Standing firm in Christ – that’s what really matters. Last month our staff gathered to hear from Denesh Divyanathan, Senior Pastor of The Crossing Church in Singapore, who came to share what God has been doing in their church and some of the lessons they’ve learnt along the way. He reminded us that at the heart of ministry are not programs, numbers, or strategies, but the simple and life-changing goal of helping one another remain steadfast in Jesus until He returns.
The first thing Denesh shared with us was from 1 Thessalonians 2:17–3:13. Here Paul’s greatest joy was knowing that the believers were standing firm in Jesus, whatever pressures they faced. His deep affection – calling them his hope, joy, crown, and glory – his willingness to sacrifice, even being left alone in hostile Athens when he sent Timothy, and his relief when he heard good news about their faith all underline this simple priority.
For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 3:8 (ESV)
As Desh paraphrased Paul’s overwhelming relief, “Now I can breathe again,” because the Thessalonians were standing firm. For us too, ministry isn’t measured by numbers or achievements, but by seeing one another persevere in Christ – and that is a cause for real joy and thankfulness.
The Crossing Church began in 2009 with 16 people meeting in a living room, at a time when expository preaching and robust training were scarce in Singapore. Today TCC itself has grown to around 1,000 adults – not counting the other congregations they have since planted in Singapore and across Asia. Their vision has stayed clear: to be a community that loves Jesus wholeheartedly and plants churches for His glory. Along the way they’ve faced challenges, like the sudden influx of newcomers when they moved to a shopping centre, but responded with creative steps such as a year-long program designed to ground every new member in the gospel. Denesh summed up their journey with a simple lesson: “You will overestimate what can be done in one year and underestimate what God can do in ten.”
Denesh also stressed that evangelism doesn’t just happen by accident – it needs to be intentionally built into the life of a church. At The Crossing this flows from core convictions: Jesus is Lord, heaven and hell are real, and God’s sheep will hear His voice. That means leaders modelling evangelism, churches providing regular entry points like Christianity Explored, and groups like The Reading Room book club where seekers can ask questions without pressure. It also means making the most of natural opportunities such as Christmas, Easter, or weddings. The aim is to create a positive culture where many people share their faith personally, rather than relying only on big events.
The Crossing Church’s story reminded us that whether it’s persevering through trials, planting new churches, or keeping evangelism on the agenda, all of it serves one great purpose: standing firm in Christ. That was Paul’s heartbeat in 1 Thessalonians, and it remains the heartbeat of ministry today. For us across the Trinity Network, this is both a comfort and a challenge – that whatever shape our ministries take, what matters most is people persevering in Jesus. Let’s thank God for the encouragement we’ve received through The Crossing Church, and pray that He would keep us steadfast and use us to help many others stand firm in Him too.
