Living Missionally Together as a Couple
How did you come to Christ? How has The Navigators made a difference in your life?
Jermyn
I was raised in a Christian household and attended church with my family regularly. I used to believe that church attendance defined my faith. However, as I grew older, I realised that I had been attending church for the wrong reasons — with no genuine devotion to God, only to please my parents.
When I was 14, a speaker shared a verse from John 3:16 during a church service — “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Through this verse, I finally understood the depth of God's love — that Jesus died on the cross to redeem me from my sins. At that moment, I comprehended the gospel fully and sincerely accepted Jesus into my heart.
Regretfully, my faith remained shallow, with no one to follow up with me. My life revolved around attending church marred by relationship struggles, gaming addiction, and a lack of purpose.
But things began to change when I entered polytechnic. A friend from The Navigators introduced me to a Bible Study group. During one of the Bible Study sessions, a discussion on Luke 24:31 hit me profoundly —
“Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him, and he disappeared from their sight”.
The Bible Study leader posed a thought-provoking question:
If God appeared before us, would we be able to recognise Him?
What he shared struck a chord within my heart.
I realised the importance of spending time with God to know His character so that we can recognise Him if He appears before us.
I also started joining the Navigators’ Quiet Time sharing in the mornings, through which I learnt the value of spending quality time with God to truly know Him.
One day, I came across a particular sentence in the book "My Heart, Christ’s Home" which deeply resonated with me:
"Don't let Christ wait alone in the drawing room of your heart, but every day find some time when, with the word of God and in prayer, you may fellowship with Him."
As I reflected on myself, I realised that I had kept God waiting on me for far too long.
Since then, I decided to make a change by dedicating daily devotional time to Christ. This practice has deepened my relationship with Him and provided me with daily guidance.
My journey with Christ has brought 3 significant areas of growth in my life.
First, I've witnessed a transformation in my quiet personality. Guided by 2 Timothy 1:7, which emphasises that we are empowered by God's Spirit, I overcame my timidity. My spiritual mentor would often encourage me to share my faith with strangers, and I am now able to relate well with them.
"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power,
love and self-discipline."
— 2 Timothy 1:7
The second area of growth is my availability for God and ministry. The principle of being Faithful, Available, and Teachable became central to my life. 2 Timothy 2:4, which reads,
“No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer”, has shaped many aspects of my life.
I have learnt to prioritise availing myself for God over studies and friends. I am also willing to serve in roles that might not align with my preferences but are essential in the ministry. Therefore, even in my career choices, I selected a job that allowed me to be available for ministry purposes.
Lastly, I've developed a missional perspective for my life. My training with the Navigators, particularly in apartment training, played a significant role in shaping this perspective. Working closely with fellow ministry labourers to advance God’s Kingdom among the lost strengthened my convictions and principles to live missionally wherever I am.
At work, I would make a conscious effort to seize every opportunity to influence and reach out to the lost around me. In my marriage, my wife and I are contemplating ways to be a blessing to those we encounter.
Indeed, it is not by my strength, but solely by God's grace and power that He transformed and moulded me into the person I am today. All glory and praise belong to Him!
Jennifer
I grew up in a Christian household, where my father shared stories about Jesus with me as a child. However, we rarely attended church together. Occasionally, I would accompany my mother to various churches, but I did not continue because it felt unfamiliar to me, and I did not understand why I had to engage in such activities. As a result, I lacked a proper understanding of God and the Bible.
As an only child, I was self-centred and rarely showed concern and respect for my parents. I did not think that it mattered, as long as I behaved well in public. But God continued to work in my life through various circumstances and people.
When I was in Secondary 2, my cousin invited me to his church for an Easter service. The pastor's message deeply resonated with me, and I came to believe in Jesus' love and sacrifice for my sins. Since then, I accepted Christ into my heart and have considered myself a Christian.
However, despite attending church, I struggled to maintain a true fellowship with God. My heart grew cold, and I shifted my attention to my studies and other interests. Eventually, I stopped attending church, and my time was mainly invested in my own pursuits. However, those pursuits did not satisfy the emptiness I felt in my heart. It was then that I longed to return to God.
By God’s grace, He sent a friend into my life, who was a lady from the NavTeens ministry. She taught me the value of memorising scriptures and introduced me to the Navigators’ polytechnic campus ministry. Over time, I cultivated the habit of reading God’s Word daily, along with the sisters in the fellowship.
I was deeply drawn to the fellowship because its members were serious about the Word of God and the application of biblical principles in their lives. With the guidance and support of my spiritual mentor, I experienced the tangible presence of God’s love, which became incredibly real to me.
The consistent fellowship with the sisters provided an excellent environment for me to grow and strengthen my faith. They taught me how to study God’s Word and the attitude we should have when obeying His commands.
“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace,
along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
— 2 Timothy 2:22
I once asked my mentor if witnessing is every Christian’s responsibility, or if it's a special calling for only a select group of believers. She directed me to the scriptures where Jesus called all of us to be His witnesses, emphasising that it is not solely the responsibility of pastors or church leaders.
She also stressed the importance of having a clear vision, teaching me to trust God and be a faithful disciple while discipling those entrusted to me.
During that time, I was discipling an international student at a university. Witnessing her spiritual growth was truly encouraging, and she eventually became a missionary in her homeland. This experience deepened my belief in the value of investing in someone’s life and has sharpened my own life’s vision.
Now, in my professional life, I have learnt not to compartmentalise my faith but to live with God's presence in all that I do.
Can you share a few stories of how you have formed meaningful life-on-life, family-to-family relationships with others?
[Jermyn] We have invited numerous individuals to our home for gatherings, including many who are still in the early stages of their faith journey and are seeking guidance.
Opening up our home for gatherings with various individuals
Showing hospitality to Grace and her mother from Indonesia (far right)
There was one particular couple whom we invested a significant amount of effort and time in, spanning 2-3 years. Our journey with them was not only beneficial for them but for us as well.
My wife, Jennifer, met J at university, and J introduced her then-boyfriend, L, to me for mentoring. At that time, they were seeking a support group and mentors to guide them in their spiritual growth as individuals and as a couple.
Jennifer and I frequently discussed their situations and explored the best ways to help them. Drawing from our training and experiences with the Navigators, which emphasises life-on-life discipleship, we aimed to influence them not only spiritually but also by modelling the kind of life we lead as a couple.
As part of our efforts, we engaged in various informal and enjoyable activities together, such as designing a tote bag.
The pivotal moment occurred when we invited them to our house for the first time. According to them, it opened their eyes to see the kind of life they aspired to live as a couple dedicated to discipling for God’s Kingdom.
However, challenges arose as their work commitments grew busier, making it increasingly difficult for us to disciple them effectively.
Yet, as the apostle Paul states in Colossians 1:28-29,
“Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
This conviction propels us forward, motivating us to strive for their maturity in Christ despite the challenges we may encounter in our discipleship journey with them.
Can you share a few personal stories or experiences whereby an individual or a family’s life was impacted?
Jennifer
We recently travelled to Indonesia to visit Grace, whom I've been discipling for several years since she came to faith during her university days. Grace has since returned to Singapore and has played a vital role in encouraging her brother in his spiritual growth. By God's divine orchestration, Grace's brother got connected with someone from The Navigators in Australia, who met and began following up with him.
Having dinner at Grace’s house in Indonesia
I'm currently assisting several individuals in their spiritual growth, each facing unique challenges that demand perseverance and faith for effective support. Through my part-time university studies, I have learnt the value of perseverance, which has equipped me with resilience to help others. Additionally, I pray for increased capacity to cast my net wide and engage with new contacts.
During one of our weekly badminton games at One-North, I met CW, who happened to be a badminton enthusiast. We invited her to play badminton with us, through which a meaningful connection was established as she opened up to us. We exchanged contacts and followed up with her, eventually sharing the gospel. Surprisingly, it was her first time hearing the gospel.
Before meeting us, CW had researched various religions to understand the different belief systems. She shared that she struggles to believe in things that she cannot see, which led to many doubts and questions during our discussions.
One of her questions centred on why non-believers of Christ are not considered to be children of God. Hence, we discussed the issue of sin that separates us from God, highlighting how common sins have become in today's society, causing people to overlook its seriousness.
Though CW has not yet accepted Christ, we continue to reach out to her through informal interactions, such as shared meals, where we share scriptures and pray that she may grasp the gravity of sin and understand God's heart for her.
Jermyn
I've been mentoring WT for the past 9-10 years, and I'm deeply thankful for God's guidance in his journey towards becoming a committed disciple and labourer for His Kingdom.
I first met WT during his polytechnic days. It has been a joy to witness his growth in faith throughout the different stages of his life, including university and work. He has been a faithful labourer alongside me to this day.
When he graduated from polytechnic, he expressed doubts about continuing with us. I was surprised and disappointed, but I shared the disciplemaking vision with him and made it clear that it was his choice to consider and pray through, rather than imposing it upon him. To my amazement, God worked in his heart, and he chose to work alongside me for the sake of the gospel.
Another encouraging story I've witnessed is how God blesses those who wait patiently for Him. For many years, our goal was to find the "One Faithful Man" for Him, yet year after year, it seemed elusive for WT. Those that he encountered were either unresponsive or not ready to be discipled. Still, WT remained faithful in evangelising, displaying a strong commitment to the mission at his workplace by inviting his colleagues to our community.
God's blessings came unexpectedly. At one of our weekly basketball games, we met J, who was playing alone. We invited him to join us, and he shared that he was looking for a fellowship community. With the support of our community, WT began regular Investigative Bible Studies with J. They got along well and enjoyed each other’s company. God had blessed WT with the opportunity to disciple and follow up with a precious soul.
This is a testament that God blesses those who wait patiently for Him and remain faithful.
About Jermyn and Jennifer
Formerly a Research Engineer at a university, Jermyn is currently serving at The Navigators Singapore as an IT Executive.
Jennifer is a former Library Executive at a polytechnic and is now transitioning to a new job as the Lord leads.
The couple was discipled by the Navigators during their polytechnic and university days. They are currently labouring together in a disciplemaking community at One-North, with a shared vision of making an impact on the lives of everyday people they come into contact with.