The Fearful Boy Who Found a Real God
Pastor Robert Lum, affectionately known as Pastor Bob, was like any other boy, active and curious. But at age ten, he witnessed a neighbor fall to her death.
From that day, fear gripped him. He turned to religious idols, hoping for peace and protection from ghosts.
One day, his elder brother invited him to Sunday school in a small church beneath their apartment.
There, Robert encountered a power greater than the fear of ghosts. He discovered Jesus and gave his life to Christ.
That night, for the first time since the tragedy, he slept peacefully. To Robert, God wasn’t a concept. He was real. And that reality has shaped every day of his life since.
Called by God
At 17 years old, God spoke to Robert during his devotion time through the hymn “I’ll go where you want me to go”.
The call to full-time ministry was clear. He was prepared to take a leap of faith and enter ministry after completing National Service, even if it meant disappointing his parents who had high hopes for his future.
After seeking counsel from Pastor Winnie Ong, Robert sensed God’s leading to further prepare himself.
At that time, Assemblies of God (AG) pastors were often looked down upon for lacking academic qualifications, and Robert felt the need to be both called and equipped.
He then pursued a degree in Business Administration, believing that the knowledge gained would one day be useful in missions.
For five years, he worked diligently in banking, holding God’s call close to his heart. Finally, in 1985, he made the leap, resigned and enrolled in Bible school, which heralded the beginning of his full-time Christian work.
Ministry and Faith Lessons
In 1988, Robert joined Eternal Life Assembly (EL) as a staff under Pastor John Lee’s leadership.
Then in 1992, after just four years, Pastor Lee asked Robert to take over as Senior Pastor – a weighty responsibility upon his shoulders.
Things became even harder when, in 1994, unexpected leadership changes left him without key staff. The burden nearly led to Robert falling into depression.
But God provided. Pastors Peter, Alvin, and Annie stepped in as faithful co-laborers, and they remain as pillars in the church till today.
In 1995, EL had to move out of their church premise at Pasir Panjang when the ‘change of use’ could not be renewed.
Robert spearheaded the five-year journey for a permanent church site that culminated in securing EL’s current premise at Bukit Timah Conference Centre, with the property fully paid up. The nomadic season was over. A new chapter had begun for EL!
Missions was always central to Robert’s heart. He led EL in establishing a ministry in Cambodia, starting from scratch to raise funds and build infrastructure.
“EL didn’t have the money,” Robert recalls. “But when God gives a vision, He also gives the provision.”
Indeed, God provided almost double what was needed. Today, EL Cambodia is an established growing church that is a light to the community and a school that provides certified education to children aged 5 to 18 years old.
During the 2020 pandemic, despite budgets cuts happening globally, Robert witnessed God’s abundant provision.
EL was not only able to provide for its own staff, but the church’s financial resources experienced surpluses which were channeled to bless itinerant and retired ministers who had lost their income during the challenging period. Heaven provided and the church became a channel of hope.
Experiencing God’s Miracles for the Family
In 1999, Robert’s father, who had earlier accepted Christ, suffered a stroke and fell into a coma.
Robert asked the church to pray as he and his wife rushed to the hospital, fearing the worst. But when they arrived, they saw his father awake, alert and able to talk as before! God had healed him, and this miracle was witnessed by his family.
“God never forgets the prayers of His children,” Robert reflects.
For years, Robert had prayed for his mother’s salvation. In 2003, those prayers were answered. She accepted Christ and was baptized!
When God Answers Differently
In 2016, Robert faced one of the hardest seasons in his life. His first granddaughter was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart defect whilst still in her mother’s womb.
The family rallied in fasting and prayer. But the healing they hoped for didn’t come. She was born with the defect, endured a major surgery at five weeks old, and another at age two, both followed by long ICU stays.
Notwithstanding these perilous episodes, God has watched over Robert’s granddaughter. Today, she is an active and cheerful 9-year-old!
“Sometimes God doesn’t answer the way we expect,” Robert says. “But He remains sovereign and faithful no matter how hard it gets.”
A Life Still Advancing: Parting Reflections
Ask anyone who knows Pastor Robert, and you’ll hear: Kind. Gentle. Accommodating.
From playing the accordion in Sunday School to writing musical scripts, preaching the Gospel, and mentoring pastors, Robert believes there’s room for every person to grow – spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually.
He never saw full-time ministry as a sacrifice. To him, it has always been a privilege, a sacred call filled with joy, surrounded by grace, and a front seat to seeing lives transformed for the glory of God. Though retired as Senior Pastor, he steps into a new season.
“God is not done with us, and He’s not done with me,” he says. “We must leave the past behind and boldly advance to take hold of what Christ took hold of us for.”
And if you ask him what he’s learned after 40 years of ministry?
“Were there sacrifices? Yes. But God has never short-changed me. Not once.”
Let’s celebrate Pastor Robert Lum! A life well-lived, and a legacy still unfolding.
- Ask: Is God’s calling you to full-time service?
- Consider: What is God asking you to surrender—not as a sacrifice, but as a privilege?
- Be Grateful: Where have you seen God provide, even when the odds were against you?
