Written by Nathanael Goh
Back in March 2026, we were blessed with the opportunity to visit Skudai alongside representatives from several congregations, including Subang Jaya, Lim Ah Pin, and Jurong. This was more than a casual gathering; it was a purposeful trip built around the theme: “Growing Wherever You Go.”
The Heart Behind the Theme
The theme emerged from a simple observation: many in our youth group have reached a stage of life where they are beginning to move away from their home congregations. They are heading to another state or even abroad for studies. This transition is one of the most spiritually vulnerable seasons a young person can face. Things are new and uncertain.
For those raised in the church, there is often a kind of quiet protection that comes from being constantly surrounded by a strong community. But when that changes, and when freedom and flexibility suddenly expand, it becomes easy to lose one’s footing. Many are naturally excited about studying abroad due to the new experiences, student clubs, and new places to explore. There is nothing inherently wrong with any of that. But if left unexamined, a “tourist mindset” can quietly crowd out one’s identity and duty as a Christian.
There was also a second, broader concern: many congregations today are ageing or shrinking. So, the trip had two goals in mind. First, to challenge the youth to be intentional in seeing relocation not merely as a personal opportunity, but as a chance to serve whichever congregation they find themselves in, while not forgetting their home congregation. Second, to build a network of mutual support among the younger generation, one rooted in intentional words, actions, and time spent together. So that no matter where any one of us ends up, we would always have each other, and the congregations would always have a reliable support system to draw from.
What We Did: Lessons, Activities, and Fellowship
As with many of our previous trips, this one was series-based, with each session building upon the last.
We began with a Youth Fellowship session on the topic of “The Power of Words.” During this session, we explored the weight our words carry and how we can use them intentionally to encourage and build one another, letting our speech be seasoned with grace (Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6; Proverbs 16:24). We were encouraged by an attendance of over 30 participants that evening. The devotion session was split into two groups: bro. Keith from Skudai led the men’s session, while sis. Kimberly from KK facilitated the ladies’ session. This was followed by activities that creatively reinforced the key lessons on communication and intentionality.
Later that evening, we held an “Ask Me Anything” session structured around four key topics. Participants rotated through stations in two rounds, choosing one topic per round:
1. How to navigate life abroad
2. How to deal with failure
3. Life as a second or third-generation Christian
4. How to have spiritual conversations with others
This was a meaningful and practical exercise in using our words, not just in theory, but in the real, lived experiences that matter most to young people navigating faith. It also planted an early seed for what the rest of the trip would continue to develop: that our words, our relationships, and our readiness to engage others are all deeply connected.
On Sunday morning, Bible Class was led by bro. Jerome from Skudai, who taught on turning words into accountability. He highlighted three key threads that:
1. Words build up and shape accountability (Ephesians 4:29)
2. Accountability requires community as iron sharpening iron (Proverbs 27:17)
3. Consistency is what sustains it
He then moved into practical application, encouraging participants to:
1. Examine whether their conversations were surface-level
2. Set spiritual goals together and hold one another to them
3. Distance-proof their relationships by staying connected through intentional encouragement
This set the stage for the sermon that followed. If bro. Jerome’s lesson was about building accountability; the sermon would call us to put that accountability to work in the world around us.
The Sunday sermon by bro. Calvin Chan brought the series to a close with an in-depth message on building a support network for evangelism. As Christians, we are not meant to pursue righteousness alone, but alongside those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22). This, he reminded us, is the very foundation of a support network: not convenience, but a shared commitment to godly living and outward purpose.
He then walked through three key pillars:
1. How to build a support network: Intentional relationships do not form by accident. They require us to actively seek out those who share our convictions, invest time in them, and create connections that outlast proximity. This is especially critical for those transitioning to a new city or country, where the temptation is to drift rather than plant.
2. The benefits of having one: A support network keeps us accountable, sharpens our spiritual reflexes, and gives us a base from which to reach outward. It also means that no single congregation or individual bears the weight of evangelism alone. When one is weary, another carries the load.
3. Reaching out to others: A support network is not an end in itself; it exists to fuel outreach. Bro. Calvin Chan emphasised that our relationships within the church should give us the courage and the backing to engage those outside it. The warmth and depth we cultivate among ourselves become the very thing that draws others in.
Key Results: Practical Application and Collaboration
What made this trip particularly meaningful was not just the content of the lessons, but the openness and engagement that filled every session. The progression from words to accountability and to active outreach gave the weekend a clear and cumulative momentum. Each session felt like a natural step forward rather than a standalone event.
Seeing participants from different congregations sit together, ask honest questions, and encourage one another across their varied experiences was a vivid picture of the body of Christ at work. The “Ask Me Anything” stations in particular sparked conversations that went far beyond the surface on navigating doubt, on what it means to stay faithful far from home, and on how to speak about spiritual matters naturally in everyday life.
The collaborative energy across all three sessions reinforced the core message of the trip:
“Growing wherever you go is not a solo endeavour. It requires a network, and building that network requires intention.”
Personal Reflections and Takeaways
As one of the organisers, I can say that trips like these are never without their share of uncertainty. Coordinating across multiple congregations, aligning on a theme, and building a cohesive series of lessons takes considerable effort and trust. All glory to God for a smooth and fruitful trip.
I am deeply grateful for the many brethren who made this trip possible – the hospitality of the Skudai congregation, the Skudai Youth for organising the Youth Fellowship activities, bro. Keith for the male devotion and sis. Kimberly for the ladies devotion during Youth Fellowship, bro. Jerome for the Sunday Bible Class and bro. Calvin Chan for Sunday Sermon, and the enthusiastic participation of the youth from every congregation present. Gratitude also extends to bro. Calvin Tan, Isaac, Eldrick, Brendan and Titus for coordinating, facilitating the respective sessions and supporting the entire trip.
As I reflected on the trip, three lessons stayed with me:
1. Wherever you go, go with purpose. A change in location does not change our calling. We are still members of one body, and that responsibility travels with us (Romans 12:5).
2. Words are never neutral. What we say, and how we say it, shapes the culture of our communities (Ephesians 4:29).
3. Build the network before you need it. The time to forge strong bonds and develop our readiness is not when we are already struggling or caught off guard. It is now, while we are together, preparing in season so that we are never unprepared out of season (2 Timothy 4:2; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).
Conclusion:
Our trip to Skudai reminded us that the Christian life is not a solo journey. Whether we stay or go, whether we are near or far, we are part of something larger than ourselves, a body that is only as strong as the connections between its members, and only as effective as the preparation each one brings.