Through the eyes of a global host: Pastor Lia on how preaching and discipleship work hand in hand
For six years, Pastor Lia carried this message in her heart, waiting for the right time to share it. That moment came this year, during Generations Pastors Conference (GPC) 2025!
I served as a global host for GPC, where my role was to welcome and accompany the pastors and ministry leaders who traveled to Singapore for the conference. As the conference opened, I waited alongside everyone in anticipation for Pastor Lia to preach her two-part message: “The Ministry of ArrowS”.
Pastor Lia drew on powerful biblical imagery from two passages that speak about arrows, starting with Psalm 127:3-5. It’s a familiar verse, one that many pastors and parents know well. But Pastor Lia showed us that there’s another passage that deepens this picture: Isaiah 49:2.
The verse says: “He has made My Mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.”
Here, the sword represents the preaching of God’s Word, while the arrows represent discipleship.
Then came the line that brought it home:
Pastors, we are called to 2 ministries. Not just the Ministry of the Sword (preaching) but also Ministry of ArrowS (discipleship).
Pastor lia
A sword is powerful and sharp. But as Pastor Lia reminded us, a sword’s reach is only as long as its blade – arrows can travel farther and further than we can. We need both – a sword to penetrate our hearts with the truth, and ArrowS – young people – to bring the Word beyond where we can go.
Watch the moment Pastor Lia unpacked this powerful truth in her sermon:
Arrows? Young people? What’s the connection?
Let’s break it down….
Discipling young people takes time. There are moments where you might be unsure if you’re making progress, but in the second part of her message, Pastor Lia pointed out: “ArrowS can only be shot by pulling it backwards”.
Speaking from 20 years’ experience discipling youths, she reminded the pastors: young people aren’t a penalty, they’re a reward. The pull-back season is not only temporary, but it is a season of preparation – a time where you can aim your young people at the right values.
The Ministry of ArrowS isn’t just for pastors….
It’s also for parents! Many of the pastors, who are also parents, could relate to feeling a change in pace while raising their kids. Pastor Lia’s final challenge – to release the ArrowS in our hands – reminded everyone that while children are a reward, they aren’t trophies. After a season of aiming, they need to be launched forth into all that God has called them to be.
Sitting among pastors and leaders, I was moved by how the message seemed to take root in people’s hearts. A couple from Germany told me they felt challenged to believe that God would send many more youths their way. Another pastor from Europe shared that as he thought of two young people he had once discipled who eventually left the church, Pastor Lia’s message encouraged him to keep loving and believing in the next generation.
As we entered a time of prayer, I looked around and saw pastors from every corner of the world – some with heads bowed, hands raised, tears in their eyes. Pastors from 47 countries stood united, committing themselves to discipling young people in their churches and ministries. It struck me: ArrowS will not just be launched forth in Singapore, but on every continent!
I might just be an ordinary person serving in church, but so much of the wisdom I gleaned from Pastor Lia’s sermon would empower me to be a better parent and leader one day! And if I felt this inspired, I can only imagine how much it resonated with pastors who’d travelled from around the world to learn how to build generations in their churches.
Want to hear it for yourself? Watch the full message below:
