When Jesus said, “I will build my church,” he meant that the church was his plan, his possession, and it would grow by his work.
But how would he grow it? “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes … and you shall be My witnesses…” (Acts 1:8). Jesus grows his church when ordinary disciples proclaim the Word (witnesses speak) by the power of the Spirit.
Sometimes, going means returning to our home country.
There is another element involved in the growth of the church––going. The disciples of Jesus are commanded to “go” to the nations (Matthew 28:18–21). Nations will “hear” the gospel when disciples go. Therefore, going is essential to the spread of the gospel.
Since church growth happens by Jesus’ work, and since going is a means for gospel expansion, going is a fruit of Jesus’ work in us. We go because he moves us.
Disciples go to their families, neighborhoods, villages, cities, and to the nations. And sometimes, going means returning to their home country.
Growing Up in a Home Away from India
The 70s and 80s saw a huge migration of people from India to the Middle East because of the opportunities my parents’ generation received from these oil-rich countries. My parents migrated to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates from the Indian state of Kerala in 1976, and I joined my parents in 1978.
In Sharjah, I went to school and made friends. In this city, I saw people from all over the world in one city. And this was the place where I went to church and became a Christian. Sharjah was my home away from home.
Like most of the migrant Indian community, I desired to settle in Sharjah after my parents retired and returned to Kerala. My dad was a businessman, and my brother and I were expected to take over his business, but God had other plans.
How God Gave Me a Heart for My Home Country
After graduating as a mechanical engineer from India, I returned home to Sharjah. While working, God stirred my heart toward theological studies. After doing theological studies in India, I returned to Sharjah, my home. I pursued a pastoral internship program at Redeemer Church of Dubai, after which I was considered to serve as a staff pastor.
I never planned to become a pastor, and church planting was never on my radar. During those years, God grew my desire to plant a church. There was no other place I could think of planting other than the United Arab Emirates.
In 2017, while visiting my parents in Kochi, a large city in Kerala, I met with a church planter friend. I told him how being at Redeemer Dubai influenced my ecclesiology. We both shared a burden for revival in Kerala. We both wanted to see faithful, gospel-preaching churches in Kerala. So, he sought my wisdom for pastoral work. Like a consultant, I encouraged him by sharing some good resources with him. I wanted to watch God’s work in Kerala “from a distance.”
After listening to my counsel, my friend graciously asked me if I really wanted to see healthy churches in Kerala. “Of course!” I answered. What he said next would change where I would be for the rest of my life. It didn’t change my desire to plant, but it changed where I wanted to plant. “If healthy churches are what you want to see in Kerala,” he asked, “why don’t you plant a church in Kerala?“
It was a simple question, but God used it to move me back home. Everything in me said, “Yes! I want to plant a church here!” This moment was ordained by God. I wanted to be in Kerala. I had no objections, just excitement. Upon the Redeemer elders’ recommendation and the church’s affirmation, my family and I moved to Kerala in 2021. Everything about this move was the work of God.
God’s Story Includes Returning Home
Jesus is involved in the work of growing his church. In his sovereign plan, this work involves moving his disciples for the spread of the gospel. Sometimes, he moves us to other cities, sometimes to other countries, and sometimes, he moves us back home.
Such movements mean saying goodbye to deep friendships, a nurturing church, familiarity with places and a particular culture, and a stable life. It means welcoming uncertainties. But Jesus doesn’t move us without going with us.
Jesus doesn’t move us without going with us.
Moving also means making new friends and embracing new experiences, much like the believers in Acts 11:19–21. Think of the new friends they made, and the unique experience of being in a multicultural city! Moving gave us new friends––friends like Jiby who would ask me, “How have you obeyed what you’re about to preach this Sunday?” Moving also gave us the experience of meeting people from various walks of life in this beautiful city.
Moving means growth in our faith. It meant that we trusted God to help us find a house, to help our children settle, to raise support, to give us a house, to provide us godly friends, to start church planting work, and finally, to save the lost. Our movement by God grew our faith in God.
Moving means being part of God’s story of redemption. Our moving helped us see Jesus move hearts toward repentance. Two weeks ago, we got to see three of our friends publicly confess their faith in Jesus. Truly, the gospel is bearing fruit in Kochi, our home now.
But such God-ordained movements on this side of life mean that we are exiles on earth who are ambassadors for Christ. We are reminded through such movements that heaven is our eternal “home” (Hebrews 13:14; Philippians 3:20). And till we are home, we embrace the mission of Jesus as exiles.
Binoi Samuel serves as one of the elders at Grace Church, Kochi, Kerala. He is married to Jaisy and they have three children. He formerly pastored in the United Arab Emirates.
