MM33 – Movement of Church Planting and Discipleship—Discerning and Developing the Vision: From Calling to Community Focus

In this article, Ps Poon Chong Lin reflects on his family’s journey to plant Trinity Surabaya, sharing the honest sacrifices and the spiritual perseverance required to move from a personal call to a thriving local community.

It was the year 2017. Trinity Christian Centre planted a church in Jakarta. As lay leaders in Trinity, my wife and I sensed God’s tugging and excitement upon our hearts to get involved but we did not know how God would lead us.

I entered full-time ministry one year later, wanting simply to serve God in my home church, whatever the role may be. In 2022, through a series of divine coincidences, God began to speak and challenge me to avail myself for church planting. I had a conversation with my pastor and began on the journey of preparation.

Within two years, my family of four, together with two local Trinitarians, were sent to plant Trinity Surabaya.

Weighing the Call, Counting the Cost

Luke 14:25-33 carries a truth of being a disciple of Christ, and that is counting the cost, one I have been made to do more than any time of my life thus far. There have been many sacrifices involved, big and small, whether it be being away from a strong community in Singapore, my wife missing her promotion, or the luxury of working with a bigger team.

Church planting is not just a missions trip where we momentarily give up our preferences to minister to others but it is a prolonged period of picking up our cross daily and dying to ourselves over and over again

• Dying to familiarity and ease of being in our home country, instead, becoming a “stranger and nobody” in another land

• Dying to the security of family, home church, friends and education system, instead, going on a learning curve of assimilation, intentional living and breathing a different culture, language and system

• Dying to convenience and self-interests alone, instead, adjusting our family and work schedules to be effective and available for ministry

I do this as a response to God’s love for me, to make the love of Jesus known, that more can know Jesus.

Church planting is not just a missions trip where we momentarily give up our preferences to minister to others but it is a prolonged period of picking up our cross daily and dying to ourselves over and over again

A Daily Sowing and Partnership in Prayer

Matthew 9:37-38 tells us that God is calling us to be His workers to go into the harvest field and reap a mighty harvest for Him! The prospect of that excites me. Whenever I meet people who reject the gospel, this passage reminds me of many more who are blinded, broken and lost. They need Jesus and we need to reach them, even if it means planting another church to do that.

Oswald Chambers said, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work, prayer is the greater work.” In this journey of both physical and spiritual work of sowing, I have grown in my conviction of the power of prayer. I pray fervently for the Lord of the harvest to send us breakthroughs and more harvest workers. Prayer is where I partner with God to overcome the powers of darkness in this battleground and to claim His promises to move and fulfill His purposes in Trinity Surabaya, in the city of Surabaya and nation of Indonesia.

The needs of a church plant may be great, but God is faithful and we just need to ask boldly and specifically for God to provide. In the times of discouragement and feelings of helplessness, it was through praying that I could sustain and fuel my faith in God.

I pray fervently for the Lord of the harvest to send us breakthroughs and more harvest workers.

Growing Through Disappointments, Maturing in Leadership

Psalm 51:10 has been my cry on this new journey of church planting, “Lord, keep my heart and spirit right before You”.

I realized that it is easy to become calculative and even bitter, especially when the going gets tough – we sow and we do not reap. We disciple and it is not reciprocated. We work hard but the church does not grow. In those times of crying out to God, I am reminded that it is my privilege to serve and I can never outgive God who gave me His one and only Son, Jesus. And He is the Lord of the harvest, who prepares the harvest and sends the workers.

I distinctly remember an incident that happened soon after my family had relocated. We thought we were ready to consolidate the harvest after more than 30 first time visitors and 10 decisions were made for Jesus, but things did not go as expected. Turns out that in our follow-up with the many people who attended our evangelistic events, they were not ready to commit to a church or to continue visiting our connect group. Our two local leaders faced strong pushbacks from these contacts and felt greatly discouraged.

We even went around our neighborhood to invite people for dinner and connect group meeting. A handful “agreed” to our invitation but when dinner was served that night, no one showed up… I remember thinking, “God…where do we go from here?”  The despair and disappointment on my wife’s face weighed heavily upon my heart.

But I was not just a church planter, I was also a pastor and leader. I knew I needed to keep showing up and persevering until breakthrough happens. I wanted all to see that in Christ, all things are possible. This was a time of stretching and rising up with greater faith and commitment, part of living out my call to serve the God I love.

One year on, we have more than 20 people, of which 14 are regular volunteers who show up faithfully every Sunday to serve in multiple roles required to facilitate God-encounters for others in our service. Even one month old members readily volunteer to help us pack up the service hall after service ends. While spontaneous and messier (equipment could be packed in the wrong bags), God convinced me that things do not need to be perfect, but their sincere hearts to serve and be involved is far more precious.

This was a time of stretching and rising up with greater faith and commitment, part of living out my call to serve the God I love.

Staying Connected and Accountable

If I could share one non-negotiable lesson and principle in my journey of church planting so far, it would be this: Stay connected and accountable! Many challenges can and will arise, we must never think that we have anything to prove, but to ask our pastors, mentors and family to keep us in prayer, to provide support, counsel and guidance.

In the times of fighting fires, we may think “it is just a report”, “we are on our own anyway”, “what can they do for us”… but doing that too often can cause us to neglect the principle of accountability, which is really meant to protect us, the ministry and God’s church.

I appreciated the pastors and friends who went the extra mile to reach out, to pray for us.

I appreciated the times of being challenged when I was too stuck in my own perspective, and being prayed for to break through into all that God desires for us and the church plant.

I have learned to be intentional to remain connected to God through our personal times of seeking Him, also connected to our home church that provides our much-needed spiritual covering and encouragement.

Now that my wife and I are expecting number three, I believe this foundation God has been forming in us will keep us on the right track. To God be the glory.

Many challenges can and will arise, we must never think that we have anything to prove, but to ask our pastors, mentors and family to keep us in prayer, to provide support, counsel and guidance.