God’s Presence in the World: Integrating John Wesley’s Theology of the Eucharist and General Revelation & Dispelling the Myth of the Sacred-Secular Divide.” In Finish, Then, Thy New Creation, ed. Chiang Ming Shun, 61-86. Singapore: Graceworks, 2020.

“Expanding the Discourse on Agency with the Vocabulary of Power: Narratives and Ideologies Influencing Leader-Laity Relationships in Churches.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Religious Leadership, Minneapolis, USA, 25-27 April 2019.

“Myths, Manga & MySpace: Youth Ministry Challenges in Singapore Today.” In Christian Ministry: Love in Action, ed. Daniel K.S. Koh, 174-191. Singapore: Methodist Welfare Services, 2012

“Good News for Marriages and Families in Singapore.” Church & Society in Asia Today 12, no. 3 (December 2009): 161-170.

Other Publications

“Shared Leadership” Faith and Life podcast on Spotify (3 February 2026).

“The Bible doesn’t talk about tech and AI, so what should we do?” Salt&Light (15 April 2024).

“Digital Disruptions & Innovations for the Post-Pandemic Church.” Methodist Message (Nov 2022).

“Conducting Ourselves in a Manner Worthy of the Gospel During a Pandemic.” International Christian Fellowship, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (30 July 2021).

“Make Time For Our Youth…Or Lose Them Over Time.” Methodist Message (Mar 2021).

“Hearing Better In The Silence: Spiritual Disciplines For Youth Today.” Impacting Generations (Mar 2014).

“Discipling Our Families.” Impact Magazine (Oct-Nov 2012).

“What Does A Successful Youth Ministry Look Like?” Methodist Message (Apr 2012).

“Excuse Me, Are You a Youthworker?” Methodist Message (Jan 2010).

“Youth Myth-nistry.” Methodist Message (Jul 2009).