This is part of our bi-monthly interview series in 2025. Pastors of various churches will share spiritual reflections and insights on their journey with God and their role as shepherds of His people. For September, I have Pastor Andre Tan for this series.
You might also enjoy the interview series with various Christians sharing their past, present and future.
Who is Pastor Andre Tan?
Pastor Andre Tan (@andrejosiah) is the lead pastor of The City in Singapore, leading the congregation of 250 people for seven years. Before becoming the lead pastor at 27, he pastored the young adult ministry for almost three years. Andre holds a degree in Psychology and also spent three years at Bethel Ministry School in the United States, where he prepared for full-time vocational ministry.
Other than being a pastor, he is now an advocate for mental wellness in church ministry, especially on the emotional health of pastors, after having been through burnout and mental struggles. You can also find his writings at medium.com/@andrejosiah_58472.
He and his wife Emi Ng are blessed with a 4-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son.
The Past
Looking back…
How did you come to accept Christ?
I did not grow up in a Christian family, but I had this well-meaning friend who kept reaching out to me. One day, he asked, “Andre, do you know where you will go when you die? If you crossed the road later and got hit by a car, do you know where you would end up?”
I brushed it off. But a few days later at Bras Basah, I was jaywalking across a four-lane road when I got hit by a car going about 70 km/h. On the way to the hospital, that conversation with my friend kept playing over and over in my head. I had been to church a few times before, and I found myself praying in the ambulance, even though I didn’t really know how.
Long story short, I walked out of the hospital with no broken bones and not even a bruise. It felt like God had spared me. Right there, I made the decision to follow Jesus. And I made this strange, private vow — that one day I would work in a church. I had no idea what a church ministry really entails, but I knew that was what I wanted to do.
How were you called to be a Pastor?
In the Beginning
For me, becoming a pastor was not one big dramatic moment. It was a series of small yeses and people who spoke into my life.
When I was a teenager, a youth leader I barely knew once prayed for me and said, “You have a call of ministry on your life.” I didn’t fully understand it, but those words stuck. After national service, I secured a place in university, and thought church ministry (“ministry”) was something I’d only do later in life — maybe in my 40s, after building a career and then giving it all up for Jesus.
But I had a vision on a family vacation, something that has never happened before or ever since. I saw a timeline — on one end was where I was at that moment, and on the other end was full-time ministry. In between were all the things I wanted to do and achieve first. Then in the vision, everything in the middle disappeared, and the two ends came together. I knew then that God was calling me to take the unconventional path and pursue ministry when I was still young.
I am deeply grateful for my parents. They were not Christians and didn’t know what ministry meant, but they supported me fully. I remember my dad asking, “Is this your dream? Is this what you will give your life to do?” I said yes to both. And he replied, “We don’t know what this will look like, but if this is your dream and your passion, we will do everything we can to help.” They funded me through three years of ministry studies in the US at Bethel School of Ministry. After that, I came back to Singapore and joined the staff at The City.
Being a Pastor in The City
My journey into The City began when I resonated deeply with the vision of the planting of The City. Daniel Chua, our founding pastor who planted the church, had been pastoring youths for about a decade. Over the years, he saw that many struggles of young people during adolescence were shaped by families of origin, the way they were raised and the environments they grew up in. Out of that burden, Daniel felt called to plant a church that would reach out to young families, disciple them in the Lord, and create a space where people could come as they are, be challenged, and grow. Daniel was also a visionary leader with a big heart for God’s kingdom. That was compelling to me, and I joined the ministry about a year after the church was planted.
My journey to the pastoral calling itself was really fueled by Daniel and his wife, Joy. As a young adult, I was still rough around the edges. I was uncertain and unformed. Yet they saw something in me that I did not yet see in myself. They called out destiny in me, gave me opportunities, and believed in me before anyone else did. I owe much of who I am today to their faith, encouragement, and investment in my life.
Over the years, the Lord kept affirming this call through opportunities to teach and to step up in leadership. Eventually, I was entrusted with the role of Lead Pastor. It was not a position I chased but a journey of God’s providence, mentorship, and the grace of others believing in me before I could believe in myself.
Why did you choose Bethel School of Ministry for your studies?
That is a great question. Why did I choose Bethel? I still remember being at a conference where Ps Bill Johnson was teaching on the Holy Spirit. My heart felt like it came alive. He put into words what I had always known deep in my heart to be true but had never been able to articulate. Around the same time, our youth group was experiencing a season of supernatural visitation. Young people were encountering God in profound ways. It felt like a revival. I knew Bethel had cultivated a way of sustaining that reality, so it felt right for me to go and learn there.
My time in school was deeply formative. One of the most beautiful aspects was being in a cohort of over 70 nationalities. The cross-cultural friendships, hearing stories of what God was doing in different nations, and worshipping together gave me a picture of “many nations, one Spirit.”
Since leaving the school, I have deepened my understanding of certain things I learned there, and I now hold different views about them. But I remain grateful because it was easily the most formative period of my Christian life.
Whether it is an overseas or a local theological college, it is really about the right place for the season of formation. The content of classes may be largely similar, but the people you learn from, the environment, and the culture of a place all shape you in unique ways.
What’s the difference/shift you sense when you change your role from a pastor to a lead pastor?
As a lead pastor, I have the unique joy of seeing how the big picture comes together — leaders growing, ministries aligning, and the church moving forward in unity toward God’s call.
Having said that, it also meant I had to carry the weight of the whole church as a lead pastor. I needed to think about the vision, culture, and overall health of the church body. On top of that, there are also the added responsibilities from being part of the management board, and to handle the governance, human resources, and finances aspects of the church. All these are important parts of leading a church well, but also the kind of things ministry school doesn’t teach.
Starting young in ministry, it often felt lonely, and even lonelier as a lead pastor, because there are fewer people I can fully process things with. Most senior pastors I knew were much older, and I did not have many peers I could relate to at that stage. At times, I wondered, “Who can really understand what I am going through?” But God has been gracious. Over the years, He has sent mentors and spiritual fathers into my life, both outside and within my community. Some came alongside me in key moments to guide, pray, and give perspective. Others modelled a faithfulness and humility in ministry that I could learn from.
Anything to make you say “God works all things good”?
One of the most memorable lessons would be my health scare a few years ago.
I was 27 at the time.
I entered the lead pastor role with a deep desire to prove myself. Many of the people I was leading were older than me, some with decades of life and ministry experience. That dynamic was not easy. Even if people did not openly resist, I felt the weight of needing to show that I was capable, that I belonged in the role. I wanted to show everyone that I was the right choice, that I mattered, that I was enough. So I buried myself in ministry.
My days were packed with meetings, my nights were spent working, and when I was not working, I was thinking about work. I averaged three to four hours of sleep, ate at odd hours, and rarely exercised. I thought that constant productivity was what faithfulness looked like. I didn’t realise how run-down I was until my body basically forced me to stop. It wasn’t just physical, but I crashed mentally and emotionally as well.
Six months into my role, my body began to break down. I lost 15 kg in less than a month without trying. People told me I looked great, but my friends grew worried. A routine blood test revealed I was at risk of a stroke. At 27, I was suddenly diagnosed with a chronic condition and put on medication.
That news plunged me into the darkest day of my life. My entire framework for ministry collapsed. I had believed that if you went hard for God, nothing bad would happen. I thought leaders always had to be vibrant and inspiring. I thought prayer would bring a breakthrough every time. Yet here I was, exhausted, anxious, ashamed, and confused. I prayed for healing, but nothing happened. All day long, I wrestled with thoughts of ending my life.
The turning point came unexpectedly. In my despair, I came across an article about a young pastor who had taken his own life, leaving behind his wife and three children. Reading his story broke me. I wept and thought, “That could be me. That could be my wife.” It shook me out of my spiral and gave me the resolve to fight.
Recovery did not come overnight, but through God’s grace and new rhythms. At that time, it felt like failure, but looking back, God used that season to pull me out of an unsustainable pace and reshape the way I live and lead. I saw a counsellor. I began to practice Sabbath for the first time in my life: turning off notifications, resting, reading Scripture not for preaching but for my soul. Those weekly rhythms became lifelines. Over time, I discovered that God’s love was not something to be earned by endless striving or productivity. His love is a gift, not proof.
This marked a shift in my spiritual life. I grew up in charismatic churches, where it was all about being big and dramatic. But in that season, God met me in the stillness, silence, and contemplation. I discovered another stream of Christian life, one where God forms you in the slow and the ordinary moments as much as in the mountaintop moments.
Looking back, I can say with certainty that God worked good out of that dark season. God stripped away my illusions about ministry, exposed the false ways I was chasing worth, and taught me the freedom of abiding in Him. That pressure to prove myself was definitely part of what drove me to burn out so quickly. I wanted to demonstrate to the board, to the congregation, and even to myself that their decision to appoint me was not a mistake. Instead of leading from a place of security in God’s call, I was trying to earn significance through performance.
It is a lesson I carry with me every day: we are not called to prove ourselves by what we do, we are called to remain in His love. It wasn’t easy, but it was one of those “God works all things for good” moments. What I thought was a breakdown became the start of something deeper and more sustainable for me.
If given a chance to return in time, would you do anything differently?
If I could go back, I would lead differently. My early philosophy of leadership was that you do not burn out, you burn on. You keep going, you hold everything together, you look perfect, and you believe everything rises and falls on you. It sounds noble, but it is exhausting and not healthy.
I would build a team right from the beginning. I would share the load and make space for other voices at the table. One of the best changes for our church in recent years is to elect a group of elders* and embrace the true plurality of leadership.
Having said that, working with an eldership is not the easiest. It takes more time to decide on things because more explanation and deliberation are required, and more scheduling is needed for everyone to meet. It can slow things down. And if the unity of spirit is not there, it can become political and destructive. But success in God’s kingdom is not measured by speed, expediency, or efficiency. It is not just about getting the right outcomes, but about producing the right fruit.
We all know by now that leaders are fallible. By God’s grace, I pray I will never fail morally. But my body, my intellect, and my will are still fallible. This is why I believe so strongly in shared leadership. While this may not be the direction for every church, I am deeply convinced it is the right one for ours.
*An “eldership” typically refers to a group of elders, usually mature and experienced individuals, who lead and govern a church.
The Present
Looking at now…
Were there moments that made you feel like giving up (on being a Pastor)?
There were definitely moments I felt like giving up, especially during the COVID years. Overnight, the church went online. I was preaching into a camera, unsure if anyone was listening. People were slipping through the cracks, and I felt the weight of trying to hold the church together while holding myself and my family together. It was exhausting and lonely.
What made me press on was learning to lean into both community and God’s presence. I had friends and fellow pastors who reminded me I was not alone. I also discovered that lament could be a real prayer. The Psalms instruct us so well in this. I could bring my frustration, fear, and fatigue to God and trust that He could hold it. That season forced me to face my limits, but it also reminded me that the church does not depend on me holding it all together.
How do you handle difficult people or those who don’t like you?
To be honest, I still struggle with this. When people don’t like me or are critical, my first instinct is to get defensive or replay their words over and over in my head. I want to explain myself, to fix their perception, or sometimes just avoid them.
But over the years, I’ve learned that this is part of ministry. Ps Bill Johnson once said, “If you don’t live for the applause of men, you won’t die by their criticisms.” That has stuck with me. If my identity is anchored in people’s approval, then every criticism cuts too deep. But if my identity is anchored in God, then I can stay grounded even when people misunderstand or dislike me.
So I would now try to listen for any truth in what was being said, even if it was poorly delivered. I would pray for the person and keep showing up with kindness and integrity, even if it is not reciprocated. At the end of the day, my job is not to win everyone over but to be faithful. Jesus wasn’t liked by everyone, and I can’t expect to be either.
What are the joys of being a Pastor?
One of the greatest joys is having a front row seat to witness how people’s lives are being changed by Jesus. I see someone come to faith, take a step of obedience, a family reconciled, or a person step into their calling. At these moments, I realise I am watching God at work in real time.
Another joy is walking with people over the long haul. For example, there’s a person whom I baptised and later officiated at his wedding, and eventually dedicated their children. I get to see their story unfold, and it is a privilege to be part of that journey.
And honestly, there is joy even in the ordinary moments. Praying with someone, opening the Bible together, watching God’s Word take root in a heart. Those are the things that make all the challenges worth it.
In this season, what is God speaking to you about or teaching you?
In this season, God has been speaking to me about control. My top StrengthsFinder theme is responsibility, and that has shaped much of how I live and lead. It means I take ownership, I follow through, I care deeply. But that also means I often carry things too heavily and feel responsible not just for my scope of work, but for the outcomes, the people, and the church. And when things do not go the way I hoped, I can feel like I have failed, as if it all depends on me.
That sense of responsibility can be a strength, but it can also easily turn into an undesirable need for control. I want to manage every detail, anticipate every outcome, and hold everything together. And yet life, ministry, and even my family would remind me constantly that so much is outside of my control. People make their own choices. Growth happens in seasons. Circumstances shift in ways I cannot predict or prevent.
What I sense God teaching me is that my role is not to carry the weight of the world, not to fix everything, nor to hold everything together. My role is to be faithful with what He has entrusted to me, and to trust Him with the rest. He is the one who builds His church. He is the one who changes hearts. He is the one who holds all things together.
This has been both humbling and freeing. Humbling, because it means admitting I am not as indispensable as I sometimes think. Freeing, because I can release the burden of trying to control outcomes and instead focus on obedience. God is teaching me to rest in His sovereignty, to let go of the illusion of control, and to lean into trust.
What fruit of the Spirit do you think God is growing in you?
Patience, definitely patience. With two young kids, I am reminded daily of how impatient I can be. Kids move slowly, they interrupt, they test your limits. And through that, God is teaching me that patience is not a weakness, but strength under control.
In Scripture, patience is not just waiting quietly. It is about perseverance, long-suffering, and endurance. It is the ability to keep trusting God even when prayers feel unanswered, when growth is slow, when people don’t change overnight. The entire story of God with His people is marked by patience — Abraham waiting for decades for a son, Israel waiting for generations for the Messiah, and the church waiting for Christ’s return. That tells me patience is central to our faith. And I believe God is using this season, both at home and in ministry, to form that kind of patience in me.
What is your bible verse of the season?
For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
1 Corinthians 4:15 (NASB)
For a long time, I built much of my confidence and pastoral identity on how good a teacher I was. Teaching came naturally to me, but lately God has been challenging me to grow in understanding what it means to father a community.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, Paul writes, “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.” You can feel the affection in his words and the heart of a parent. I sense God calling me to that same place: to love people not just through teaching, but with the affection and commitment of a spiritual father.
The Future
Look forward…
What’s one piece of advice for young pastors?
The best advice I ever got for preaching and ministry was to go out and live life. Do not hide away in an office or spend all your time inside church circles. Get out there and rub shoulders with people outside your church and even outside the faith. Learn their stories and see the world through their eyes.
Preaching is not meant to sound like theory. It has to be grounded in real life. The weight and authority in a sermon come when it connects Scripture to the actual joys and struggles people face every day.
Where do you think God is leading you next – your purpose, dreams and visions?
As a church, we are in a season of reimagining what success really means. For a long time, success was measured by numbers — how many people attended, how big the programs were, how wide the reach was. But I believe God is leading us to a different metric moving forward.
Our current teaching series has been about redefining success in the kingdom. Not just about breadth, but about depth. Not just about how many are gathered, but how many are actually growing in Christ. Are lives being transformed? Are we growing in love, in maturity, in the fruit of the Spirit? That is what we want to measure success in our church.
I dream that we would be known not just as a crowd, but as a community deeply formed by Jesus, and people who carry kingdom values into their homes, workplaces, and neighbourhoods. That, to me, is where God is leading us.
Fun question: What would you be doing if you did not choose the path of a pastor?
I have been getting into fitness lately and think it would be fun to own a gym. A place to build community, do hard things together, and keep one another accountable. Sometimes it gets so tough that we end up on the floor on our knees. Sounds a bit like church!
Editor’s Note
We thank Ps Andre for openly sharing his emotional and mental journey as a pastor and insights into being a lead pastor. May his life story invite you into God’s rhythms of rest and love, so that you can keep burning on for God without burning out. If this post speaks to you, leave a comment or send us a message to encourage Ps Andre.
If you liked this, you may enjoy reading other interviews too: shema-rhema.com/blog/category/interviews
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