25th Oct 2012. By Ezra Chim, CM –
Pastor Samuel Jacob, age 76 and his family were called to start a new church in Lukut in 2010 away from main towns and to return to a familiar place where he grew up as a young boy. He recalled cycling from Seremban to Port Dickson during his school holidays using the old Lukut trunk road to PD. Having retired now and blessed with good health, his life is still available for God’s Kingdom work. His wife Lily Jacob, age 70 and their children are all serving actively. Their hearts are to reach out to the people with the Gospel in and around Lukut, Springhill and Port Dickson.
On the 21st October 2012, the writer paid a visit to this little known town and the church at Lukut. The Sunday morning service was conducted in Tamil with translation to Bahasa Malaysia and English. The congregation size is around 60 members and growing. School buses were used to ferry members to church. It is a place where the “heart of the Lord” was felt strongly throughout the service.
Pastor Samuel was obedient to the call of his Master to go into this “hard ground” for Tamil ministry. With the many years of training and having retired as a priest in the Anglican Church, his heart’s desire is to see the Gospel reaching to the people in the rural and far-away places. Even at this senior age, the call and be involved in the Great Commission is still evident and active in his life. The Lord is faithful and He has provided the resources to run the ministry. The church is reaching out mostly to “non-believers” and to make disciples and equipping them to be effective “fishers of men.”
Even-though the congregation are mostly from poor families and are new to the Christian faith, miracles and healings are taking place in their midst.
Sister Citra (pics) recently underwent an operation on her leg but the operation was not successful and she has to move around in a wheel chair for one year before coming to the church in July 2012. Her whole leg was filled with sores and was unable to walk. Pastor and the members prayed for her and her leg was miraculously healed. The sores were gone. She can stand and walk on her own now. Praise the Lord! Citra’s father-in-law was so touched with the healing that he is actively bringing new non-believers to church every week.
Another sister Vanlli had a cataract eye operation in April 2012 but one eye was “tearing” non-stop after the eye operation. Wherever she goes, she has to cover the affected eye and has to see using one eye only. She came together with her husband in August 2012. With faith that moves mountain, the church leadership prayed for her continually and the Lord healed her as well. Sister Vanlli and her husband now serve in the church. Praise the Lord!
The Lord is confirming His Word with signs and wonders happening in the church. Pastor Samuel’s vision and prayer is to see a great harvest of souls in Lukut and the surrounding areas, and to have services conducted in Tamil, English and Bahasa Malaysia to cater to the needs of the community.
The life and service of Pastor Samuel and family is a great encouragement and a role model for believers everywhere to serve the Lord even through our senior years if the Lord tarries in coming. As long as it is still daylight, we are to work the fields that the Lord has assigned to each one of us. We are to continue to bear fruits for His Glory.
Pastor Samuel Jacob can be contacted at 016 – 9027 456 and Sister Lily Jacob at 014 – 3221 807.
Sunday service in Lukut is at 11am.