By William Tan, Managing Director of Hock Lian Huat Foodstuff Industry
William thought he was living the life, chasing after pleasures and money until God reminded him of an experience he had at the National Stadium thirty years ago. Little did he know that God would water that seed and bring forth fruit in His time, transforming the lives entrusted to him.
My name is William, and this is my story of how God transformed me from a self-centered person to a Christ-centered one. For many years, I did not know God or care about His ways. I was chasing after worldly pleasures and ignoring the emptiness in my soul.
But God had a plan for me. He started to work in my heart 30 years ago, when He planted the first seeds of faith in me.
It was at the National Stadium, where thousands of Christians gathered for a rally. It started pouring and I assumed that, given the rain, the event would surely not start. However, the people in the stadium seats were all holding hands and praying loudly for the rain to cease. As they pray, I felt a strange sensation, the hair on my arms began to stand and I felt goosebumps on my skin.
In a few minutes time, the rain stopped and the event started. I realized that there was something supernatural about Christianity. It was an amazing miracle and I knew it was from God.
That was the seed that God planted in my heart. It took a long time to sprout, but I eventually surrendered my life to Jesus and became a Christian.
I wanted to share this amazing experience with others, especially my employees. I wanted them to know Jesus and His love and power. I run a food company, and we often have outdoor events. One day, we had a barbecue, and it looked like it was going to rain. I remembered the miracle at the National Stadium, and I asked my Christian staff to pray with me. We prayed, and the rain stopped. Everyone felt God’s presence that day, and some of them became interested in Christianity.
I felt that Alpha would be a great tool for them to ask their questions and explore Christianity, so I decided to host an Alpha in my office and invited them to join me.
At one of the most memorable Alpha session, the invited pastor said, “God is telling me that someone here has back pain and He wants to heal you. Come forward if that’s you.” My manager, who had suffered in silence for years, stepped out in faith. The pastor prayed, “In Jesus’ name, be healed!” and he was instantly free from pain.
He was astonished because he had never told anyone about his back pain and asked, “How did you know?”
I said, “God knew, because He knows everything. He loves you and He wants you to know Him.”
Through the Holy Spirit, 10 of my employees came to Christ through the Alpha course. I urge you to never give up on your loved ones who don’t know Jesus yet. Keep praying and sharing with them. The seed that you sow will not be wasted. It will grow and bear fruit in God’s time, just like it did for me. God will finish what He started in them. That is His promise.
So let us be bold and courageous in sharing the gospel and our testimonies. Let us be vessels for God and show His power and His love, to make a difference for His kingdom.
To get started on an Alpha run, write to Alpha Singapore at [email protected].
Inspired by William’s story? Click here to read more stories by William in this Salt&Light article.
