1 & 2 Nov 2025 (Pastoral Page) 1-FOR-JESUS - THE LIFE IN A SEED

by Ms Lilian Poon

Mark 4:26-29

²⁶ He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹ As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

As I peered through the 176 pre-believers’ names pledged by our 69 worshippers in the 1-for-Jesus list, it is interesting to see that most names are families of our dear worshippers comprising either parents, siblings, spouses, or children.

During evangelism workshops conducted in the last two years, one of the most frequently asked questions is this: “I have reached out to my mother/father/spouse for many years, but they do not seem to respond. What can I do?”

Sounds familiar?

Well, let me share with you my personal testimonies of the sovereign work of the Lord in personal outreach. One of those whom I have prayed for years, and another who came indirectly through someone I have been reaching out to for the last two years.

1.    My ex-colleague

I have been praying for my ex-colleague and also a good friend. To be honest, I struggled to keep up with our connections after I left the company and was only barely able to do so through birthdays and festive seasons’ greetings.

The years cultivating this seed of relationship continued nevertheless. When we finally met last year, she shared about her family conflicts and issues. I lent a listening ear. I tried to meet up with her earlier this year, but unfortunately busyness got the better of us. Her birthday in July provided the motivation to fix our long-awaited lunch date, but she postponed it last minute. When we finally met in September after some delay to reschedule the lunch, her first question to me was: “What are you busy with these days, Lilian?” Wow, I thought that was my line! I shared that I had just finished organizing the Alpha Course at church, and since we are used to speaking Mandarin with one another, I find myself curiously substituting “Alpha Course” with the Chinese term “启发”, half thinking it will not mean anything to her.

Her response blew me away. “Is this Alpha?” she asked.

As it turns out, she attended Alpha Course with her husband at another church recently, but gave up after a few sessions. I was surprised, my pre-believing friend attended the Alpha Course! What an unexpected surprise!

As we spent the rest of the afternoon conversing over lunch, she poured out recent stories of her heartbreaks and pains that happened right around the first time we were supposed to meet in July. At that moment, I thank God that I did not give up pursuing my friend even when she postponed. Because of that, I was able to be present to listen, share and pray with her. Something was different that day after years of reaching out to her. I felt the gospel seed sprouted, I am thankful that God was there. I know that He is doing something deep and special in her life that will lay the groundwork for future spiritual conversations.

So who knows whether your next phone call or text to your pre-believing family or friend may be the breakthrough call for their souls? So don’t give up, keep at it in praying, hoping and reaching no matter what!

2.    “Are you Christians?”

There was an unexpected knock one late afternoon. I opened the door and found our sweet, elderly neighbour staring at us apologetically as she blurted out in Mandarin “Err, may I know, are you Christians?” Our response is equally quizzical. “Err, yes we are.”

We have been reaching out to our neighbours since we shifted into this B.T.O flat 3 years ago. I am glad that our neighbours are at least aware that we are believers. Turns out, she is enquiring for her colleague, who is going through depression and expressed that she would like to attend church. As our neighbour does not know any Christians, she recalled this couple (us) living across the other side, who came a few times to give goody bags to her family with church flyers. She figured out that we might be able to help.

Praise God! I met up with her colleague and by God’s grace, led her to Christ three weeks ago. A worshipper from the Chinese Ministry is currently following up with her. That is not all. We happened to meet our neighbour again this week at a food court near our home; and as she sat down with us, she joyfully shared the transformation of her colleague who used to be withdrawn, but now is smiling, full of joy and even hugged her once. I am just so amazed at the way God affirms His power to a pre-believer, through the transformation of another person. He works in mysterious ways indeed.

The seed sprouted but we do not really know when and how, but God knows. Sometimes it may not pan out the way we anticipated, just like the unexpected breakthrough with my ex-colleague, or the impact on my neighbour from the salvation of another, but God is the One causing the seed to sprout, grow, bear fruit.

As a parting thought, let me paraphrase Mark 4 as follows:

This is what the kingdom of God is like. I scatter seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether I sleep or get up, the seed sprouts and grows, though I do not know how. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹ As soon as the grain is ripe, I shall put the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.

With Advent and Christmas just round the corner, let us continue to C.P.R* the gospel to your loved ones no matter how much time it has taken or how little result it has yielded so far. There is ‘life’ in the seed, and the seed will sprout in the good timing of God.

Perhaps it is time to pick up that phone and message them: “How are you doing? Shall we have coffee?”

* C.P.R is an abbreviation for “Cultivate, Plant and Reap” in the context of our church’s personal outreach strategy.